| "Hey Matthew" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| SinglebyKarel Fialka | ||||
| from the album Human Animal | ||||
| B-side | "The Things I Saw" | |||
| Released | August 1987 (1987-08) | |||
| Genre | Synth-pop | |||
| Length | 3:25 | |||
| Label | I.R.S. | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Karel Fialka | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Karel Fialka singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Hey Matthew"onYouTube | ||||
"Hey Matthew" is a song by the British synth-pop musician Karel Fialka, released as a single in August 1987 by I.R.S. Records. It was later included on his second studio album, Human Animal (1988).[1]
The song has minimal instrumentation with only synthesizers and a drum machine being used. It follows the lyrics of the stepfather (Fialka) questioning his stepson, Matthew, as to what he sees on television (to which a young child's voice responds: Dallas, Dynasty, Terrahawks, He-Man, Tom and Jerry, Dukes of Hazzard, Airwolf, Blue Thunder, Rambo, Road Runner, Daffy Duck and The A-Team);[2] and what he wants to be (as a profession) when he grows up: "a soldier, street fighter, a police man, a captain of a boat (... big boat), magic man, a cowboy, train driver, high jump champion, a fireman, a pilot, I want to be your friend.").[3][4]
The video follows the plot of the song, with the camera making it appear that the viewer is looking in on the family through the television.
The song was Fialka's biggest chart hit, peaking at number 9 on the UK Singles Chart and spending eight weeks in the listings.[5] It also reached No. 15 in Germany and No. 29 on the US Modern Rock chart.
In 1997, both Karel and Matthew appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks in the Identity Parade line-up. Both were identified successfully.[6]
| Chart (1987–1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Iceland (Íslenski listinn)[7] | 7 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[8] | 7 |
| Israel (IBA)[citation needed] | 4 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[9] | 13 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[10] | 9 |
| USModern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[11] | 29 |
| West Germany (Official German Charts)[12] | 15 |
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