Posted on 08/14/2017 1:28:25 PM PDT by RoosterRedux
I watched the Smothers Brother's show that night (I think...it's been a long time and the mind plays tricks).
Wichita Lineman came out in 1968. I graduated High School in 1966.
But in my junior year of High School I worked a summer job at the county utility office. Honestly, I can't remember what I did (errands mostly)...but I wanted to be a writer when I grew up and was always on the look out for good stories...and the stories of our local linemen were not remotely like this song. The stories I remember were mostly about beer and hunting.
Well, mostly hunting for the beer.
The only singer that has perfect diction. I can easily hear each and every word clearly. A great talent. RIO
Love that song. Reminds me of my dad.
You will notice in the video that Glen plays a rhythm/lead guitar like a bass.
We didn’t know it at the time but so much of what we listened to in the 60’s was created by musical geniuses like Campbell and the other members of The Wrecking Crew. Incredible stuff, magical really. Wichita Lineman is one of the best examples, for sure.
I can hear shades of Knights in White Satin (moody blues) in the string section towards the end of the song.
Is that a Fender Baritone Campbell is playing in the vid?
In the book “The Wrecking Crew” a chapter is devoted to many pop songs that came out of LA, including “Wichita Lineman”. Studio bass player extrordinaire Carol Kaye suggested the opening riff to GLen and he loved it. But he also loved the tone of her Danelectro bass, which had a solid masonite body and thus a higher sound than a standard Fender electric or upright bass. Since Jimmy Webb was protesting that the song wasn’t done because “there’s no middle part”, Glen asked Carol if he could borrow her Danelectro bass, on which he played the wonderful “guitar” solo in the “middle part”.
Amazing book, highly recommended for anyone with interest in the greatest group of studio musicians of all time that didn’t come out of Motown.
One of my favorites.
You mean pretending to play? It is a baritone but he's not playing it live. Not to take anything away from his playing talents which were phenomenal, but he's playing (and lip synching) along to a recording there.
That’s Carol Kaye on the bass...
https://mobile.twitter.com/RichieMcCormack/status/845374644328841218/video/1
Glen Campbell’s daughter Ashley does my favorite rendition of “Gentle On My Mind” with Carl Jackson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UwdhqEFbQU
Will show my son. He’s the “gee tar” player.
I think it was an interview with Coral Kaye in which she said they didn’t call themselves The Wrecking Crew.
Nights in White Satin.
Thanks!
It was free for a while, but you have to now pay $2.99 to watch on YouTube. It is really excellent with lots of interviews of the stars of the era plus the musicians. Lots of stories about where the songs and tunes came from, who worked on what. The director is Denny Tedesco, son of Tommy Tedesco. The documentary is a loving tribute by Denny to his dad. Tommy has an incredible list of achievements including guitarist for The Wrecking Crew. Here are a few of the songs on which he played guitar: "Pet Sounds" by The Beach Boys; "You've Lost that Loving Feeling" by The Righteous Brothers; opening theme music for the TV series Batman; theme music for Field of Dreams; theme music for The Godfather; and theme music for the TV series Green Acres; theme music for the TV series Bonanza.
Having grown up in that era, I had NO IDEA that the famous bands at the time didn't record their own songs. No wonder the bands in concert often didn't sound at all like their hit records!
The Wrecking Crew was just incredible.
Some things are timeless.
And as a "believer", Glenn is, too. (Happy eternity in heaven, Mr. Campbell!)
After all these years you’ve ruined it! :-)
Oh well, at least I know that Jimi Hendrix was gay.
“’cuse me will I kiss this guy” :-0
“...I had NO IDEA that the famous bands at the time didn’t record their own songs.”
At least ‘The Monkeys’ played their own music.
Oh, maybe not...
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