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.
Use this thread to post your favorite Glen youtube videos from over the years.
Though he's obviously in 24 hour care in Tennessee right now, he's also been honored with nominations for both Country Song of the Year (Grammy's) and Song of the Year (Oscar's). I care not a whit about awards shows, but I admit to hoping he wins them both. "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" is a tough song, but one that needed to be sung. Glad he could sing it.
Raise Alzheimer's awareness.
Quite possibly the best lyrics ever.
I Bought the 45 thinking it was a song about a football player.
True story.
Yes, that’s a great song as is “By the Time I Get to Phoenix”, but my all time favorite is “Gentle On My Mind”..
FMCDH(BITS)
Beautiful song. I pray to God for a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease.
True.
FMCDH(BITS)
Is Glen still around? He became a born-again Christian awhile back, got into some addiction problems and got out by God’s grace and then hit Alzheimers. His rough road will end in Glory.
I like that song Wichita Linemen.
Is Glen still around?
Yes, but unfortunately, he has alzheimers.
His rough road will end in Glory.
I’m at a loss for words at how beautiful that statement is. Thank you.
My dad was utlity line man. He loved his job. He still does contract work, and he puts the hooks on when needed. He is seventy. He is great guy and got him Glen Cambels greatest hits because we used to sing rhinestone cowboy when I was little guy in his GTO and the song came on. I didn’t know about the lineman song. He thought I bought for the lineman song. I like the lineman slung just as much now.
Another reason to love him is that he had retro-fitted cowboy boots (with golf spikes) back when he hosted the LA Open that he would actually play in.
Here’s a really good live performance with Glen doing some nice guitar work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjzTNWWO7U0
I have that dvd (SD Symphony) and it is phenomenal. Anyone that remotely likes Glen and his music should own it. One could argue that he was at his best there - yet no one noticed.
In case anyone's interested:
http://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Surf-Various-Artists/dp/B0082DTFO4
Do you know where and when that performance took place?
“Some say this is the greatest song ever written.”
OK, I love this song, but if you’re not from Witchita and you’re not a lineman I find it hard to think you’d feel that way.
But, in all fairness, the other day I heard “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” and I really did think that might be the greatest song of all time. Certainly one of the most heartfelt and truly sad.
I think he also did a stint with the Beach Boys and was with The Champs when they made Tequila.
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