Although I am unfamiliar with most of the body of Glen Campbell's work, there is one song of his that I do know and truly adore: the classic love ballad, "Wichita Lineman," one of my Top 100 Songs.
My mother describes Campbell's voice in this song as absolutely crystal clear, and that description is spot-on. The clean quality of his tone and the transparency of his delivery touches me more than any overwrought vocals ever could. And while the lyrics are not made up of what we would traditionally think of as "love song" lines--save, of course, for those lines from the chorus, "And I need you more than want you, / And I want you for all time"--the longing is both obvious and palpable. This is the song of a man who is dedicated to his work and wishes that he could leave it all behind to be with the one he loves but knows that he must carry on. That, ladies and gentlemen, is poignancy in action.
It may be that I'm so fond of this song because Campbell performed it with three members of Stone Temple Pilots--my favorite band--while they were recording their fifth studio album, Shangri-la Dee Da, and footage of that (never-released) performance made it onto STP's greatest-hits DVD, Thank You, in 2003. Even in that rendition, Campbell's voice remains strong and constant, and, in a way, triumphant; he adds a last line to the song: "And I'm doin' fine," as if to let us, himself, and his love know that he will continue to persevere.
I also am something of a collector of covers of "Wichita Lineman." When I was a kid, country music artist Wade Hayes recorded his version of the song, which has never been released digitally but can still be found on Amazon if you are willing to pay for the single on CD; however, the prices are pretty steep. Ray Charles also released a cover of the song on Volcanic Action of My Soul, which is something else altogether, combining Campbell's country twang with Charles' unique orchestration and phrasing to create a dynamic listening experience.
By far my favorite cover of the song is Johnny Cash's. It was released posthumously on Cash Unearthed, a box set of recordings he made toward the end of his life with Rick Rubin. This stripped-down rendition is like "Wichita Lineman" all grown up: still toiling, still loving, still hoping to come home. It is at once heartbreaking and heartwarming, and Cash could not possibly have treated it better.
There are, of course, several more covers, but that is probably another post for another time. And though I would not go so far as to call it my favorite love song--that honor is probably reserved for Madonna's "Like a Prayer"--"Wichita Lineman" has a special place in my heart and in my music collection. It is one of the few songs that I will never turn off when it comes on the radio, whether I am too busy to listen or not. I hope that each of you will take the time to check it out, and that you will hear the same magic I hear.
Buy Campbell's original "Wichita Lineman" through Amazon for $0.99.
-Cate-
My mother describes Campbell's voice in this song as absolutely crystal clear, and that description is spot-on. The clean quality of his tone and the transparency of his delivery touches me more than any overwrought vocals ever could. And while the lyrics are not made up of what we would traditionally think of as "love song" lines--save, of course, for those lines from the chorus, "And I need you more than want you, / And I want you for all time"--the longing is both obvious and palpable. This is the song of a man who is dedicated to his work and wishes that he could leave it all behind to be with the one he loves but knows that he must carry on. That, ladies and gentlemen, is poignancy in action.
It may be that I'm so fond of this song because Campbell performed it with three members of Stone Temple Pilots--my favorite band--while they were recording their fifth studio album, Shangri-la Dee Da, and footage of that (never-released) performance made it onto STP's greatest-hits DVD, Thank You, in 2003. Even in that rendition, Campbell's voice remains strong and constant, and, in a way, triumphant; he adds a last line to the song: "And I'm doin' fine," as if to let us, himself, and his love know that he will continue to persevere.
I also am something of a collector of covers of "Wichita Lineman." When I was a kid, country music artist Wade Hayes recorded his version of the song, which has never been released digitally but can still be found on Amazon if you are willing to pay for the single on CD; however, the prices are pretty steep. Ray Charles also released a cover of the song on Volcanic Action of My Soul, which is something else altogether, combining Campbell's country twang with Charles' unique orchestration and phrasing to create a dynamic listening experience.
By far my favorite cover of the song is Johnny Cash's. It was released posthumously on Cash Unearthed, a box set of recordings he made toward the end of his life with Rick Rubin. This stripped-down rendition is like "Wichita Lineman" all grown up: still toiling, still loving, still hoping to come home. It is at once heartbreaking and heartwarming, and Cash could not possibly have treated it better.
There are, of course, several more covers, but that is probably another post for another time. And though I would not go so far as to call it my favorite love song--that honor is probably reserved for Madonna's "Like a Prayer"--"Wichita Lineman" has a special place in my heart and in my music collection. It is one of the few songs that I will never turn off when it comes on the radio, whether I am too busy to listen or not. I hope that each of you will take the time to check it out, and that you will hear the same magic I hear.
Buy Campbell's original "Wichita Lineman" through Amazon for $0.99.
-Cate-
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