Rose Lineman

Jimmy Webb wrote the song 'Wichita Lineman' in 1968 for Glen Campbell, inspired by observing a lineman atop a telephone pole in Oklahoma. Despite its geographical inspiration being elsewhere, Webb set the narrative in Wichita, Kansas. The song explores the themes of loneliness and yearning, juxtaposing the lineman's demanding job with his deep longing for connection.

Glen Campbell's recording, featuring members of the Wrecking Crew, achieved significant chart success, reaching number 3 on the US pop charts and topping country and adult contemporary charts. The song has been widely covered by numerous artists across various genres and recognized for its artistic merit, including its inclusion in the Grammy Hall of Fame and preservation by the Library of Congress. Critics and musicians have lauded it as a masterpiece of songwriting.

Jimmy Webb composed 'Wichita Lineman' at the urgent request of Glen Campbell for a geographically themed song. The immediate inspiration struck Webb while driving through Oklahoma, where he witnessed a solitary lineman on a telephone pole. Imagining the lineman's perspective, Webb envisioned him speaking to a loved one. Although the visual was in Oklahoma, the song's setting was placed in Wichita, Kansas. Webb presented a demo to producer Al De Lory, initially considering it incomplete, lacking a third verse and a bridge. Campbell was deeply moved by the demo, relating to its themes of homesickness, while De Lory found inspiration in the opening lines, recalling his own uncle who worked as a lineman.

The song's structure features two verses, each divided into two distinct parts. The first section of each verse, in F major, addresses the practical aspects and challenges of a lineman's work. The second section, shifting to D major, delves into the lineman's intimate thoughts and declarations of love and need. This harmonic shift from F major to D major, rather than the expected D minor, contributes to the song's unique and appealing character. The lyrics are poetically set against these musical changes, with the melancholic, jazz-influenced chord progressions, incorporating major sevenths and suspended fourths, creating a sense of unresolved yearning that mirrors the lineman's suspended, lonely existence.

The recording of 'Wichita Lineman' incorporated innovative arrangements by Al De Lory. He used high-pitched violins to emulate the sound of wind whistling through wires, a sonic representation of the phrase 'singing in the wire.' A repeating, monotonic keyboard or flute motif was employed to mimic the electronic sounds a lineman might hear through an earpiece, suggesting the raw, unfiltered communication along long telephone lines. Glen Campbell, a skilled session guitarist, contributed a tremolo-infused bass interlude. Carol Kaye, a bassist with the Wrecking Crew, provided the distinctive descending six-note intro, with a subsequent lick being adapted for the string arrangements. Jimmy Webb himself added reverberating electronic notes and open chords to the intro and fadeout using his Gulbransen electric organ.

Glen Campbell's rendition of 'Wichita Lineman' was a commercial success, charting highly on pop, country, and adult contemporary lists. Beyond its chart performance, the song has garnered significant critical recognition. Rolling Stone ranked it among the '500 Greatest Songs of All Time.' Bob Dylan famously called it 'the greatest song ever written,' and Stuart Maconie described it as 'the greatest pop song ever composed.' The song's cultural and historical importance has been acknowledged through its induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame and its preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. Numerous artists have covered the song, and its enduring impact has been explored in books and documentaries.

“When I heard it I cried”

“because I was homesick.”

“I could visualize my uncle up a pole in the middle of nowhere. I loved the song right away.”

“the greatest song ever written”

“the greatest pop song ever composed.”