Wichita Lineman
"Wichita Lineman" is a 1968 song written by Jimmy Webb for American country music artist Glen Campbell,[2] who recorded it backed by members of the Wrecking Crew.[3] Widely covered by other artists, it has been called "the first existential country song."[4]
This article is about the song. For the album, see Wichita Lineman (album). For the horse, see Wichita Lineman (horse)."Wichita Lineman"
"Fate of Man"
October 26, 1968 (week of)
- May 27, 1968
- August 14, 1968
- Capitol Records
- Hollywood, California
3:05
Capitol 2302
Legacy and accolades[edit]
In 2021, Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" ranked "Wichita Lineman" at number 206.[44]
Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan considered it "the greatest song ever written"[45] and British music journalist Stuart Maconie called it "the greatest pop song ever composed."[46] BBC Radio described it as "one of those rare songs that seems somehow to exist in a world of its own – not just timeless but ultimately outside of modern music"[47] and spotlighted it in series 12 of Soul Music, their long-running show documenting the stories behind music with a powerful emotional impact.[48] In 2017, Paste placed the song at number two on their list of the 12 greatest Glen Campbell songs;[49] in their version, Billboard ranked it number three.[50]
The single was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2019, the Library of Congress preserved the song in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."[51]
Journalist and author Dylan Jones published the book The Wichita Lineman: Searching in the Sun for the World's Greatest Unfinished Song in 2019, documenting the song's genesis and enduring legacy.[52]
In popular culture[edit]
The song was used in the opening and closing scenes of the Ozark season 2 episode, "Badger", to emphasize the setting and tone of the beginning and end of Darlene and Jacob Snell's romance.[72]
Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) can be heard briefly singing the song in the season four episode of Parks and Recreation, "The Debate".
Homer Simpson sings the song while mimicking hold music in The Simpsons 15th-season episode "Co-Dependents' Day".
The KLF referenced the song in the title "Wichita Lineman Was a Song I Once Heard", on their 1990 ambient house concept album Chill Out.
The Decemberists paid homage to the song on their album Picaresque in the song "The Engine Driver".
In the Newsradio Season 2 episode "In Through the Out Door", Matthew (Andy Dick) bets Joe (Joe Rogan) that the next song on the radio will be a good one. When they flip the radio on, "Wichita Lineman" is playing. Matthew admits to losing the bet, while from the next room Dave (Dave Foley) wistfully remarks that he loves this song.
The song appears in the 2013 film (and accompanying soundtrack) Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa.
The track's fadeout was voiced over for many years by longtime English DJ Steve Wright to close his BBC Radio shows.[73]