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.
I’ve had that album in one form or another ever since it came out. My dad would walk around the house singing Wichita Lineman but changed the words “for the county’ to “for South Central” the Bell Telco he worked for LOL. Dad started out a lineman and retired as such with a 25 year tenure in a switching room in between his lineman years. My favorite on that album has become “Fate of man” which Campbell wrote I’ve come more to appreciate in time.
That Jool’s performance is sort of mind blowing in that Glen was really in dementia then - not yet diagnosed, but needed the teleprompter and made mistakes.
Todd Youth played on that tour with Glen. At about 1:50 you see why Todd Youth played on that tour with Glen.
Glen is a top ten all time guitarist, imo.
Another Webb song that was a huge hit was MacArthur Park. Or if you were Richard Harris, MacArthur’s Park. The story goes that Harris recorded the song in Ireland, and Webb flew there to teach him the song. He tried mightily, but he couldn’t get Harris to say MacArthur Park. Harris always sang it as MacArthur’s Park. After enough time Webb gave up, and that’s the way it sounds on the record.
See my link to Glen doing it (MacArthur Park) live up thread.
That instrumental surf music era got overwhelmed by the rapid pace of American folk music, Bob Dylan, British Invasion, etc.
But it was and remains cool music, nonetheless. Especially here in SoCal where a lot of it came from local bands.
Agreed. You can see where he gets him sort of back on track with the chords if that’s what I’m looking at.
Plus Glen had total instinct from playing for decades.
I’m sure that helped him immensely at the end.
Didn’t he also play with the Beach Boys on Tour when Brian Wilson was off for a while?
Yes he did.
“.... and I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time….”
I can remember my chest hurting listening to this song and thinking of my unattainable girl.
I like this version from a UK TV show 4 or 5 years back, he knew he had the disease for this UK club tour. You can see the lyrics scrolling on the monitor to help out with the memory loss.
Great Guitar work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlbDCfMJKt0
I hear you Man.
This one by Rosanne Cash usually kills me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2C07_kqnmI
RIP Don Gibson
“Gentle on my Mind,” off the cuff, at a radio station interview. Glen Campbell, one of best guitarists of all time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0-fL6YlVgA
That song along with the combat scenes from Korea in “Heartbreak Ridge” was one of the best openings ever.
Also the carrier operations with “Take My Breath Away”.
I thought both movies were good but not real good, neither was as good as their openings.
I just suffered through a TV show of Dierks Bentley and four of his songwriting friends doing an acoustic set of songs they’ve written. Just awful. And these songs were hits apparently. I stopped listening to the crap they call country a long time ago so I’m not sure. But they sure don’t write ‘em like Webb.
Maybe this is why George Straight retired. He couldn’t find any decent songs to record.
Just the cadence of the lyrics is quite unique. It’s like one word links you into the next verse.
Truly an original from Don Gibson.
Proof that every country song sounds the same.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=84503534&x-yt-ts=1421914688&v=FY8SwIvxj8o
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