Although I have a general dislike of Country music I was saddened yesterday to learn of the death of Glen Campbell. His website said, “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and legendary singer and guitarist, Glen Travis Campbell, at the age of 81, following his long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease.”
There are two songs I associate with him – one from the 1970’s, the other from a stint on Nottingham Hospitals Radio (NHR). Rhinestone Cowboy was released in 1975 and still makes me smile – the twang of the voice is unmistakable!
But Wichita Lineman was released in 1968 and made the Rolling Stone magazine list of top 500 songs (number 195). It made no.7 in the UK charts. Stuart Maconie described it as,”the greatest pop song ever composed“. I played it a lot on NHR and it still makes my spotify playlists – especially the one titled ‘curated’. It takes a lot to get on there!
The lyrics are just sublime,
I am a lineman for the county
And I drive the main road
Searchin’ in the sun for another overload
I hear you singin’ in the wire
I can hear you through the whine
And the Wichita lineman is still on the line
I know I need a small vacation
But it don’t look like rain
And if it snows that stretch down south
Won’t ever stand the strain
And I need you more than want you
And I want you for all time
And the Wichita lineman is still on the line
And I need you more than want you
And I want you for all time, and the Wichita lineman is still on the line
Alzheimer’s steals another prodigious talent from us. But, as the saying goes, the music lives on. RIP Glen Campbell.
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