Jimmy Webb's Immortal "Wichita Lineman"

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still, you would never say "won't stand the strain" about snow on a road.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 22:14 (twenty-one years ago)

When one thinks of winter, snow is often the first thing that comes to mind. But, precipitation in winter can often take on different forms to include sleet, freezing rain and even just plain rain. When the temperature is below freezing and rain falls, the raindrops freeze on contact with every object forming a glaze of ice. This is known as freezing rain. After the ice builds up enough, it can weight down objects like trees and power lines. In extreme instances, the ice can build up enough to cause trees and power lines to fall.

- Dave Nicosia, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Weather Service Binghamton

― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 22:15 (twenty-one years ago)

choose a side and stick to it you guys.

― jed_ (jed), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 22:16 (twenty-one years ago)

hey nate o, you used to post on pfm smackdown back in 2001, correct?

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 22:17 (twenty-one years ago)

No, I agree it's supposed to be about telephone lines. I'm just being a smart ass.

xpost

Yes, I did. Hi, Polyphonic!

― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 22:18 (twenty-one years ago)

choose a side and stick to it you guys.

I don't tend to follow GW Bush's rhetorical methods if I can help it.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 22:18 (twenty-one years ago)

now watch this drive...

― jed_ (jed), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 22:19 (twenty-one years ago)

*ignores stream of tedious, pedantic, killjoy trolling posts*

the other important thing to remember about "wichita lineman" was that it was intended to be a sequel to "by the time i get to phoenix."

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 20 January 2005 08:20 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm trying to decide what i think of the webb/campbell album "reunion" (1974) right now

I'm not, Amateur(ist) — it's crap. And believe me: I wanted to like that record more than you can possibly imagine. Or maybe you can.

Reunion is good, if you can get past the lyrics - they are a bit clumsy, but i think the melodies are glorious.

― debden, Thursday, 20 January 2005 10:26 (twenty-one years ago)

two months pass...

Yes great, never realised there were 37 different words to the song - amazing

― mentalist (mentalist), Friday, 8 April 2005 09:38 (twenty-one years ago)

53 of course

― mentalist (mentalist), Friday, 8 April 2005 09:39 (twenty-one years ago)

By the way if, by any chance, you wanna learn how to play this song on guitar and then try to find out the chords on the interweb, there's always one chord they get wrong - but which I sat down and worked out one day, I don't know what you call it but it's perfect

― Dadrock, Meshach and Abednego (Dada), Friday, 8 April 2005 09:44 (twenty-one years ago)

am i the only one who thinks the Justus Kohncke cover is pretty wank?

― $V£N! (blueski), Friday, 8 April 2005 09:45 (twenty-one years ago)

My ex brother-in-law used to call this song, "Widget Alignment", which I used to tickle my funny bone a tad

― Dadrock, Meshach and Abednego (Dada), Friday, 8 April 2005 09:47 (twenty-one years ago)

three months pass...

That "telegraph" riff at the end of the chorus sounds so familiar...what other well-known song is it used in? "Nights in White Satin"? "You Keep Me Hanging On"? (the Vanilla Fudge version??) Help a brother out.

― Keith C (kcraw916), Friday, 5 August 2005 02:22 (twenty years ago)

If you mean the rhythmic octavey bit on the guitar, a more or less identical riff is used in YKMHO (Supremes version - can't remember hearing the Vanilla Fudge version) and Starman by Bowie. Not sure which came first, always imagined it was The Supremes but could be wrong.

― frankiemachine, Friday, 5 August 2005 09:54 (twenty years ago)

Supremes '66, V Fudge '67, Wichita '69, Starman '72.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 5 August 2005 09:56 (twenty years ago)

I used to play in a band that covered this, and we'd have dueling guitars on the outro a la Lloyd/Verlaine.
We only played it like that once or twice, but there was always someone in the audience who would freak over it.
One of the best songs ever written, no doubt.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Friday, 5 August 2005 14:13 (twenty years ago)

Am I crazy that I don't see what's so great about this song? I always find the chorus really clunky "The Witchita lineman is still on the line." It sounds like a rejected ad campaign slogan or something.

I like Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb, too.

― Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 5 August 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

Am I crazy that I don't see what's so great about this song

yes. it is the essence of music itself.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Friday, 5 August 2005 15:05 (twenty years ago)

three months pass...

― k/l (Ken L), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:08 (twenty years ago)

Possibly F6(9) right before "But it don't look like rain"?

― everything, Wednesday, 30 November 2005 17:01 (twenty years ago)

I think that's it except we played it in G - all it is holding all the strings down at the G fret with one finger, an open chord I believe it's called

― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Thursday, 1 December 2005 13:26 (twenty years ago)

i am a linesman for notts county

― hold tight the private caller (mwah), Thursday, 1 December 2005 15:09 (twenty years ago)

does anyone know how to play Webb's "P.F. Sloan"? I was truly excited recently to talk to P.F. Sloan on the phone, he was here in Nashville recording a new album with Jon Tiven and a bunch of people. Very nice fellow, he played the Bluebird (I ended up writing the blurb for the show) but I missed it, because the same night the ultra-rare Eggleston film/video "Stranded in Canton" played.

I think that F6-9 is right for "Wichita," by the way--I've always played it in F major.

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9x_1Ri3XxE&feature=related

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Sunday, 30 March 2008 02:19 (eighteen years ago)

Worthy of note: It still pains Jimmy Webb to this day that he "falsely" rhymed time with line.

― libcrypt, Sunday, 30 March 2008 02:27 (eighteen years ago)

Heard him confess this on Fresh Air.

― libcrypt, Sunday, 30 March 2008 02:28 (eighteen years ago)

Jimmy Webb is a grumpy old man.

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Sunday, 30 March 2008 02:29 (eighteen years ago)

I just want to say the comment section in that Glen Campbell youtube link above is the greatest thing I have ever read in my entire life.

― kornrulez6969, Sunday, 30 March 2008 03:50 (eighteen years ago)

One of my favourite songs ever

'And I need you more than want you and I want you for all time'

The Urge Overkill version is worth a listen. MASSIVE open, alt- tuned chords.I just love the last eight bars. It finishes on one of those lovely suspended chords. If anybody knows the chord, please let me know!

The original is the best though. What a voice!

― Fer Ark, Sunday, 30 March 2008 21:19 (eighteen years ago)

one year passes...

the reunion album is v. good

― figuratively, but in a very real way (amateurist), Saturday, 12 December 2009 02:44 (sixteen years ago)

two years pass...

Somebody on my Facebook just shared a video of this song, seeing fit to add the caption "Bitches love a lineman!" to the post.

― Electro-Shock Rory (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 29 June 2012 04:00 (thirteen years ago)

Really dumb but very touching misinterpretation of the song by its best interpreter at the end of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6J99mWFqMU&feature=related

― Three Word Username, Friday, 29 June 2012 07:00 (thirteen years ago)

Would love to see that version of "Daddy Sang Bass" in its entirety

― ratso piazzolla (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 29 June 2012 11:24 (thirteen years ago)

no one mention freedy johnston's version yet?
pretty solid.

― jimmy_chop, Friday, 29 June 2012 13:42 (thirteen years ago)

No, it was mentioned a few times.

― ratso piazzolla (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 29 June 2012 13:53 (thirteen years ago)

One of the greatest songs ever.

Hell, even Kool & the Gang covered it on Live at the Sex Machine

This was so mindblowing to me when I found out about it. I mean what now?

― (✿◠‿◠) (ENBB), Friday, 29 June 2012 13:56 (thirteen years ago)

Went on Spotify and didn't see Kool and the Gang version but did find one by Dennis Brown.

― ratso piazzolla (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 29 June 2012 14:47 (thirteen years ago)

OK, got it thx.

― ratso piazzolla (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 29 June 2012 14:51 (thirteen years ago)

We discussed the GC farewell tour a little on this thread Glen Campbell: Outlaw!

― ratso piazzolla (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 29 June 2012 15:27 (thirteen years ago)

Obviously the best song ever written. Maria McKee does a particularly haunting version of it.

― Everything You Like Sucks, Friday, 29 June 2012 19:34 (thirteen years ago)

one year passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9x_1Ri3XxE

― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Saturday, 27 July 2013 00:43 (twelve years ago)

well shit

― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Saturday, 27 July 2013 00:45 (twelve years ago)

damn, Glen's people are fast!

― Remember! The cormorant is a big brrd. It has got a long neck. (unregistered), Saturday, 27 July 2013 00:46 (twelve years ago)

Love this one. Looks like Glen is on some other planet with a 6-string bass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qoymGCDYzU

― Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 27 July 2013 00:48 (twelve years ago)

(and one of my favorite covers of it)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPGPDFHbVjk

― Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 27 July 2013 00:49 (twelve years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nFYK5IGDUY

― pplains, Saturday, 27 July 2013 02:11 (twelve years ago)

i'm currently working out a cover of this for my cabaret project.

― hannah arendt you glad you didn't say banana (get bent), Saturday, 27 July 2013 02:56 (twelve years ago)

Love this one. Looks like Glen is on some other planet with a 6-string bass.

That's the Jaguar Baritone guitar.

― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Saturday, 27 July 2013 05:19 (twelve years ago)

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