Status Quo – Pictures Of Matchstick Men

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Send "Pictures Of Matchstick Men" Ringtone to Cell

When I look up to the skies I see your eyes a funny kind of yellow I rush home to bed I soak my head I see your face underneath my pillow I wake next morning, tired, still yawning See your face come peeping through my window Pictures of matchstick men and you Mirages of matchstick men and you All I ever see is them and you Windows echo your reflection When I look in their direction now When will this haunting stop? Your face, it just won't leave me alone Pictures of matchstick men and you Mirages of matchstick men and you All I ever see is them and you You're in the sky and with the sky You make men cry, you lie You're in the sky and with the sky You make men cry, you lie Pictures of matchstick men Pictures of matchstick men Pictures of matchstick men

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Lyrics submitted by Groo V

Track duration: 03:14

"Pictures of Matchstickmen" as written by Francis Dominic Nicholas Rossi

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Pictures Of Matchstick Men song meanings
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17 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:THE ONLY GUESS YOU COULD COME UP WITH!!!!

    Oh my God!

    Not only is it PATENTLY not about god...it is CLEARLY about the work of the painter L.S.Lowry.
    What a sad indictment on modern 'everyday' folk ie. human swill.

    To leap from an OBVIOUS real-world reference (to Lowry) to some kind of happy-clappy god nonsense without even a breath of embarrassment or shame just shows how INCOMPREHENSIBLY ignorant the vast mass of human SLUDGE is. Oh sad sad day!
    Flag ralphuson January 26, 2012   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I was hoping to get some insight into this song, but there doesn't seem to be much out there. So here's my humble opinion: Since seeing the Nicolas Cage movie "Matchstick Men", I now know that it's a term for grifters or con men. So in this context, I think maybe the singer felt "conned" or "cheated" by a woman. Maybe she pretended to love him for financial gain? It's not necessarily guilt he feels, but shame for being fooled.
    Flag krudleron September 01, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This was the Quo's only US hit, dating from about 1968, and shortly afterwards they radically changed direction, abandoning psychedelia and bubblegum (and their organist) for hard-rock boogie with a twin-Telecaster attack. In this format (and despite countless jokes about the band only knowing three chords) they have had literally dozens of UK hits. If you only know the Quo from this one song (as is likely for most Stateside listeners), you will have missed the bigger picture.
    Flag butterfingersbeckon September 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:excellent song! some lyrics are wrong.no death or murder, just lost love and getting over it.time heals all wounds."when will this haunting stop your face it just won't leave me alone"who's with her now"pictures of matchstick men and you"mirages of matchstick men and you"All i ever see is them andYOU"you don't laugh when you sing about death or murder unnless your a sociopath.long live the psychedlic era man.oh yea "you.you in the sky,you with this guy you make men cry you lie"and"when i look in their direction gone".i play this daily on my 57 gibson standard and fuzz wah with a modern twist.there are only 7 simple chords and a few notes that make this a garage psych classic.maybe your better off watching teletubbies.kids!?
    Flag ohmson July 29, 2008   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is a psychedelic classic! I really like Kasabian's version too. Didn't think of it before, but that smothering idea is both creepy and intriguing. Now I look at song in new way!!
    Flag Kenichion July 16, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Also - I like this song, and enjoy most variations. I think Ozzie&TON, CVB, Atrocity, A. Lucassen, Angry Samoans, and others have all done interesting variations. Ozzie's and Atrocty's give me more of that 'haunted by guilt' (or at least someone no longer alive) feeling, and Lucassen and the original give me more of the haunting artwork feeling.
    Flag chris24jon March 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:My impression was similar to Godz of Muzic, though I'm curious about the source. From what I've read it was based upon the artwork of L S Lowry.
    Flag chris24jon March 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The song is about a guy who took a bad trip, smothered his girlfriend to death, woke up saw what he did and feels the guilt and is haunted by it.

    It's a great song! The original is still best.
    Flag Godz_of_Muzicon March 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:hmm, I have no clue about what the song means, but this is one of my FAVOURITE SONGS OF ALL TIME!!!

    holy shit?! I can't believe its gotten these bad raves! well, i guess, to each his own, but daamnn ..
    Flag TheAcidSoundon July 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:and yet all you did is bitch as well...goodjob ass clowns

    I think this songs about god (its the only guess i can come up with)...its obvious the references to the sun..but why would this be JUST about the sun..so i figured the sun ..sun light..light of god..-shruggs-
    Flag poopytheclownon July 03, 2007   Link

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