Welcome to Glen Campbell Forums
Glen's time in Lindrith New Mexico (1951-1952)

Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb

REMEMBERING GLEN CAMPBELL - GLEN CAMPBELL WITH CARS - GLEN CAMPBELL MUSEUM
Post Reply
robduloc
Posts: 398
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 1:43 pm

Re: Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb

Post by robduloc »

The first night Jimmy Webb gets quiet, "My wife mentioned since I am Spiritual, perhaps I should pray more"... a Pause... Jimmy Webb sharing with his people... takes a deep breath through his nose, a filter perhaps, reaches his innermost soul, raises the level or volume of his voice one notch, assertively... "If you see me breathing, I am praying"!

Dead silence, I think at that moment we were all breathless, Jimmy Webb stole our heart.


robduloc
Posts: 398
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 1:43 pm

Re: Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb

Post by robduloc »

Thank you, Mike for your kind reply!

I just discovered a version of "Wichita Lineman" on the Creed Taylor Jazz Label from the early 70's.

And last Friday, I read all of Glen's biography up to around page 175- in one sitting~

Glen talks about bringing John Hartford on board for his show, far as I can read into the subject a follow up to Gentle On My Mind was crucial and most of the time when the author is talking about Jimmy Webb it's about "By The Time I Get To Phoenix".

And so it really is about moving forward!

After seeing Jimmy Webb in person, I think "Wichita Lineman" is the number that occupies his thoughts and Glen Campbell's biography says Webb had a little more to shape the song than Webb mentioned.

The second night I saw him, Jimmy Webb talked about what it was like to come to L.A. and receive three cars for a present by his manager, the first one "A Mustang"... "Oh, wait a minute- A Cobra was the first one"! ooh!

I am sorry if any record collectors noticed that I said Common did the bridge on "Jam", I meant to say Heavy D who help discover and produce the wonderful R&B Band from New York "Soul For Real".

The lead singer of Soul For Real right now is talking about how difficult it is to get their new songs on the air, and they even tried to put on all the filters to sound like what is popular right now. I'm sure that everyone can relate how important it is to be genuine. Another case where this artist has some really good new music out there and ought to be able to throw away a formula if it doesn't work.

Kenye West did produce a good album with his friend Common, that was a number of years ago.

Has anyone heard the story, Brian Wilson showed up on Webb's doorstep on Jimmy's Birthday... in his bathrobe with a bottle of "DOM"... Wilson falters at the door looks around Jimmy Webb's shoulders and says, "You got dark Wings around you"!

Jimmy Webb pauses, dead silence in the club, "If anybody got that right... about anything concerning me, that was it"!

My initial reaction was to see the wings in my mind, later I thought that it sounded a lot like a 19th Century Composer's Cape and Cowl!

That seals it for me, Brian Wilson and Jimmy Webb knew each other in a past life.

I, uh, haven't listened to the new Kenye West sample yet because Jimmy Webb was angered and so I didn't care to promote it, and on behalf the music community I would like to thank Jimmy Webb and Taylor Swift for giving the world something to dream and hold on to. You are an inspiration for this Generation and next one to come.

I love you, Glen Campbell Community.

Thank you, Mike.


Mike Joyce
Posts: 565
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 9:23 am

Re: Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb

Post by Mike Joyce »

Hi Dee,
I listed to the Soul Music link you posted. Thank you for posting it. I had not heard it before. The programme was previously broadcast on 23rd August 2011 and 27th August 2011. It was then re broadcast on 9th December 2016.
It looks primarily at what the song meant to various listeners of the song, with contributions from Glen and Jimmy and even a lineman himself. A fan of Johnny Cash also talks about Johnny's version of the song and says he thinks it's better than Glen's, which I find hard to accept. Glen's is the definitive version as far as I'm concerned, but each to there own I guess. I love the story of the guy who always hears his Mum's vacuum cleaner in his head when he hears the song playing.
robduloc, thanks for sharing your insights into Kanye West, and Hip Hop / Rap music. There are so many areas of music that have developed over the decades, it is hard to know what category they fall into. I recall Glen had much the same problem himself.
It was interesting to hear on the broadcast about Wichita Lineman that the people of Jamaica and other Caribbean islands used to love listening to country music, which of course is noted for it's own reggae music.
If music is good it lasts.


robduloc
Posts: 398
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 1:43 pm

Re: Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb

Post by robduloc »

If it's alright, I would like to enter a few things regarding Kenye West, it's where I first jumped in here after listening to Jimmy Webb discuss the Grammy's.

It might provide a little closure.

First off, Hip Hop and Rap are interchangeable but the genre is really Hip Hop.

Rap is what you do in Hip Hop, and Rap is probably the name some lame White Guy came up with, it's like saying, I like "Rock" and "Sing".

What they are playing on the radio isn't really Rap or Hip Hop, the lyrics no longer have any relevance, Hip Hop in the 90's is about turning to music as an alternative from the street.

Kenye West is mainly known for producing, and is respected for his work in the 90's among the Hip Hop community and only became famous among the mainstream for saying random things.

He grew up in Chicago and was close friends with a rapper named Common, who is on the song "Jam" by MJ.

Kenye is famous for the albums he produced for Jay Z.

And so Kenye West has been producing since the 90's and has a number of albums of his own, and yes he raps on them, but it wasn't until 2007 he came to the public's attention in an interview with Mike Meyers of all people, that's when he started getting Grammy nominations.

That isn't cool, and it really is unfair what he said and did at The Grammy's at Taylor Swift's expense.

Kenye West has an album he produced of samples that use Classical Music, there really are a number of people that may have not gotten into that kind of style if it weren't for when West went mainstream, I honestly think his most recent sample is in that vein.

Thank you~


Mike Joyce
Posts: 565
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 9:23 am

Re: Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb

Post by Mike Joyce »

Hi Dee,
I will listen to this broadcast ASAP. I don't recall hearing this one. Thanks for posting.
AS regards, great lines. Jimmy really is the best but I heard a great line in the theme tune to the film "random hearts" which goes. " You are nothing less than perfect , in a less than perfect world". What great lines do others just love to hear ?


User avatar
Dee
Posts: 2317
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2014 6:54 pm
Contact:

Re: Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb

Post by Dee »

Well, here you go...this episode from BBC Radio 4's Music Soul Series informs our discussion about Jimmy Webb's inspiration for "Wichita Lineman".
Nice intro by Glen Campbell, too. A lineman talks about being a lineman. Johnny Cash' cover of WL. And more!
(Mike, is this series from last year? When was the interview with Glen recorded? It sounds familiar...)

:arrow: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b013f96w" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
BBC Radio 4_Soul Music_Wichita Lineman.jpg
BBC Radio 4_Soul Music_Wichita Lineman.jpg (50.62 KiB) Viewed 6524 times


User avatar
Dee
Posts: 2317
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2014 6:54 pm
Contact:

Re: Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb

Post by Dee »

What is "the most romantic line ever in a song"?
Find out the answer (as if we fans didn't already know!) in this excerpt from Melinda Newman's column, "The Beat", Billboard, May 6, 2006, in which she reported on American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP)'s first "I Create Music Expo". Hint: Jimmy Webb & Glen Campbell!
~Dee

[To view article & photo, click on image once to enlarge viewing window.]
May 6, 2006_Billboard_The Beat_Melinda Newman_excerpt.jpg
May 6, 2006_Billboard_The Beat_Melinda Newman_excerpt.jpg (72.85 KiB) Viewed 6502 times


robduloc
Posts: 398
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 1:43 pm

Re: Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb

Post by robduloc »

We used to have stacks of records in and out of their jackets piled on the floor, that is where I normally like to sit and watch the proceedings, even when the chairs and tables are pushed to one side, there is a tendency to get a little carried away when dancing gets more gymnastic, the big creases on the corners of the record jackets were always the result of the biggest ladies backing up in their high heels, that was always around my bedtime, you have to be a certain height and weight if you don't want to get caught in the crush. Oh, to be tucked into bed with a party in full swing!


robduloc
Posts: 398
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 1:43 pm

Re: Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb

Post by robduloc »

The "Rand & McNally" period is a joyous story especially after reading Tunesmith where the composer-lyricist is saying a Thesaurus or Dictionary comes in handy when you're reaching for the perfect word or rhyme, it's funny that would also include maps.

The book your father always took on vacations or long car rides, to help get the family across interstate routes, served as an aid for writer's block!


User avatar
Dee
Posts: 2317
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2014 6:54 pm
Contact:

Re: Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb

Post by Dee »

P.S. lol Good title, Mike!
Your song is growing on me already.
Dee


Post Reply