Camper Van Beethoven: “Pictures of Matchstick Men” (1989)

Camper shakes up the status quo with the biggest hit of their career.

Kronomyth 5.1: A match made in heaven.

It’s always bothered me a bit that Camper Van Beethoven’s biggest hit was a cover song. Not that Status Quo’s Pictures of Matchstick Men isn’t an inspired choice, and their version completely rocks, but there are better songs on Key Lime Pie, like The Humid Press of Days, “(I Was Born in a) Laundromat,” “Flowers” and maybe even “June.” Songs that most people never heard because there was only a tiny space accorded to the Campers and “Pictures of Matchstick Men” was eating it all up. A remixed version of the song was released in the US as a single, which I haven’t heard, or have heard and didn’t realize it. In the UK, Jack Ruby appeared as the B side because obviously all English people know who Jack Ruby is. The 12-inch and CD singles included “The Humid Press of Days” (great song, that) and a nonalbum instrumental, Closing Theme, that could’ve been turned into a neat song with a little effort. And, then, Camper Van Beethoven was gone, followed by The Replacements, Pixies, and everything good in the world.

Original 7-inch single version

A1. Pictures of Matchstick Men (Francis Rossi)
B1. Jack Ruby (Victor Krummenacher/Greg Lisher/David Lowery/Chris Pedersen)

Original cassette single version
A1. Pictures of Matchstick Men (remix)
B1. Come on Darkness

Original 12-inch and CD single version
A1. Pictures of Matchstick Men (Francis Rossi)
A2. Jack Ruby (Victor Krummenacher/Greg Lisher/David Lowery/Chris Pedersen)
B1. Closing Theme (Victor Krummenacher/Greg Lisher/David Lowery/Chris Pedersen)
B2. The Humid Press of Days (Victor Krummenacher/Greg Lisher/David Lowery/Chris Pedersen)

The Players

Produced by Dennis Herring.

The Plastic

Released as 12-inch, CD and cassette single in 1989 in the US (Virgin, 4-99131) and the  UK (Virgin, VUS/VUST/VUSCD 8) with picture sleeve. Also released as promotional CD single in 1989 in the US (Virgin, PRCD 3024) featuring remixed version only and as promotional 12-inch single in 1989 in the US (Virgin, PR 2865) feat. LP version only. Reached #1 on the US Modern Tracks charts.