Greatest Hit
Every now and then I might post a track on the mixtape for no other reason than it’s one of the greatest songs ever made. To begin with, we can drop the “one of”. ‘Wichita Lineman’ would be my Desert Island Disc if rationing kicked in and Kirsty Young allowed me to pick only one. It is the perfect pop record. Haunting, romantic, vivid, mysterious, quietly devastating, beautiful, poetic, etc. etc. etc.
And I Need You More Than Want You
The Boo Radleys once sang that songwriter ‘Jimmy Webb Is God’, and you won’t get any argument here. But ‘Wichita Lineman’ also relies heavily on Glen Campbell’s heartbreaking performance. I saw him sing it live on Friday night on the opening night of his Farewell Tour (UK leg) and tears welled up. Read more about that here.
I Can Hear You Through The Whine
I could write pages about my love for this song but they’d only be words, and words cannot do it justice. If you don’t like this record, you don’t like music.
My dad was / is a big Glen Campbell fan. I have him to thank for not only Glen but also Buddy Holly – both who are magnificent.
Personally I prefer the Pulp version but this is still a magnificent song.
Pulp version? What Pulp version?
It’s a great song – the Scud Mountain Boys also did a rather good version on their early Pine Box album.
I was positive Pulp did a version for some charity album, though I seem to have got it mixed up with Whiskey in the Jar as there is no sign of it anywhere on the Net. Though their version is now playing in my head and it’s ace.
I am a spaz at times.
It’s my favourite song as well – we may well have discussed this before
(And indeed the merits or otherwise of the Maria McKee version)
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