Wichita Lineman

Stuckfast

I've always been fascinated by this song and its deceptively complex chords that no-one on the Internet seems to be able to get right. This is a version that sounds OK to my ears:

https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/glen-campbell/wichita-lineman-chords-1193052

Can any of you theory experts explain how this chord sequence works? Does it modulate from F major in the verses to D major in the bridge and then back again? Or is it always in D, just with a lot of borrowed chords? Or is the D a red herring?

PAL

Stuckfast said:

I've always been fascinated by this song and its deceptively complex chords that no-one on the Internet seems to be able to get right. This is a version that sounds OK to my ears:

https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/glen-campbell/wichita-lineman-chords-1193052

Can any of you theory experts explain how this chord sequence works? Does it modulate from F major in the verses to D major in the bridge and then back again? Or is it always in D, just with a lot of borrowed chords? Or is the D a red herring?

Ultimate guitar is not great sorry . Watch Glen Campbell playing the song live this will give you a better idea of how it's played. 
  The problem is you could play the suggested chord and it might not sound right to your ears and the reason is it's important
  to use the correct inversion and not the open chords as they are shown ! For example Ultimate guitar show the Am7 chord which
  in it's self is correct but if you what Glen Campbell play it he plays it at the 5th fret this gives the chord a slightly different sound
  but will sound more correct the same goes for the Bbmaj7 & Fmaj7 .The harmonic sound and the voicing of the chord is 
  important for the song to sound correct. Don't forget when you listen to the song you hear an orchestra so there is a lot going on.
  You are right there are not a lot of people who do songs and  get it right !
   I teach guitar and this is something I constantly come up against. My advice is don't take any TAB or chords as gospel yes
  you can use some of it for a guide but learn to use your ears ! I think your are doing this already because something doesn't
  sound right about the song as you have it. I must admit I'm not great at the online thing and I'm sure you know how to navigate
  this website so if you want me to work it out for you mail me you email and I should have it done in a day or so ! Good luck. John.
  

Stuckfast

Yes UG is rubbish and a lot of the other versions on there are comically bad! That one seems fairly OK and at least chimes with what I hear. But the point of the question is less about what Glen plays -- I've come up with quite a nice alternate arrangement in a different tuning -- and more about how the chords fit together on a theoretical level. 

Lewy

Following with interest - Jimmy Webb certainly had something unique in the way he crafted chord progressions (Galveston and Highway Man being other firm favourites). I'd love to know if there's something other than his genius behind it!

lustycourtier

That one is pretty close. I cover it every weekend and its not far off that. 

barnstorm

Good episode of Strong Songs about it, in case you haven't heard it:

https://strongsongspodcast.com/episode/wichita-lineman-by-jimmy-webb-glen-campbell 

I enjoyed mucking about with Joe Gore's arrangement a few years ago but I don't really have it under the fingers anymore. One I should revisit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrTfUyWYIDQ

darthed1981

I want to learn this song.

Well I need to more than want to.

mart

darthed1981 said:

I want to learn this song.

Well I need to more than want to.

Have you been wanting to for a long time?

roberty

A masterclass in harmony. Up there with Bacharach imo

digitalkettle

Magical tune...I'll take a shot at it with some layman's theory then someone can kick it into shape for us ( @Brad @viz ;).

Intro

[key of F]
Fmaj7 (I) C9sus4 (V)

Verse

[still in key of F]
Bbmaj7 (IV) Fmaj7/A (I - first inversion) C9sus4 (V)
Dm (vi) Am (iii)

[key of G]
G (I) D (V)
Cadd9 (IV) G/B (I - first inversion) Gm/Bb (i - first inversion...borrowed from parallel minor to support C-B-Bb-A movement?!!)

[key of D]
D/A (I - second inversion) A7sus4 (V)

[key of F]
Bbmaj7 (IV) Csus2 (V)

Blueingreen

roberty said:

A masterclass in harmony. Up there with Bacharach imo

I don't think his body of work has the depth of Bacharach's but he has maybe half a dozen songs that hold their own in any company, and this is the pick of them. 

ricky50

Try this version - best I've heard 

roberty

Blueingreen said:

roberty said:

A masterclass in harmony. Up there with Bacharach imo

I don't think his body of work has the depth of Bacharach's but he has maybe half a dozen songs that hold their own in any company, and this is the pick of them. 

Yes agreed

Stuckfast

That's cool. Prefer this one though:

west

Stuckfast

What is it with these smooth jazz versions at a glacial tempo? I mean they're pleasant enough but they feel a bit hotel lobby music to me.

hollywoodrox

darthed1981 said:

I want to learn this song.

Well I need to more than want to.

This comment is sheer genius 

west

Stuckfast said:

What is it with these smooth jazz versions at a glacial tempo? I mean they're pleasant enough but they feel a bit hotel lobby music to me.

Big - horse  , This tune haunts me like a nomadic entity eternally searching for its sense of place and never reaching it . rather than a yee haw twangy hoe down .... x  are you not interested in its harmonic sensibilities ... x

Rocker

Guys, Wichita Lineman is a song.  A song that tells a good story.  Glenn Campbell was a fine guitar player who played lovely chords to support his singing.  IMHO that song does not 'work' when played instrumentally.

west

Sorry you are unable to hear , the melody and harmonic content in the composition that expresses  far more than the lyrical content ....

Stuckfast

Surely the beauty of the composition is that the melody and harmony work hand in hand with the lyrical content to create a perfect whole?

I do like some of the instrumental versions, I just don't get why a lot of them are so downtempo.