Status Quo - Pictures Of Matchstick Men 1968(video 3min)

youtube.com ^

[virgil283]

"Status Quo are an English rock band whose music is characterized by their distinctive brand of rock.

The group originated in The Spectres, founded by schoolboys Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster in 1962. After a number of lineup changes, the band became The Status Quo in 1967 and Status Quo in 1969.

They have had over 60 chart hits in the UK, starting with 1967's "Pictures Of Matchstick Men."

[virgil283]

.....;

[ConservativeStatement]

Part of this song and the Doors’ “L.A. Woman” were performed in bathrooms. This for writing purposes. The latter for reverb effects.

[Slambat]

Horrible tone on that Les Paul. I remember playing this and
“Hold your head up” by Argent when I was 10 or so.
Remember “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys” by Traffic?

[proxy_user]

I was thinking about this group yesterday, because ‘status quo’ was in the London Times puzzle. The clue was ‘In current position figure our side has half the needed numbers’, i.e. stat + us + quo[rum]. I was trying to think of an alternate clue that referred to this song.

[Jeff Chandler]

Ah, the old Vox Continental.

[Moonmad27]

Love that song!!!

[Fester Chugabrew]

I *loved* that tune as a kid, and only recently (within the past 5 years) added it to my iTunes repertoire. When it was popular my older brother and I had our first introduction to firecrackers.

[a fool in paradise]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictures_of_Matchstick_Men

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

---

Constipation Blues and It’ll Be Me are two other loo inspired songs.

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins - Constipation Blues (1969)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic3g8Xnf7LI

JERRY LEE LEWIS - IT’LL BE ME // SUN 78 RPM (by Jack Clement)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu1tLIlgbFQ
Alternate version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1CAHjX5KQk

[CtBigPat]

Great band; what I find strange is that they are one of the biggest bands in Europe but are almost completely unknown on this side of the pond.

Some of their more recent tunes:

Big Fat Mama

Caroline

[logitech]

A guy posted that he, because of no amp, hooked his guitar to the family tube stereo unit.

Now, I understand the sound.

[ConservativeStatement]

I do remember that song. I remember Steve Winwood’s prominence into mainstream back in the 80s and a particular female friend who adored him. :-)

[ifinnegan]

Years ago some old acquaintances of mine recorded this song and got it to number one on one of those secondary bill board charts.

I was impressed they could write a song like that.

I didn’t know til later it was a cover.