Matchstalk Men

This slideshow with audio shows what happened when a group of teenagers in hoodies tried to get in to The Lowry Gallery in Salford, UK - Sunday afternoon at the Lowry

For my own amusement, I looked up the words of the UK No 1 chart hit from 1978, Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs, by Brian and Michael - these are them:

He painted Salford's smoky tops
On cardboard boxes from the shops
And parts of Ancoats where I used to play.
I'm sure he once walked down our street,
'Cos he painted kids who had nowt on their feet,
The clothes they wore had all seen better days.

Now they said his works of art were dull,
No room, old lad, the walls are full,
But Lowry didn't care much anyway.
They said he just paints cats and dogs
And matchstalk men in boots and clogs,
And Lowry said "That's just the way they'll stay."

And he painted matchstalk men and matchstalk cats and dogs,
He painted kids on the corner of the street that were sparking clogs,
Now he takes his brush and he waits
Outside them factory gates
To paint his matchstalk men and matchstalk cats and dogs.

Now canvas and brushes were wearing thin
When London started calling him
To come on down and wear the old flat cap.
They said "Tell us all about your ways
And all about them Salford days,
Is it true you`re just an ordinary chap?"

And he painted matchstalk men and matchstalk cats and dogs,
He painted kids on the corner of the street that were sparking clogs,
Now he takes his brush and he waits
Outside them factory gates
To paint his matchstalk men and matchstalk cats and dogs.

Now Lowry's hung upon the wall
Beside the greatest of them all,
And even the Mona Lisa takes a bow.
This tired old man with hair like snow
Told Northern folk "It's time to go,"
The fever came and the good Lord mopped his brow.

And he left us matchstalk men and matchstalk cats and dogs,
He left us kids on the corner of the street that were sparking clogs,
Now he takes his brush and he waits
Outside them pearly gates
To paint his matchstalk men and matchstalk cats and dogs.

Source: andyjpartridge.co.uk