"Billy Joel came pretty close one time when he said ‘Wichita Lineman’ is ‘a simple song about an ordinary man thinking extraordinary thoughts.’ That got to me; it actually brought tears to my eyes. I had never really told anybody how close to the truth that was." -- Jimmy Webb, writer of Wichita Lineman
“And I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time” is one of the best lines ever written. “Wichita Lineman” is one of the best songs ever sung. ❤️😁
I always go back and forth between this song and Galveston as my favourites from this genius for all time. The guitar sound in the way to brief solo is whack.
My experience as well. As a kid, I only understood him to be just another celebrity with a variety show. Also, as a kid growing up in LA, country music was kind of a hard "no" for me. As I grew older and started having a better idea of what I was listening to, the why's and the who's, the brilliance of GC began to dawn on me. Mad props to an amazing artist. Thanks guys for shining some light on this one. Another gem you've brought to the table.
When I was younger I was very dogmatic in my musical tastes: "I like THIS kind of music, but THAT kind of music is unworthy of my attention." One nice thing about getting older is you outgrow infantile ideas and learn to appreciate good things no matter where they come from. For me, Glen Campbell was one of the things I learned to appreciate for the brilliant musician he was.
This song is 55 years old & was played endlessly on the radio in the late 60's. I was there, 23 years old & in my first year as a classroom teacher. My wife and I were married in June, '67 and in a few short weeks we'll celebrate our 56th wedding anniversary! The downbeat and opening chords of this song instantly pump up the nostalgia meter & put a lump in my throat. Where, for God's sake, have nearly 60 years gone? How did I get from there to here so damned quick?
I was 14 years. I was walking on a snowy night, and unknowingly passed the soon to be love of my life, also named Glen. I attach song to my memories of him.
Most people associate "Galveston" with the Vietnam War, mainly due to the year of the release date. However, the songwriter Jimmy Webb stated that he actually intended it to be a Civil War-era setting. People at the time simply attached their own meaning to it of course, which the mark of a great song-- it can mean what the listener wants it to mean, making it universally identifiable and timeless.
I remember when this tune came out. It was written by Oklahoman Jimmy Webb. He said that the idea for the song came from driving along a road in Washita County, Oklahoma ("Washita" is just one of many phonetic spellings for the name of Indian tribe in the Southern Plains, "Wichita" is another.) It was decided to use the "Wichita" spelling, as it was more widely known, as Wichita is the name of the largest city in Kansas. Notwithstanding Webb's own comments, there is controversy whether or not the lines that he saw were electric lines or telephone lines. The "singing in the wires" refers to the sound that electric or telephone lines can make when the wind is blowing briskly, as it often is on the Great Plains. Wichita Lineman has been covered by numerous artists over the years. The best instrumental version that I've heard is Alan Pasqua's jazz piano version that explores every nook and cranny of this great tune ( ua-cam.com/video/mWqfcwDXrrA/v-deo.html ).
Glenn Campbell is one of the most underrated musicians of the way back. " I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time." What a great line. His death was heartbreaking. RIP.
@@timcarr6401 Yeah, if only he'd been spared, we'd be hearing from his 87 year old self. He had four wives and nine children, maybe he could have squeezed in a couple more wives and twice that many kids. Sad.
The only thing holding this song back was its length. I heard a story a while back that it actually wasn't a finished song when Glenn started to work with it. It really needs one more verse.
Yes! It's not really up for debate. Time has made it an S. I saw an interview with Annie Lennox where she talked about the influence of this song. Jimmy Webb was a genius.
GC & Alice Cooper were next door neighbors & best friends. Their families vacationed together. He was a legendary guitarist. Cooper said he was probably in the top 5 (C&W and R&R) in that era (60s-80s). He said Eddie Van Halen once ask him if he could get Glen to give him a lesson. What a talent. Edit: incredible interview with Alice Cooper remembering Glen shortly after his passing… ua-cam.com/video/B6q2hsdXenQ/v-deo.html
I do not know if Eddie ever got the lesson. I do know that anyone who's playing was near Eddie's level would not only love a lesson from Glenn but would jump at the chance. Glenn Campbell started playing guitar at age 4 after his father gave him a five-dollar Sears guitar as a gift, It was his uncle Boo who taught him the basics to playing. For the most part Glenn was overall a self taught musician... He did not read music very well save for maybe a chord chart placed in front of him in the studio, even then though I doubt he looked at them much. His musical schooling was entirely his ear and his playing techniques surrounded that. Playing on the guitar what came to mind in his head on the fly. He not only was extremely quick - and clean like lightning, is confident and capable and far more than able to follow the changes nearly flawless over something he is only hearing at the moment for the first time. Amazingly even when he stepped outside of the underlying harmonic structure he made it fit perfectly while he kept it in the overall mood and expression.
Glen Campbell was a very accomplished guitarist. He could shred with the best of them. This song is among the greatest love songs ever written, all due to one iconic line :- ".. and I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time". The music seals the deal. Probably the greatest love song.
Sorry guys you’re wrong. This is the definition of an S tier song. An absolute classic that will age perfectly just like a decent wine. Listen to it again in twenty years time and I am positive you will give it the rating it deserves.
My wife tears up with this song because her dad sang it with her before getting on a plane for Vietnam. "Galveston" is one of the best anti war songs recorded.
I agree, Galveston is SO meaningful and almost poetic. I can see the woman he left. See is standing on the beach looking out to sea. She knows he will come back a changed man - maybe with severe PTSD or maybe in a pine box.😢😢
My pops did 3 tours with the marines in Nam. Both those songs bring back memories as a kid in those times. Green Green Grass Of Home is another servicemen in Nam loved. Glenn covered it and Tom Jones has a great version that was a big hit. Incredible times in music and our country!!
@@beedeegee9374 Yep. Gets me weepy also. My mom (like all servicemen wives) cried alot during those times while my dad was in Nam (3 tours). Everything Galveston would come on she would break. 😢
At about 1:17 when he sings “I can hear you through the whine” (the telephone line is overloaded) the violins mimic the sound of the whine… love that! I was 8 when this song came out and no other song makes me want to take a time machine back to the 60’s as this one does. A+ to S for me.
Shoutout to the legendary Carol Kaye for that opening line on a baritone guitar. Y'all need some "Gentle On My Mind" or "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" for more of Glen's silky smooth vocals, or live versions of "Going Back To Indiana" (edit: "Back Home Again In Indiana," that is) or "The William Tell Overture" if you'd like him to RIP YOUR FACES CLEAN OFF with his guitar playing.
Carol Kaye: The Most Heard Unheard Of Musician in the World. I wasn't aware that she played the intro on Wichita Lineman. I knew she played the bass. But just to be clear, she didn't play the solo. During the recording session they ran up against the unfinished 3rd verse. Glen resolved the issue by borrowing Carol's DanElectro 6 string bass and improvised the solo on the spot. Glenn Campbell: Legend Carol Kaye: Living Legend Carol Kaye's UA-cam channel. ua-cam.com/users/results?search_query=carol+kaye+youtube+channel Cheers ...
Hey Guys. I was born in 1950 and grew up in New York City. I literally had no exposure to country music via the radio. Artists like Glen Campbell were able to cross over into pop and bring this song to my attention. A beautiful song written be Jimmy Webb with great production and arrangement values. It remains one of my favorite songs to this day. Peace.
His first record was Turn Around Look At Me in 1961.At the time he was in The Champs.Of course after Tequila.Seals and Crofts also spent time in the Champs.
Looking back, AM radio was such a great medium because it exposed you to all genres of music. You could go from the Beatles to Glen Campbell to Herb Alpert in the same half hour.
@@scottingram7634 And on the same radio station. [ We had an amazing AM station in St.Louis, in 1960 it was ranked 35 in its city, but within 4years, it was ranked 5th in its market in the U.S. where it stayed for many years. KXOK, with Johnny Rabbit ❗️]. 📻🙂
If you truly liked country music, you would have listened to 1050 WHN. I hated country music, but my father LOVED country music, and the radio in his car was locked on WHN.
Jimmy Webb is still with us, and is a musical genius. Glen Campbell was one of those once-in-a-lifetime artists. British music journalist Stuart Maconie called Wichita Lineman "the greatest pop song ever composed" and the BBC described it as "one of those rare songs that seems somehow to exist in a world of its own - not just timeless but ultimately outside of modern music". In 2019, the song was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. The single was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000.
Written by the great and underappreciated Jimmy Webb. Glenn had a smooth delivery that a lot of country and rock artists tried to emulate, without success. Glenn had his own way of singing and was a great guitarist in his own right. This is one of his best.
Not everyone is a fan of this type of lushly produced pop, but man when you get a great lyric, sung by a great vocalist like Glenn Campbell, just pure magic.
One of my favorite songs. Every time I hear this, I’m instantly transported back to my childhood bedroom, listening on my little record player. Love, love, love this!
Few songs are evocative of time and place as this. Who doesn't visualize a lineman on a deserted stretch of highway in the middle of nowhere while listening to it?
Perfect blend for man: what he does for a living and his interior life, the feelings he has for his woman. Male sense of romance is greatly underrated. This song captures it perfectly.
That song is so timeless that I think that factor should be included in the rating. To me, solid S Because of that the quality, artistry, uniqueness, all of it.
"and I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time" - what a beautiful line delivered with a masterful voice. That line gets me every time. This of course was back when phones ran thru wires/lines.
Members of the Wrecking Crew recorded the track, so you're spot-on about the production. Jimmy Webb wrote the song, his credits are a laundry list of great tracks.
Glen Campbell was one of the most underrated badass guitarists that there were. He also played on everyone's records when he was a member of the Wrecking Crew, and was a member of the Beach Boys' touring band in their heyday.
@@davestephen7647 yep! The fans shout the names of the guitar greats: Clapton, Van Halen, Gilmour, etc. The guitar greats speak the names of the masters: Glen Campbell, Jerry Reed, Roy Clark, etc.
@oboogie2, just popped in to let you know your comment led me to watch a documentary about The Wrecking Crew on UA-camTV. A very informative and entertaining doc about amazing musicians. I would have never been aware of them, so thank you for bringing them to my attention. 😊
This song always tugs at my heart strings. Such a melancholic tune. Glens voice oozes emotion, and his uncomparable guitar playing (in all his work) makes this a big time S Tier for me. By The Time I Get To Phoenix or Galveston, next.
Went to see the Brian Setzer Orchestra about three weeks after Glenn Campbell died. Setzer did Wichita Lineman and Running Down a Dream by Tom Petty, who died right about the same time. The orchestra backed him up. Coolest damn thing I’ve ever heard in person.
Great pick from Glen Campbell! The song is considered the first existential pop song! By the way, THAT drummer is the late, sad genius Jim Gordon, who famously played on Derek & The Dominos' 'Layla', As well as Nillson's 'Jump Into The Fire' and George Harrison's 'What Is Life'! Plus many, many others! Keep the faith! Cheers!
If you are a true Rock & Roll fan, you must watch the documentary on “The Wrecking Crew” which Campbell was a member of. They were the unsung musicians of many rock & soul hits of the 1960’s & 1970’s.
I’m glad you guys liked this one. It’s my favorite Glen Campbell song. He had three hits in a row in the same time. This one, By the Time I Get to Phoenix, and Galveston. I think they were all written by Jimmy Webb, who was a huge pop composer at the time. I would say my second favorite is By the Time I Get to Phoenix. PS. Webb also wrote an unusual song called MacArthur Park that was a HUGE hit in the 60s for Richard Harris, a movie actor who also performed on Broadway. The song was much longer than the typical song of the era, coming in at over five minutes, I think. I’m not sure how well it’s survived the years, but at that time (the 60s), it was played on radio over and over and we just absolutely loved it. The song builds and builds and there’s a tremendous power to it by the end. You guys should consider reacting to that sometime.
I think the boys would really like Galveston. I have the 45 of that song. Come to think of it, I have the Wichita Lineman album, too. His cover of Words is nice.
MacArthur Park, is that the one where "someone left the cake out in the rain, I don't think that I can take it, 'cause it took so long to bake it, and I'll never have that recipe again...oh noooo!" LMAO! So dramatic! But it's actually a pretty good song. I just can't forget my Mom laughing to that line...But anyway, "Lineman for the County" was definitely Glen Campbell's best. I remember he was also a great comedy actor on the Carol Burnett show.
Jimmy Webb was/is a phenomenal talent. Though I was into rock n roll and r&b in the 60s, there were songs like this that just grabbed you by the neck and heart and became a part of your DNA. This is a masterpiece and master class in exquisite composition and delivery. Thanks for giving it a listen (btw, Willie Nelson said “when God was handing out talent, Glen got in line twice”).
Deemed to be one of the first - if not the first - existentialist pop records. Stunning. Restrained heart-felt vocal performance. If was 15 when I first heard this on the radio in 1968 and it still has the same effect on me 55 years later! Great choice guys!
One of my two or three favorite songs ever. The chord progression combined with the lyrics and Glen Campbell's voice is beautifully haunting. One of the best songs ever written...in my humble opinion.
Goosebumps. He lived just down the road from us in his later years. His drinking problems and his mind started to go, but he was well thought of and well loved, and just a phenomenally larger than life talent.
A&A, you'll love his his "Gentle on My Mind", "Galveston" and "Southern Nights"!!! He had a long running TV variety show called 'The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour'. He was an excellent guitar player, who was often sought for session work by other artists!
I never was a big fan of Glen Campbell, but this was my favourite of what he did. The fine people of Wichita will be giving Andy grief for decades to come 🙂. It was short, Andy had to get out before the Wichita posse caught up to him.
One of my favorite singles of all time from one of America's finest singer/songwriters. Many people, particularly under 40, have no idea who Glenn was and how incredibly talented he was. Superlative.
This song so reminds me of my Dad, Mom, younger sister and I driving cross country via route 66 from Los Angeles to Chicago to live in 1968. Wasn't happy about it. It took me almost 10 years to find my way back. I'm the only one left to remember that wonderful, but bittersweet trip and this song takes me right back along that road.
I agree! He's right up there with Paul Simon, Randy Newman and Burt Bacharach. Not to mention Stevie Wonder. Those would be my top five American composers of music in the rock era.
@@marktubeie07 Rounding out that list for the top ten and not necessarily in this order would be Leiber and Stoller, Smoky Robinson, Carole King, Donald Fagen and Bob Dylan. I'm sure I left someone out but they are all I could think of at the moment.
The guitar you’ve heard on practically every Beach Boys record was Glen Campbell. He even toured with them for awhile. I’ll chime in with everyone, Jimmy Webb is a monster !!
This song has been a part of me for its entire existence. At every stage of my life, from when it was released when I was 6, to now when I am 60, I never have tired of listening this recording. I think this is on the pinnacle of American pop recordings of the 1960s-along with "God Only Knows", "California Dreaming" and few others. Everything about this song is timeless: Carol Kaye's haunting bass line intro, the pulsating strings replicating an unanswered phone call, Jimmy Webb's incredible word pictures and melancholy melody, Glen's remarkable vocal interpretation, to the final fade, where this Lineman's life will continue on, stretching on an endless American road. At this time, Jimmy Webb was, along with Bacharach/David and Lennon/McCartney, the best songwriter in pop music.
Agree with you on the analysis; I've heard many Wrecking Crew backup songs, and Glen Campbell crossed over from country to pop with this song. My uncle started his career as a lineman in Philadelphia, and adored this song (as did I) when it came out.
@@susanhoward531 Brian Wilson is my favorite artist of all time, and Pet Sounds and Sunflower are my 2 fave albums, so I should have listed him, but I mentioned his greatest song and wanted to keep symmetry of 2 songs 2 composers. I would also add Ray Davies and Paul Simon.
Musicians from the 60s. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. "A Taste of Honey" . Awesome. Probably one of the most shocking album covers in the 60s. Awesome brass sound. "Galveston" for the next GC song.
"And I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time" is one of the best lyrics ever. My favorite GC song. Jimmy Webb was a brilliant lyricist.
One of the top session guitarists, and one of the best guitarists ever. His voice became his path to the top. Perfect pitch they say. Miss Glenn so much.
wow, that mispronunciation of Wichita hit hard, lol. You guys!!😊 ❤❤ His version of "By The Time I Get to Phoenix" is one of his most iconic songs. He had a weekly comedy variety TV show back in the late 60s that was very good - original. Helped introduce a lot of urbanites to the sound of Country that might otherwise never have been exposed.
Glad you are including artists like Campbell. Brilliant guitarist and a fine singer. Didn’t know he was a Wrecking Crew guy but not at all surprised. You use the term “immaculate” entirely appropriately. Campbell transcended session player guitarist and became a megastar when he teamed with songwriter Jimmy Webb on a series of huge pop country hits like this song. Others include “Galveston” and “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.”
MacArthur Park is one of my favorite songs and has been since I heard it as a kid. Back then, I just fell in love with the music but as I aged and got more life experience, I grew to understand and appreciate the lyrics. It’s amazing how many artists covered the song over the years, but Jimmy’s version on his album “Ten Easy Pieces” seems to bring out the emotion the best.
The Glen Campbell Good Time Variety Hour! One of the many music driven variety shows of the 1970's. Sonny & Cher, Dolly Parton, Tony Orlando & Dawn, Barbara Mandrell & Johnny Cash all had variety shows based on their own celebrity personas. Lots of clips on here with real,live preformances.
Dude, you've got to watch the UA-cam clip of Glen Campbell playing this song live on the 'Jools Holland Show'...and then you'd see how much of a beautiful guitar song this is. Campbell pulls off the sweetest and most brilliant solo on this. Thank you guys for highlighting this one.
Love love love Glen! You 2 are in for a big rabbit hole! My cousin actually saw him in the nursing home before he passed. His daughter was a good friend of hers! What a talent! By the time I get to Phoenix next song!!!!! You will love!
Glenn Cambell was one of those artists whose magic was in his gift as a performer. Most of his best kbown works were songs written by others, but only he could render them the way he did. He was a PHENOMENAL guitarist, thought it doesn't necessarily come out here. You absolutely MUST check out his version of "Gentle on My Mind" (originally by John Hartford). It;s as if the song was written specifically for him to perform. Timeless.
Only Glenn Campbell record I added to my collection. Bought it after a friend showed me this song. It's funny how most of my records are Classic 70's jams and this one sits proudly there in. I do enjoy the whole album, too. His voice is like creamy butter. 😍
brings tears to my 80 year old eyes
🥹❤️
"Billy Joel came pretty close one time when he said ‘Wichita Lineman’ is ‘a simple song about an ordinary man thinking extraordinary thoughts.’ That got to me; it actually brought tears to my eyes. I had never really told anybody how close to the truth that was."
-- Jimmy Webb, writer of Wichita Lineman
Billy Joel also said, "I need you more than want you??? I mean What the f***? But then, 'And I want you for all time'! Ahh! Now I get it. Yeah!"
“And I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time” is one of the best lines ever written. “Wichita Lineman” is one of the best songs ever sung. ❤️😁
Couldn't agree more.
I always go back and forth between this song and Galveston as my favourites from this genius for all time. The guitar sound in the way to brief solo is whack.
Most romantic line ever written imo. Love it.
100% swoon inducing lyrics
Yes it is.
Glenn Campbell was a wicked guitar player.
In my younger days, I thought GC was NOT cool…but in my older years, I came to appreciate him as a writer, singer and guitarist.
Same here. I didn't know until my later years what an amazing guitarist GC was.
My experience as well. As a kid, I only understood him to be just another celebrity with a variety show. Also, as a kid growing up in LA, country music was kind of a hard "no" for me. As I grew older and started having a better idea of what I was listening to, the why's and the who's, the brilliance of GC began to dawn on me. Mad props to an amazing artist. Thanks guys for shining some light on this one. Another gem you've brought to the table.
@@chariotdrvr14 Me too, a top player.
@@spryttle Yeah a fantastic musician
When I was younger I was very dogmatic in my musical tastes: "I like THIS kind of music, but THAT kind of music is unworthy of my attention." One nice thing about getting older is you outgrow infantile ideas and learn to appreciate good things no matter where they come from. For me, Glen Campbell was one of the things I learned to appreciate for the brilliant musician he was.
This song is 55 years old & was played endlessly on the radio in the late 60's. I was there, 23 years old & in my first year as a classroom teacher. My wife and I were married in June, '67 and in a few short weeks we'll celebrate our 56th wedding anniversary! The downbeat and opening chords of this song instantly pump up the nostalgia meter & put a lump in my throat. Where, for God's sake, have nearly 60 years gone? How did I get from there to here so damned quick?
I hear you, buddy…I really do.
Time flies when you're having fun? All I know is that "25" was just the other day - and now I'm coming up on 63.
I never appreciated how good we had it when we had it so good!
I was 14 years. I was walking on a snowy night, and unknowingly passed the soon to be love of my life, also named Glen. I attach song to my memories of him.
I think the opening bass notes were played by carol kaye. These guys should do a vid on her.
Wonderful song by a legendary artist. Please give "Galveston" a listen with the understanding that it was from the view of a young soldier in Vietnam.
I'll second this, Galveston is beautiful.
yes that was my favorite of his
Galveston is a must listen.
Most people associate "Galveston" with the Vietnam War, mainly due to the year of the release date. However, the songwriter Jimmy Webb stated that he actually intended it to be a Civil War-era setting. People at the time simply attached their own meaning to it of course, which the mark of a great song-- it can mean what the listener wants it to mean, making it universally identifiable and timeless.
Another vote for Galveston
I remember when this tune came out. It was written by Oklahoman Jimmy Webb. He said that the idea for the song came from driving along a road in Washita County, Oklahoma ("Washita" is just one of many phonetic spellings for the name of Indian tribe in the Southern Plains, "Wichita" is another.) It was decided to use the "Wichita" spelling, as it was more widely known, as Wichita is the name of the largest city in Kansas. Notwithstanding Webb's own comments, there is controversy whether or not the lines that he saw were electric lines or telephone lines. The "singing in the wires" refers to the sound that electric or telephone lines can make when the wind is blowing briskly, as it often is on the Great Plains. Wichita Lineman has been covered by numerous artists over the years. The best instrumental version that I've heard is Alan Pasqua's jazz piano version that explores every nook and cranny of this great tune ( ua-cam.com/video/mWqfcwDXrrA/v-deo.html ).
Great song, written by the great Jimmy Webb, and recorded here immaculately.
The way you said witch-eee-tah slayed me. 🙂
I know, lol. I’d like to give them grief but they’re such good boys
I was waiting for Andy to acknowledge his goofy pronunciation 😂
And they misspelled Glen in the headline. His name is right there on the album cover. Not a good day for the college boys.
This song is so atmospheric. "Searching in the sun for another overload" puts you right there.
One of the best lyrics ever: "and I need you more than want you. And I want you for all time"
Absolutely right!
My favorite line of all time
I agree
Gets me every time…
Yes, that's the lyric that always stays in my mind.
Glenn Campbell is one of the most underrated musicians of the way back.
" I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time." What a great line.
His death was heartbreaking. RIP.
Thank you Jimmy Webb as well! Such a great combo with Glen Campbell!
Yeah, he died at the young age of 81. Tragic.
Dude was an outstanding guitarist
Dude could shred too
@@timcarr6401 Yeah, if only he'd been spared, we'd be hearing from his 87 year old self. He had four wives and nine children, maybe he could have squeezed in a couple more wives and twice that many kids. Sad.
It's really a beautiful song. Glen could really sing, and play, and Jimmy Webb was at the peak of his powers.
I really prefer the version by Jimmy Webb who wrote the song. Just him on piano and singing it with more emotion.
There is a great youtube video of Glen and Jimmy Webb playing together on a NY morning show in 2000.
@Zenpuppy it's on his album 10 Easy Pieces with 9 other classics.
S tier song. Glen Campbell could SHRED on guitar. So good!
I love guitar solos lower in the register too.
This is not just an S Tier song for Glen Campbell. Its an S Tier song for the ages.
Agreed 👍
The only thing holding this song back was its length. I heard a story a while back that it actually wasn't a finished song when Glenn started to work with it. It really needs one more verse.
What rundoetx said!
Yes! It's not really up for debate. Time has made it an S. I saw an interview with Annie Lennox where she talked about the influence of this song. Jimmy Webb was a genius.
Without a doubt one of the greatest songs of the 20th century. Easily in the top 200.
GC & Alice Cooper were next door neighbors & best friends. Their families vacationed together. He was a legendary guitarist. Cooper said he was probably in the top 5 (C&W and R&R) in that era (60s-80s). He said Eddie Van Halen once ask him if he could get Glen to give him a lesson. What a talent.
Edit: incredible interview with Alice Cooper remembering Glen shortly after his passing… ua-cam.com/video/B6q2hsdXenQ/v-deo.html
Cool interview. I never knew Glen and Alice were so tight, and their families as well.
Thank you, that was really interesting. I had no idea they were friends.
the interview with Alice Cooper, after Glenn passed is a fitting tribute. You can see it here on you tube.
I do not know if Eddie ever got the lesson. I do know that anyone who's playing was near Eddie's level would not only love a lesson from Glenn but would jump at the chance.
Glenn Campbell started playing guitar at age 4 after his father gave him a five-dollar Sears guitar as a gift, It was his uncle Boo who taught him the basics to playing.
For the most part Glenn was overall a self taught musician... He did not read music very well save for maybe a chord chart placed in front of him in the studio, even then though I doubt he looked at them much. His musical schooling was entirely his ear and his playing techniques surrounded that. Playing on the guitar what came to mind in his head on the fly.
He not only was extremely quick - and clean like lightning, is confident and capable and far more than able to follow the changes nearly flawless over something he is only hearing at the moment for the first time. Amazingly even when he stepped outside of the underlying harmonic structure he made it fit perfectly while he kept it in the overall mood and expression.
They also played golf together.
Glen Campbell was a very accomplished guitarist. He could shred with the best of them. This song is among the greatest love songs ever written, all due to one iconic line :- ".. and I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time". The music seals the deal. Probably the greatest love song.
He also played bagpipes, believe it or not. Watch his live cover of Mull of Kintyre.
Fabulous lyric and a great song.
I think he was a back up for the Beach Boys as was a lot of artists like Captain of "Capt & Taneil" & Buck Owens.
Part of the Wrecking Crew. He's on hundreds of hits.
@@salinagrrrl69 he actually took over as a touring member of the BB when Brian had his breakdown but left when his solo career started to take off.
Sorry guys you’re wrong. This is the definition of an S tier song. An absolute classic that will age perfectly just like a decent wine. Listen to it again in twenty years time and I am positive you will give it the rating it deserves.
They had to be there
Countrypop perfection! "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Gentle on My Mind" and "Galveston" are awesome too.
Have you seen the parody Carol Burnett did on that song? It’s so good, ua-cam.com/video/YXjJ6e-vs2o/v-deo.html
Yes, love these.
❤
My wife tears up with this song because her dad sang it with her before getting on a plane for Vietnam. "Galveston" is one of the best anti war songs recorded.
GALVESTON always makes me cry.
I agree, Galveston is SO meaningful and almost poetic. I can see the woman he left. See is standing on the beach looking out to sea. She knows he will come back a changed man - maybe with severe PTSD or maybe in a pine box.😢😢
Galveston is one of the most heartbreaking songs ever
My pops did 3 tours with the marines in Nam. Both those songs bring back memories as a kid in those times. Green Green Grass Of Home is another servicemen in Nam loved. Glenn covered it and Tom Jones has a great version that was a big hit. Incredible times in music and our country!!
@@beedeegee9374
Yep. Gets me weepy also. My mom (like all servicemen wives) cried alot during those times while my dad was in Nam (3 tours). Everything Galveston would come on she would break. 😢
At about 1:17 when he sings “I can hear you through the whine” (the telephone line is overloaded) the violins mimic the sound of the whine… love that! I was 8 when this song came out and no other song makes me want to take a time machine back to the 60’s as this one does. A+ to S for me.
Yes, definitely S-tier. That line is brilliant. Written through the eyes of a blue collar worker, just a magnificent piece of music.
Little details like that make an already great song even better.
"And I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time." Great line!!! Jimmy Webb is an Oklahoma treasure.
Shoutout to the legendary Carol Kaye for that opening line on a baritone guitar. Y'all need some "Gentle On My Mind" or "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" for more of Glen's silky smooth vocals, or live versions of "Going Back To Indiana" (edit: "Back Home Again In Indiana," that is) or "The William Tell Overture" if you'd like him to RIP YOUR FACES CLEAN OFF with his guitar playing.
Gentle on my Mind is my favourite, so great!
Carol Kaye: The Most Heard Unheard Of Musician in the World.
I wasn't aware that she played the intro on Wichita Lineman. I knew she played the bass.
But just to be clear, she didn't play the solo.
During the recording session they ran up against the unfinished 3rd verse. Glen resolved the issue by borrowing Carol's DanElectro 6 string bass and improvised the solo on the spot.
Glenn Campbell: Legend
Carol Kaye: Living Legend
Carol Kaye's UA-cam channel.
ua-cam.com/users/results?search_query=carol+kaye+youtube+channel
Cheers
...
Just for the record, and for those searching videos, the song is 'Back Home Again In Indiana'. The Johnny Carson clip is the best! Cheers!
@@mr.marcus3123 You are correct, I misremembered.
@@joeday4293 Np. Jim Nabors used to sing it at the Indy 500! Ha!
Glen Campbell was one of the best guitarists you’ll ever hear..
Hey Guys. I was born in 1950 and grew up in New York City. I literally had no exposure to country music via the radio. Artists like Glen Campbell were able to cross over into pop and bring this song to my attention. A beautiful song written be Jimmy Webb with great production and arrangement values. It remains one of my favorite songs to this day. Peace.
His first record was Turn Around Look At Me in 1961.At the time he was in The Champs.Of course after Tequila.Seals and Crofts also spent time in the Champs.
Looking back, AM radio was such a great medium because it exposed you to all genres of music. You could go from the Beatles to Glen Campbell to Herb Alpert in the same half hour.
@@scottingram7634
And on the same radio station.
[ We had an amazing AM station in St.Louis, in 1960 it was ranked 35 in its city, but within 4years, it was ranked 5th in its market in the U.S. where it stayed for many years.
KXOK, with Johnny Rabbit ❗️].
📻🙂
@@scottingram7634 ...and Motown, Lawrence Welk, Ray Steven's, Bubble Gum, R&B, etc.
If you truly liked country music, you would have listened to 1050 WHN. I hated country music, but my father LOVED country music, and the radio in his car was locked on WHN.
Jimmy Webb is still with us, and is a musical genius. Glen Campbell was one of those once-in-a-lifetime artists. British music journalist Stuart Maconie called Wichita Lineman "the greatest pop song ever composed" and the BBC described it as "one of those rare songs that seems somehow to exist in a world of its own - not just timeless but ultimately outside of modern music".
In 2019, the song was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. The single was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000.
Campbell was a MASTER guitarist. Played entirely by ear.
Written by the great and underappreciated Jimmy Webb. Glenn had a smooth delivery that a lot of country and rock artists tried to emulate, without success. Glenn had his own way of singing and was a great guitarist in his own right. This is one of his best.
Not everyone is a fan of this type of lushly produced pop, but man when you get a great lyric, sung by a great vocalist like Glenn Campbell, just pure magic.
One of the greatest records of the rock and roll era. A Jimmy Webb masterpiece.
One admirer of this song is R.E.M., who would sing this song live on occasion. Another great, great song by songwriter Jimmy Webb.
You totally underrated that with an A
That is one of THE GREATEST SONGS OF ALL TIME
"Gentle on my mind" is also an outstanding song.
My favorite 🎉
best guitar riff ever!!!
Alex would love the additional layers of instrumentation unfolding through the first two verses.
My favourite, too!
Great song.
One of my favorite songs. Every time I hear this, I’m instantly transported back to my childhood bedroom, listening on my little record player. Love, love, love this!
Music is a time machine.
Few songs are evocative of time and place as this. Who doesn't visualize a lineman on a deserted stretch of highway in the middle of nowhere while listening to it?
And very reminiscent of the time it was recorded...1968. A really beautiful, heartfelt song reflective of a very different America.
I've heard that guys who are linemen today still love this song, because it really does capture that feeling.
@@ischmidt I believe that it has been designated as the "official song" of one of the lineman's organizations.
Perfect blend for man: what he does for a living and his interior life, the feelings he has for his woman. Male sense of romance is greatly underrated. This song captures it perfectly.
My wife was a high-school kid in central Kansas when this tune hit the airwaves. Imagine the cultural impact at the time. It was huge.
That song is so timeless that I think that factor should be included in the rating. To me, solid S Because of that the quality, artistry, uniqueness, all of it.
"and I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time" - what a beautiful line delivered with a masterful voice. That line gets me every time. This of course was back when phones ran thru wires/lines.
One of the most glorious songs ever written, & performed magnificently by Glen Campbell. Never fails to move me.
Glenn, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot; amazing singer songwriters
Members of the Wrecking Crew recorded the track, so you're spot-on about the production. Jimmy Webb wrote the song, his credits are a laundry list of great tracks.
"S". Period. End of discussion.
A lot of people wouldn't know who the Wrecking Crew was. Wonderful bunch of musicians.
@@johnnyg1074 Didn’t they play on Classical Gas?
My absolute favorite song by the great Glenn Campbell!! My Dad sang this song reminds me of him! Awesome song!! 3:43
Glen Campbell was one of the most underrated badass guitarists that there were. He also played on everyone's records when he was a member of the Wrecking Crew, and was a member of the Beach Boys' touring band in their heyday.
Badass guitar player is an understatement!
@@davestephen7647 yep! The fans shout the names of the guitar greats: Clapton, Van Halen, Gilmour, etc. The guitar greats speak the names of the masters: Glen Campbell, Jerry Reed, Roy Clark, etc.
... and, ironically, he played bass in the Beach Boys, not guitar. He was Brian Wilson's post-nervous-breakdown stand-in on the road.
@@oboogie2 that is so well stated. Nice.
@oboogie2, just popped in to let you know your comment led me to watch a documentary about The Wrecking Crew on UA-camTV. A very informative and entertaining doc about amazing musicians. I would have never been aware of them, so thank you for bringing them to my attention. 😊
The strings sound so beautiful.
This song always tugs at my heart strings. Such a melancholic tune. Glens voice oozes emotion, and his uncomparable guitar playing (in all his work) makes this a big time S Tier for me. By The Time I Get To Phoenix or Galveston, next.
S Tier all the way.
S tier for me as well!
Went to see the Brian Setzer Orchestra about three weeks after Glenn Campbell died. Setzer did Wichita Lineman and Running Down a Dream by Tom Petty, who died right about the same time. The orchestra backed him up. Coolest damn thing I’ve ever heard in person.
I would have liked to have heard that. lucky you
One of the greatest lines in any song, "I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time"
Great pick from Glen Campbell! The song is considered the first existential pop song! By the way, THAT drummer is the late, sad genius Jim Gordon, who famously played on Derek & The Dominos' 'Layla', As well as Nillson's 'Jump Into The Fire' and George Harrison's 'What Is Life'! Plus many, many others! Keep the faith! Cheers!
You guys need to listen to this song a few more times. It's "S-tier" all the way.
Agreed 100%
you have to hear it more than once to have it haunt you....and it will haunt you! What a song
If you are a true Rock & Roll fan, you must watch the documentary on “The Wrecking Crew” which Campbell was a member of. They were the unsung musicians of many rock & soul hits of the 1960’s & 1970’s.
I’m glad you guys liked this one. It’s my favorite Glen Campbell song. He had three hits in a row in the same time. This one, By the Time I Get to Phoenix, and Galveston. I think they were all written by Jimmy Webb, who was a huge pop composer at the time. I would say my second favorite is By the Time I Get to Phoenix. PS. Webb also wrote an unusual song called MacArthur Park that was a HUGE hit in the 60s for Richard Harris, a movie actor who also performed on Broadway. The song was much longer than the typical song of the era, coming in at over five minutes, I think. I’m not sure how well it’s survived the years, but at that time (the 60s), it was played on radio over and over and we just absolutely loved it. The song builds and builds and there’s a tremendous power to it by the end. You guys should consider reacting to that sometime.
I think the boys would really like Galveston. I have the 45 of that song. Come to think of it, I have the Wichita Lineman album, too. His cover of Words is nice.
Yes -- the Webb/Campbell Trilogy. Great stuff!
MacArthur Park, is that the one where "someone left the cake out in the rain, I don't think that I can take it, 'cause it took so long to bake it, and I'll never have that recipe again...oh noooo!" LMAO! So dramatic! But it's actually a pretty good song. I just can't forget my Mom laughing to that line...But anyway, "Lineman for the County" was definitely Glen Campbell's best. I remember he was also a great comedy actor on the Carol Burnett show.
@@adrianstevens2146 Yes, it is.
Jimmy Webb was/is a phenomenal talent. Though I was into rock n roll and r&b in the 60s, there were songs like this that just grabbed you by the neck and heart and became a part of your DNA. This is a masterpiece and master class in exquisite composition and delivery. Thanks for giving it a listen (btw, Willie Nelson said “when God was handing out talent, Glen got in line twice”).
He was a master with the guitar. I saw him in Branson MO back in 1996 and every song was a hit. RIP Glenn Campbell.👍
Glenn Campbell was an amazing guitarist and an above average singer as well.
AND….he was a very nice person. I had the pleasure once of meeting him. So warm and friendly.
Glen Campbell was a technical monster on guitar, and he also sang. The song was written by Jimmy Webb, one of America's great songwriters
One of the best songs ever written.
One of my favorite songs for all time. Thank you!
Deemed to be one of the first - if not the first - existentialist pop records. Stunning. Restrained heart-felt vocal performance. If was 15 when I first heard this on the radio in 1968 and it still has the same effect on me 55 years later! Great choice guys!
One of my two or three favorite songs ever. The chord progression combined with the lyrics and Glen Campbell's voice is beautifully haunting. One of the best songs ever written...in my humble opinion.
Glenn Campbell had a TV variety show. He could pick the living daylight out of a guitar, you bet.
There's a sweet melancholy, a loneliness...never been to Wichita nor known a lineman but this song takes me there every time! ❤
Goosebumps. He lived just down the road from us in his later years. His drinking problems and his mind started to go, but he was well thought of and well loved, and just a phenomenally larger than life talent.
A true legend.
A&A, you'll love his his "Gentle on My Mind", "Galveston" and "Southern Nights"!!!
He had a long running TV variety show called 'The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour'.
He was an excellent guitar player, who was often sought for session work by other artists!
☺️
Great reaction to a beautiful song! Thank you.
I love this song. Do not under estimate what a stellar guitar player he was.
Gorgeous song, gives me shivers. What a voice!
This is such a beautiful song. Especially Glen singing it. I still get goosebumps every time I hear it.
Jimmy Webb’s collaborations with Glen are timeless
I never was a big fan of Glen Campbell, but this was my favourite of what he did. The fine people of Wichita will be giving Andy grief for decades to come 🙂. It was short, Andy had to get out before the Wichita posse caught up to him.
Wi-CHEET-a - LOL!
If not for this song, I would probably make the same mistake, lol.
@@gaildevaney6074it is a major city. People in the US should know it. 😂
Whi-chita...is that somewhere near Chi-cago? 😉😁
I couldn’t believe I heard right I had to replay it. Lol! Surprised neither one if them mentioned it after the song was played!
Few songs can create imagery and emotion like this one. Really is a gorgeous song.
One of my favorite singles of all time from one of America's finest singer/songwriters. Many people, particularly under 40, have no idea who Glenn was and how incredibly talented he was.
Superlative.
This song so reminds me of my Dad, Mom, younger sister and I driving cross country via route 66 from Los Angeles to Chicago to live in 1968. Wasn't happy about it. It took me almost 10 years to find my way back. I'm the only one left to remember that wonderful, but bittersweet trip and this song takes me right back along that road.
Please tell me I did not hear "Wi-cheetah" lol.
Love the way you fellas do what you do. Every reaction is unique and special, cheers.
You heard it.. so did I…😂
Hilarious
S tier boys all day long. Good reaction, so glad you liked it. Andy, pronunciation, work it. Thanks guys.
Such a great player and singer. It was so sad to watch his last years suffering from his dementia.
I choose to remember him from his good era.
Yep, the Movie Shack needs to watch "I'll Be Me." Rarely have I seen a documentary that was so triumphant and so heartbreaking all in the same movie.
This song and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix".
He's also a killer guitarist!
Jimmy Webb is one of THE best American songwriters of all time - in my opinion.
I agree! He's right up there with Paul Simon, Randy Newman and Burt Bacharach. Not to mention Stevie Wonder. Those would be my top five American composers of music in the rock era.
@@jacksonmorganfroghin4815 Yes indeed, absolutely agree with that list. Burt especially will be missed...
@@marktubeie07 Rounding out that list for the top ten and not necessarily in this order would be Leiber and Stoller, Smoky Robinson, Carole King, Donald Fagen and Bob Dylan. I'm sure I left someone out but they are all I could think of at the moment.
We can't forget Joni Mitchell
The poetry of a common man.
The guitar you’ve heard on practically every Beach Boys record was Glen Campbell. He even toured with them for awhile. I’ll chime in with everyone, Jimmy Webb is a monster !!
This song has been a part of me for its entire existence. At every stage of my life, from when it was released when I was 6, to now when I am 60, I never have tired of listening this recording. I think this is on the pinnacle of American pop recordings of the 1960s-along with "God Only Knows", "California Dreaming" and few others. Everything about this song is timeless: Carol Kaye's haunting bass line intro, the pulsating strings replicating an unanswered phone call, Jimmy Webb's incredible word pictures and melancholy melody, Glen's remarkable vocal interpretation, to the final fade, where this Lineman's life will continue on, stretching on an endless American road. At this time, Jimmy Webb was, along with Bacharach/David and Lennon/McCartney, the best songwriter in pop music.
Best comment I’ve read this year 😎
And don’t forget to add Brian Wilson to that group of songwriters.
Agree with you on the analysis; I've heard many Wrecking Crew backup songs, and Glen Campbell crossed over from country to pop with this song. My uncle started his career as a lineman in Philadelphia, and adored this song (as did I) when it came out.
@@susanhoward531 Brian Wilson is my favorite artist of all time, and Pet Sounds and Sunflower are my 2 fave albums, so I should have listed him, but I mentioned his greatest song and wanted to keep symmetry of 2 songs 2 composers. I would also add Ray Davies and Paul Simon.
@@chanceotter8121 aahhh…makes perfect sense!
This is an utterly superb melancholy song. Those chord changes… oh my. Brings tears to my eyes…
This is in my opinion his best song. I just loved everything about it
Musicians from the 60s. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. "A Taste of Honey" . Awesome. Probably one of the most shocking album covers in the 60s. Awesome brass sound. "Galveston" for the next GC song.
"And I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time" is one of the best lyrics ever. My favorite GC song. Jimmy Webb was a brilliant lyricist.
One of the top session guitarists, and one of the best guitarists ever. His voice became his path to the top. Perfect pitch they say. Miss Glenn so much.
One of the best guitarests ever. So underated
wow, that mispronunciation of Wichita hit hard, lol. You guys!!😊 ❤❤
His version of "By The Time I Get to Phoenix" is one of his most iconic songs. He had a weekly comedy variety TV show back in the late 60s that was very good - original. Helped introduce a lot of urbanites to the sound of Country that might otherwise never have been exposed.
Wichita is cousins with the young chiquitas in Ohama 😂
@@cptight88 I was thinking the banana but you may be right. 🍌😄
I just knew Alex was going to correct him but, nooope. 🙃
Glad you are including artists like Campbell. Brilliant guitarist and a fine singer. Didn’t know he was a Wrecking Crew guy but not at all surprised. You use the term “immaculate” entirely appropriately.
Campbell transcended session player guitarist and became a megastar when he teamed with songwriter Jimmy Webb on a series of huge pop country hits like this song. Others include “Galveston” and “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.”
Jimmy Webb writes some beautiful songs. If you haven't done it yet, Richard Harris' original version of MacArthur Park is something to behold. Epic.
MacArthur Park is one of my favorite songs and has been since I heard it as a kid. Back then, I just fell in love with the music but as I aged and got more life experience, I grew to understand and appreciate the lyrics. It’s amazing how many artists covered the song over the years, but Jimmy’s version on his album “Ten Easy Pieces” seems to bring out the emotion the best.
The Glen Campbell Good Time Variety Hour! One of the many music driven variety shows of the 1970's. Sonny & Cher, Dolly Parton, Tony Orlando & Dawn, Barbara Mandrell & Johnny Cash all had variety shows based on their own celebrity personas. Lots of clips on here with real,live preformances.
Hee Haw had Roy Clark and Buck Owens, two more giants. On a personal note, I always loved Red Skelton's show.
Dude, you've got to watch the UA-cam clip of Glen Campbell playing this song live on the 'Jools Holland Show'...and then you'd see how much of a beautiful guitar song this is. Campbell pulls off the sweetest and most brilliant solo on this. Thank you guys for highlighting this one.
That was his best performance I can find on it. And he was suffering with Alzheimer’s too.
@@lildeena1 yeah, sadly, I don't think it was all that long after it when he passed away.
I remember listening to this with the parents on cross country trips in the ‘68 Pontiac LeMans.
Jimmy Webb; one of the greatest songwriters of all time.
Glen's music inspired Jimmy and Jimmy's songs inspired Glen! A marriage made in music Heaven!
Just saw Jimmy in Boston, singing and telling stories.
Love love love Glen! You 2 are in for a big rabbit hole! My cousin actually saw him in the nursing home before he passed. His daughter was a good friend of hers! What a talent! By the time I get to Phoenix next song!!!!! You will love!
Glen was a master guitarist. He could not read music, but had an innate ability to play. Watch the Wrecking Crew documentary as they speak of this.
The solo on the Danelectro 6 string bass is incredible.
Glenn Cambell was one of those artists whose magic was in his gift as a performer. Most of his best kbown works were songs written by others, but only he could render them the way he did. He was a PHENOMENAL guitarist, thought it doesn't necessarily come out here. You absolutely MUST check out his version of "Gentle on My Mind" (originally by John Hartford). It;s as if the song was written specifically for him to perform. Timeless.
Growing up in the 60s and 70s, this was a favorite, and it still is, thanks for playing it.
Gentle On My Mind is my favorite of his. Beautiful banjo 🪕🖤
Me too 🎉
Thank you for hitting this song! I appreciate it. One of my childhood favorites.
Only Glenn Campbell record I added to my collection. Bought it after a friend showed me this song. It's funny how most of my records are Classic 70's jams and this one sits proudly there in. I do enjoy the whole album, too. His voice is like creamy butter. 😍
One or the Greatest guitarist of all time !!!!