Standing at the bus stop with my shopping in my hands,
When I'm over hearing elder ladies as the rumours start to fly,
Hear them in the school yard, in the scrap yard, in the chip shop,
In the phone box, In the pool hall, at the shoe stall every corner turned
around.

Started with the school girl who was running,
Running home to her mum and dad
Told them she was playing in the change room of the local football side,
They said tell us again, she told them again,
Tell us the truth they found it hard to believe
Cause he taught our Steve, even trained me,
Taught Uncle John who's a father of three

It only takes one tree to make a thousand matches
Only takes one match to burn a thousand trees, thousand trees

You see it in the class room or the swimming pool,
Where the match stick men are made,
At the scouts hall at the football, where the wise we trust are paid,
We all honour his name, did a lot for the game,
Got his name knocked up above the sports ground gates,
Now they're ripping it down, stamping the ground,
Picture gather dust in the bar and the lounge

It only takes one tree to make a thousand matches
Only takes one match to burn a thousand trees, thousand trees

Wake up, smell the rain, shake up, he's back to stay,
Hasn't been on a holiday, growing seeds, don't believe why he's been away

In the school yard, change room, playing fields, bathroom, phone box, office
blocks
Corner's turned around, they keep doubting the flame, tossing the blame,
Got his name knocked up above the sports ground gates,
Now they're ripping it down,
stamping the ground picture gathers dust in the bar and the lounge

It only takes one tree to make a thousand matches
Only takes one match to burn a thousand trees
Thousand Trees
Thousand Trees
Thousand Trees