Posted on 01/24/2015 3:09:51 PM PST by FlJoePa
Forty-six years ago today (Jan. 22, 1969), Glen Campbell struck gold for the first time. It was on this day that the singer earned the first gold single of his career, signifying sales of 500,000 copies, with ‘Wichita Lineman.’
The song, which was the title track of Campbell’s 12th studio album, was written by Jimmy Webb, who got the inspiration for the tune while driving through Washita County, Okla., when he saw a lone telephone lineman working on the top of a telephone pole.
“I’m a songwriter, and I can write about anything I want to,” Webb says of his inspiration for the song. “I feel that you should know something about what you’re doing, and you should have an image, and I have a very specific image of a guy I saw working up on the wires out in the Oklahoma panhandle one time with a telephone in his hand talking to somebody. And this exquisite aesthetic balance of all these telephone poles just decreasing in size as they got further and further away from the viewer — that being me — and as I passed him, he began to diminish in size.
“This song came about, really, from wondering what that was like, what it would be like to be working up on a telephone pole, and what would you be talking about?” Webb continues. “Was he talking to his girlfriend? Probably just doing one of those checks where they called up and said, ‘Mile marker 46,’ you know. ‘Everything’s working so far.’”
Webb often wrote in the studio while Campbell was recording. As soon as the songwriter played part of ‘Wichita Lineman’ for Campbell, the singer knew he wanted to record the tune.
“I implored him to finish it and even offered to help,” Campbell says. “But he told me to go and play my guitar and leave the writing to him.”
‘Wichita Lineman,’ which was nominated for an ACM Award for Single of the Year in 1968, has been included on several of Campbell’s compilation albums, including ‘Glen Campbell’s Greatest Hits’ in 1971, ‘The Best of Glen Campbell’ in 1976, 1987′s ‘The Very Best of Glen Campbell’ and ‘The Legacy’ from 2003.
The song was also included on Campbell’s final ‘See You There’ album, which was released as the legendary singer’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease caused him to officially retire from the music business.
Thanks for the memories, FLJoePa. Those were wonderful years…
“And I miss you more than want you, and I want you for all time…”
And the entire populace could relate. No romance out there any more, just sex and violence. I pity today’s kids.
Thanks for that one Liberty. We’re fortunate he did so much recording in the last 6-8 years. Very fortunate. He will leave us with some gems.
Yes, Glenn played lead guitar and bass on so many hit records over the years before he hit it big as a solo artist. Some that come mind are many of the Beach Boys hits including “Good Vibrations” (yes, that’s Glenn’s guitar there), “Viva Las Vegas” with Elvis and so many more. He is one of the most underrated top guitarists of all time.
You'ree right. It is about a football player, at least as I see it.
A Wichita Indian plays on the offensive line for a county community college--very likely Coconino College in Flagstaff, Ariz. His job is to "drive the main road," or open holes for his running backs. Meanwhile, he's "searching in the sun" to see whether the defense is overloading its line. He can hear his girl friend leading cheers over the PA system even though the crowd is booing ("I can hear you through the whine")
He and his team mates are preparing for a home game against a team from "down south"--probably the Scottsdale College Fighting Artichokes--who run the Stretch, a pass-oriented offense, which will be ineffective if it snows, as it often does in Flagstaff during the late fall.
BTW,I like his song, “Galvaston,” too, especially the video he did where he was a soldier in Vietnam thinking about a girl he met there.
"I won't miss you" is just a bit too creepy for me tho he still sounds great.
I always liked “Galveston”.
Wichita Lineman is a hauntingly beautiful song. Of course, I love just about anything by Jimmy Webb. He studied music theory under one of my teachers at San Bernardino Valley College (Russell Baldwin), and he used to talk about how talented he was. Jimmy went there for a couple of semesters a year or two ahead of me. Small world, lol.
Funny, I was actually wondering if anyone else was going to mention Galveston. I decided no one was so I posted.
He had an enormous amount of hits over the years, mostly on the country charts. One “lost hit” from the 1970s is “Southern Nights” which topped the pop charts in 1977.
Whatever it is is fantastic. Glen is Pat Boone at the start and Hendrix at the 5:00 mark. Macarthur Park Live
Yes, you're right, it goes beyond nostalgia to hear songs or watch old TV shows from that era. I miss that World too.
Glen Campbell was an very talented man.
And a really mean jackass.
“Southern Nights” is one of my all time favorites.
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