A Psychedelic Glimmer in the Late Sixties Fog
Ah, “Pictures Of Matchstick Men” by Status Quo… just the title itself conjures up that hazy, slightly surreal atmosphere of 1968, doesn’t it? This wasn’t your typical rock and roll swagger; it was something altogether more whimsical, more… well, psychedelic. Reaching a respectable number twelve on the UK Singles Chart upon its release and even making a surprising dent in the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number eighty-one, this track served as the band’s breakthrough, a pivotal moment that steered them onto the path of stardom, albeit a very different path from the boogie-rocking giants they would later become.
The story behind this curious little gem is rather intriguing. As the tale goes, the band’s frontman, the late, great Francis Rossi, was inspired to pen the lyrics after a rather damp and dreary gig in Ireland. Looking out at the rain-streaked streets, the rows of streetlights apparently resembled, in his slightly waterlogged imagination, “pictures of matchstick men and matchstick cats and dogs.” It’s a wonderfully evocative image, isn’t it? That ability to find poetry in the mundane, to transform a gloomy evening into a vibrant, albeit slightly abstract, tableau.
But the meaning of “Pictures Of Matchstick Men” extends beyond mere visual description. It taps into that feeling of alienation, of being an observer on the fringes of life. The repeated lines, “All the same it’s a real shame,” hint at a sense of longing, a yearning for connection that seems just out of reach. The swirling, almost disorienting, guitar riff, so distinctive and instantly recognizable, perfectly complements this feeling of being slightly out of step with the world. It’s the sound of introspection, of watching the world go by through a rain-splattered windowpane.
What makes this song so enduring, I believe, is its unique sonic texture. That tremolo effect on the guitar, creating that shimmering, almost watery sound, was quite innovative for its time. It gave the track an ethereal quality, setting it apart from the heavier, blues-infused rock that was also prevalent in the late sixties. It was a breath of fresh air, a little pop-art masterpiece rendered in sound.
“Pictures Of Matchstick Men” appeared on Status Quo‘s debut album, “Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo”, released in the same year. The album title itself is a testament to the impact of this single. It captured a moment in time, a fleeting feeling of psychedelic wonder that permeated the music scene. While the band would later evolve into the denim-clad boogie kings we all know, this early track remains a fascinating artifact, a snapshot of a band finding its feet, experimenting with sounds and ideas that were very much of their era. It reminds us of a time when music was constantly pushing boundaries, when even a rainy night in Ireland could spark a song that would echo through the decades. It’s a little piece of musical history, a reminder of the kaleidoscope of sounds that emerged from the vibrant late sixties. And every time I hear that opening riff, I’m instantly transported back to that time, the scent of patchouli in the air, the flickering images on a black and white television screen… a simpler, perhaps more innocent, time.