Pictures of Matchstick Men
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"Pictures of Matchstick Men" is the first hit single by British rock band The Status Quo. It was released on 5 January 1968.[1]
The Status Quo version
The song reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart, number eight in Canada, and number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming their only top-40 single in the United States.[2][3][4] Francis Rossi confirmed on DVD2 of the Pictures set,Template:What 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, one in stereo and another in mono, with significant differences: the original single was in mono and has the trademark wah-wah guitar in the breaks between lyrics, but this is omitted in stereo.
The song opens with a single guitar repeatedly playing a simple four-note riff before the bass, rhythm guitar, organ, drums and vocals begin. "Pictures of Matchstick Men" is one of a number of songs from the late 1960s which feature the flanging audio effect. The band's next single release, "Black Veils of Melancholy", was similar but flopped, which caused a change of musical direction.[5]
Rossi (living in a prefab in Camberwell at the time)[6] later said of the song: Template:Quote
The "matchstick men" reference is to the paintings of Salford artist L. S. Lowry.[7]
Releases
- 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
Camper Van Beethoven version
In 1989, Camper Van Beethoven scored a number 1 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States with their version from the album Key Lime Pie.[8]
Charts
Template:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chart| Chart (1968) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles (Kent Music Report)[9] | 19 |
See also
References
External links
- Template:Trim Template:Replace on YouTubeScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". - live acoustic version in 2014
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- 1967 songs
- 1968 debut singles
- 1989 singles
- Status Quo (band) songs
- Pye Records singles
- Songs written by Francis Rossi
- Song recordings produced by John Schroeder (musician)
- British psychedelic rock songs
- Psychedelic pop songs
- Virgin Records singles
- Cadet Records singles
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