Pictures of Matchstick Men

It reached number seven in the British charts, number eight in Canada, and number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their only hit single in the United States.^[1]^[2]^[3] Francis Rossi confirmed on DVD2 of the Pictures set that it was originally intended to be a B-side to "Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Cafe", but it was decided to swap the B-side and the A-side of the single.

There are two versions of the song, a stereo and mono version, with significant differences: the mono version, which was the original single, has the trademark psychedelic wah-wah guitar in the breaks between lyrics, but the stereo version omits it.

The song opens with a single guitar repeatedly playing a simple four note riff before the bass, rhythm guitar, drums and lyrics begin. "Pictures of Matchstick Men" is one of a number of songs from the late sixties to feature the audio effect phasing. The song is an example of bubblegum psychedelia. Their following release, "Black Veils of Melancholy", was similar but flopped, which caused the group to change direction.^[4]

Francis Rossi said about the song:

I wrote it on the bog. I'd gone there, not for the usual reasons...but to get away from the wife and mother-in-law. I used to go into this narrow frizzing toilet and sit there for hours, until they finally went out. I got three quarters of the song finished in that khazi. The rest I finished in the lounge.^[5]

The "matchstick men" of the song refers to the paintings of L.S. Lowry.^[5]

Singles

1968: Pictures of Matchstick Men / Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Cafe [Promo] 45 rpm Vinyl 7"; Pye / 7N 17449
1969: Retrato de hombre con bastón / El café del caballero Joe 33 rpm, Mono Vinyl 7"; Music Hall / MH 31.101 Argentina
1973: Pictures of Matchstick Man / Ice in the Sun 45 rpm Vinyl 7"; Pye / 12 746 AT

Cover versions

The Slickee Boys released an up-tempo version on their 1982 album Cybernetic Dreams of Pi.
In 1986, the Forgotten Rebels released a punk version on their album The Pride and Disgrace.
In 1989, Camper Van Beethoven scored a USA number-one hit on the American Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart with their version from their album Key Lime Pie.
In 1995, Johnny Q. Public, a Christian rock band, prominently used a riff from this song in the song "Body Be" on their album Extra-Ordinary.
In 1995, Arjen Anthony Lucassen, a Dutch musician, performed the song on his cover album Strange Hobby.
Type O Negative, featuring Ozzy Osbourne on vocals covered it as part of the soundtrack to the Howard Stern biographical movie Private Parts in 1997.^[6]^[7] Type O Negative also recorded a version of the song with the band's vocalist and bassist Peter Steele on vocals instead.
In 2000, the German band Atrocity covered it on their single "Taste Of Sin".
Shy Nobleman, Tel Aviv's mod hero, covered it on his How to Be Shy tour in 2001.
In May 2001, a live cover version appeared as a B-side on The Divine Comedy's single "Bad Ambassador". It was recorded during a gig at Oxford Brookes University in March that year.
In 2003, Death in Vegas released the title track of their album Scorpio Rising as a single (featuring Liam Gallagher from Oasis on vocals). The song featured a melody and chord sequence almost identical to Pictures of Matchstick Men; so much so, in fact, that Status Quo were credited as co-writers.
In 2006, Kasabian released a version of the song on the CD single of "Shoot the Runner", their second release from the album Empire. Although a first performance of this song was heard on Dermot O'Leary's BBC Radio 2 show, this version was recorded in the studio for the CD release.
In 2013, the guitar intro is repeatedly sampled by Mickey Avalon on his song "I Get Even".

In popular culture

In 2007, My Name is Earl Season 3, Episode 11: Burn Victim featured the song.
In 2011, the original version of "Pictures of Matchstick Men" was featured prominently in a television ad for Target stores.
In 2012, the original version of the song was played in Men in Black 3.

References

↑ "BBC - Music / Profiles - Status Quo". BBC. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2006. Archived from the original on October 10, 2006. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
↑ "The enduring appeal of Status Quo". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 9 December 2005. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
↑ staff (November 12, 2008). "Cue The Quo". Aberdeen Press and Journal (Aberdeen, Scotland: Aberdeen Journals). OCLC 29379669. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
↑ Rawlings, Terry (November 1, 2002). Then, Now and Rare British Beat 1960-1969 (illustrated ed.). London, England: Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780711990944. OCLC 50272043. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
1 2 Headon, Tanya (December 17, 2002). "Songs About Laurence Stephen Lowry". FreakyTrigger. Tom Ewing. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
↑ "Type O Negative Current Bio - 9.00". Type O Negative. Team Ronin. 2003. Archived from the original on July 5, 2003.
↑ Masuo, Sandy (February 22, 1997). "Various artists, "Private Parts" soundtrack, *** Warner Bros.". Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California, USA: Eddy Hartenstein). ISSN 0458-3035. OCLC 3638237. Retrieved August 17, 2012.

External links

Gold Radio

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Status Quo

Francis Rossi Rick Parfitt Andy Bown John 'Rhino' Edwards Leon Cave Alan Lancaster Jess Jaworski Alan Key John Coghlan Roy Lynes Pete Kircher Jeff Rich Matt Letley

Studio albums (UK)	Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo Spare Parts Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon Dog of Two Head Piledriver Hello! Quo On the Level Blue for You Rockin' All Over the World If You Can't Stand the Heat... Whatever You Want Just Supposin' Never Too Late 1+9+8+2 Back to Back In the Army Now Ain't Complaining Perfect Remedy Rock 'Til You Drop Thirsty Work Don't Stop Under the Influence Famous in the Last Century Heavy Traffic Riffs The Party Ain't Over Yet In Search of the Fourth Chord Quid Pro Quo Bula Quo! Aquostic (Stripped Bare)

UK Top 20 singles	"Pictures of Matchstick Men" "Ice in the Sun" "Down the Dustpipe" "Paper Plane" "Mean Girl" "Caroline" "Break the Rules" "Down Down" "Roll Over Lay Down" "Rain" "Mystery Song" "The Wild Side of Life" "Rockin' All Over the World" "Again and Again" "Whatever You Want" "Living on an Island" "What You're Proposing" "Lies" / "Don't Drive my Car" "Something 'Bout You Baby I Like" "Rock 'n' Roll" "Dear John" "Ol' Rag Blues" "A Mess of Blues" "Marguerita Time" "Going Down Town Tonight" "The Wanderer" "Rollin' Home" "Red Sky" "In the Army Now" "Dreamin'" "Ain't Complaining" "Running All Over the World" "Burning Bridges" "The Anniversary Waltz (Parts One and Two)" "Come on You Reds" "Jam Side Down" "You'll Come 'Round" "The Party Ain't Over Yet"

Other singles	"Black Veils of Melancholy" "Make Me Stay a Bit Longer" "Are You Growing Tired of My Love" "The Price of Love" "In My Chair" "Tune to the Music" "Gerdundula" "Rockers Rollin' / Hold You Back" "Accident Prone" "She Don't Fool Me" "Who Gets the Love?" "Not at All" "Little Dreamer" "Can't Give You More" "Rock 'til You Drop" "Roadhouse Medley" "I Didn't Mean It" "Sherri, Don't Fail Me Now!" "Restless" "When You Walk in the Room" "Fun Fun Fun" "Don't Stop" "All Around My Hat" "The Way It Goes" "Little White Lies" "Twenty Wild Horses" "Mony Mony" "Old Time Rock and Roll" "All Stand Up" "Thinking of You" "All That Counts Is Love" "Beginning of the End" "It's Christmas Time" "Jump That Rock (Whatever You Want)"

See also	Status Quo discography Bob Young

Book

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