Wichita Lineman, Gurt Lush Choir, Colston Hall, 4th July 2015

Here’s Ali Orbaum's excellent arrangement of a song from the genre (admittedly small) of songs about utility workers . . .
Back in the 1960s the maintenance of telephone lines in the USA was usually the responsibility of the county administration, and the telegraph poles and wires were maintained by linemen. Songwriter Jimmy Webb (also famous for Galveston and MacArthur Park among others) was driving down a long road in the middle of nowhere when he saw a lineman up a pole, testing a line with a handset. He wondered who might be on the other end of the call, conjectured that it might be the worker’s girlfriend, and the song grew from there.
Apparently the road in question was actually in Washita County in rural Oklahoma, but Webb thought that 'Wichita' would sing better.
At that time Webb was a songwriter rather than a recording artist, and Wichita Lineman was first recorded in 1968 by country singer Glenn Campbell on his album of the same name. Released as a single, it was a big hit in England as well as in the USA and Canada.
Composed by Jimmy Webb. Arr. Ali Orbaum
M.D. Sam Burns
Sound recording, Jimmy Tuffrey.
Camera crew, Charlie Marshall, Ben Platts, John Kavanagh
Video editing & production, Charlie Marshall.

[@MrMLD1972]

❤

[@kriki-ut6gc]

ihr sei sowas von klasse... bitte macht immer weiter!!

[@arciefan]

Beautiful!