Young Glen Campbell Gives Live Performance Of “Wichita Lineman”
on Jan 17, 2017 • Updated Dec 18, 2020
Over the years, Glen Campbell has become a household name. With a resume that consisted of singer, guitar player, television host, and actor, this Arkansas-native also has multiple Grammy Awards to his name.
#RIP: Glen Campbell. The Rhinestone Cowboy, singer and sometime actor, died at 81. Highly recommend 2014 documentary "I'll be Me" pic.twitter.com/GpCEiDG8ys
— Ken Anderson 🏳️🌈🎞🎼 (@XanaduFitness) August 8, 2017
One of those Grammy Awards is a Grammy Hall of Fame Award for the song “Wichita Lineman” in 2000, which was written by Jimmy Webb, Campbell’s frequent collaborator. “Wichita Lineman” made Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” A music journalist even called the song the “greatest pop song ever composed.”
Rest In Peace to the Wichita Lineman (and so much more) #GlenCampbell pic.twitter.com/NPpXqPqd4Y
— Jake (the 80s & 90s never ended in my world) Rudh (@JakeRudh) August 8, 2017
The Song’s Inspiration
Webb’s inspiration for this song came to him when he was driving through a rural county in Oklahoma where there were endless telephone poles. He noticed a man working on top of a pole and imagined how the man would feel working up there alone every single day. The song describes the loneliness that a telephone or electric power lineman feels while he works and his longing for his absent love.
No. 1 this week in 1968, @GlenCampbell's "Wichita Lineman." I spoke to Glen, who told me about the title track and Jimmy Webb, "He played it for me on this big organ that looked like the organ at the Crystal Cathedral and it just blew me away." https://t.co/ibsER5pmpb pic.twitter.com/7eP5uFaShN
— Number1Albums.com (@NumberOneAlbums) December 14, 2018
Performing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, Campbell accompanied himself on electric guitar surrounded by what looks to be several telephone poles. Now that he has passed on, this performance means so much more to us as fans. His talent was truly one-of-a-kind and he is missed by all.
You can watch Campbell’s rare, live performance of this hit song below.
