O.C.'s Lineman
:: O.C. Smith - Wichita Lineman ::
From time to time, we’ve managed to dredge up a couple of versions of Jimmy Webb’s mellifluous masterpiece concerning the tale of a lonesome telephone-wire tinkerer, and it’s high time we popped another one up on these pages. O.C. Smith wraps up his take in a smooth, soulful swagger that’s absolutely triumphant. Bonus points are in order for the high-pitched tone and the (more “Morse-y” than most other version’s) Morse Code sounds that keep us grounded in the song’s subject matter. It may not give as many chills as the definitive Glen Campbell version, but it’s one of the finest interpretations I’ve come across.
Phil
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on Friday, May 04, 2007 at 5:14 AM.
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Tuesday, May 08, 2007 2:01:00 AMHaving only recently stumbled across Don Ho's rendition of "Galveston", this post is something of a welcome surprise. "Wichita Lineman" is a hard one to cover - i can never decide whether i prefer Jimmy Webb's own version from "Ten Easy Pieces" to Glen Campbell's - but O.C. Smith does a great job here, kind of reminiscent of the "Elvis in Memphis" sessions and a brave choice for the Louisiana soul man.
Not as much a redefinition of a Jim Webb classic, maybe, as Nick Cave's deathly weary "By the Time I get to Phoenix", but definitely something to make white truck driver's pull onto the hard shoulder. Nice one.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007 11:58:00 AM
Before this, the only version of this song I'd ever heard was Urge Overkill's. I'm not sure whether to be embarrassed or not. It's terrific, by the way. The Urge one, I mean. OC's is good too.
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