"Wichita Lineman" by Glen Campbell – Chords, Tabs, and How to Play

“Wichita Lineman”
Glen Campbell

Intro: Am7 – Gm7 (x2)

Gm                                     Bb7       Dm7                            Gm7
I am a lineman for the county, and I drive the main road,
Dm                       Am          G                 D
Searchin’ in the sun for another overload.
D                                        C                                                          G
I hear you singin’ in the wire.  I can hear you through the whine,
Gm                        D           C                    Bb7 – Am7 – Bb7 – Gm7
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,
Gm                        D              C                     Bb7 – Gm7 – Bb7 – Gm7
And the Wichita lineman is still on the line.

Instrumental:   Bb7   C    Gm7    Dm – Am – G   D

And I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time.
And the Wichita lineman is still on the line.

Outro:   Bb7   C   Gm7   Am7 (x2)

** These chords and lyrics are interpretations and transcriptions, respectively, and are the sole property of the copyright holder(s). They are posted on this website free of charge for no profit for the purpose of study and commentary, as allowed for under the “fair use” provision of U.S. copyright law, and should only be used for such personal and/or academic work. **

“Wichita Lineman” (Glen Campbell Cover)

By Chris Moore:

For Glen Campbell Chords/Lyrics, click here!

Hello and welcome to my first cover song music video for the blog in just about two weeks!  Those of you who are acquainted with my work here on the Laptop Sessions blog will appreciate just how long a break from recording that is.  After all, I spent the entirety of 2008 — along with Jim and Jeff — recording a session every three days.  So, when you look at it this way, two weeks off is an eternity!

That being said, I’m back tonight with a song from a new artist to the blog — Glen Campbell.  Campbell is a name you’ve probably heard before, as he’s been working in the realm of popular music ever since the 1960s.  I first remember him from the story of the Beach Boys, as he filled in for Brian Wilson as a touring bassist in 1964 and 1965.  Having come from a family of twelve, a group with three brothers must have been a piece of cake for him to handle!

What I had forgotten about Glen Campbell is that he was a member of the famous Wrecking Crew, along with other studio musicians like Hal Blaine and Carol Kaye.  He has played guitar on such popular recordings as the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” and the Monkees’ “I’m A Believer.”  He also played on tracks by other artists such as Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, Ricky Nelson, Merle Haggard, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Jan & Dean, the Mamas and the Papas, and many more.

What a resume!

So, why did I decide to record a Glen Campbell song out of the blue?  Why have I encroached upon the usual Jim Fusco territory of the 1960s?  The answer is simple — Glen Campbell is releasing a new compilation tomorrow entitled Glen Campbell: Greatest Hits , and I thought it appropriate to pay tribute to him.  I especially like “Wichita Lineman,” perhaps because it sounds like a cross between the Beach Boys and the Moody Blues.  I say this because it’s got that great, bassy surf guitar-ish sound on the solo, and it has very obvious Justin Hayward inflections, particularly in the vocals and the Moody Blues-esque flute sounds.  So, having decided on “Wichita Lineman,” I got in front of my laptop, searched the Glen Campbell official website for a clip, went to YouTube to watch Glen Campbell playing it, and set about transcribing and practicing.  I’m glad that I’ve decided to post chords (tabs / how to play) for all my songs this year, as I looked around for chords online and didn’t find any sites with correct chords and lyrics.  So, if you’re interested in playing the song, refer to the information you find here – it’s hot off the presses!

Well, that’s it for me tonight.  I’d love to write more, but after my double posting yesterday, I’m pretty worn out!  Seriously though, I hope you’ve checked out my posts about the Grammy Awards and the TNA Pay-Per-View.  If you haven’t, I think that at least the Grammys post is worth a read for any fan of rock music.

Without further ado, here’s my latest cover song music video.  Hurry back tomorrow for an all-new Jim Fusco Tuesday Laptop Session…

See you next session!

“Travelin’ Man” (Ricky Nelson Cover)

By Jim Fusco:

Hello all, and welcome to yet another Laptop Session! Tonight’s session is a classic tune made famous by the one and only Ricky Nelson.

I’ve always loved this song, but recently, it’s become a bit of an obsession.

I’ve always wanted to be a Ricky Nelson type, but my brother has always dubbed himself the “Self-Proclaimed Teen Heartthrob”. But I think this song is fitted to me and my singing style, plus I got Chris to help me out and let me play the guitar solo (which, I do have to admit, is pretty spot-on).

I’ll be doing other Rick Nelson songs in the future, so any requests are very welcome!