In 1968, Glen Campbell released one of his most beloved songs, “Wichita Lineman.” The song has gone on to be widely covered by a variety of artists, and in 2010 appeared on the Rolling Stone “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” list, ranking at #195.
Songwriter Jimmy Webb gained his inspiration for the song while driving through southwest Oklahoma. As Webb drove down a straight road into the sunset, he passed a seemingly endless number of identical telephone lines. In the distance, He saw the silhouette of a lineman, alone working on a pole. Webb described the scene as the “picture of loneliness.”
Campbell recorded “Wichita Lineman” for his 1968 album of the same name. The song reached #3 on the Billboard pop charts in the United States.
Watch Glen Campbell perform “Wichita Lineman” on the The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour below!
“Wichita Lineman” Lyrics
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
