Favorite Cover Songs #8 - "Pictures of Matchstick Men"

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#8 in my Favorite Cover Songs series takes us to Redlands, California, birthplace of Camper Van Beethoven (and home of @crossbones27!) Formed in 1983, Camper Van Beethoven is an alternative rock band fronted by vocalist/guitarist David Lowery. In 1989, they scored a #1 hit (Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart) with their cover of The Status Quo's "Pictures of Matchstick Men." The Status Quo, meanwhile, is a London-based band formed in 1962 and was, if memory serves, the first act to hit the British stage at Live Aid. The two versions of "Pictures of Matchstick Men" are, for the most part, fairly similar. The Camper version adds a violin and rocks a bit harder, while Status Quo's has a psychedelic feel (it was released in 1968, and was the first of the band's many hits: #7 in the UK, #12 on the Billboard Hot 100.) Otherwise, there really isn't that much difference. The song has also been covered by, among others, Type O Negative. It's Camper Van Beethoven's cover that is the most fun of the three (and I'll readily admit that I haven't heard other versions.) All in all, a great cover of a great song. #8 seems about right.