Celebrity Jukebox #102: Glen Campbell

As I mentioned a week or so ago, to celebrate the one hundredth edition of Celebrity Jukebox, I chose one of my favourite artists. But then we lost Sinéad O'Connor, and my plans were thrown out of the window.

Now though, I return to the man who gave voice to my Number One song, Jimmy Webb's amazing...

I won't say anymore about that tune today, but here's a post I wrote about it some years back. I will, however, share with you my review of the time I saw him live, on his farewell tour back in 2011 (this taken from my old blog, Sunset Over Slawit)...

It's long been my dream to see my all time favourite song performed live by the singer who made it famous. Friday at the Salford Lowry was my last chance to make that dream a reality. Unlike many "Farewell Tours" where you suspect the artist may well be "quitting" only to sell more tickets (before next year's inevitable "reunion tour"), Glen Campbell really will be hanging up his mike and guitar once this tour is done. You may have read how the 75 year-old star, famous in his younger days for his baby-faced looks and country choirboy vocals, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's late last year. His return to the road is seen by many as not just a farewell to fans but also a brave effort to publicise a disease which celebrities rarely make public.

It's clear when Campbell takes to the stage that this is not a man in the prime of health. Although joyful and enthusiastic, he does at times appear confused and his legendary guitar playing is no longer at its flawless best. Fortunately he's supported by a band that includes three of his kids: Cal, Ashley and Shannon who help keep him focused throughout the show. And what a show... all the hits that made him famous (many composed by the divine Jimmy Webb), topped off by a showstopping, standing ovation double bill of Wichita Lineman and Rhinestone Cowboy. It was impossible not to be moved to tears by the former, a song that's meant so much to me for so many years and now sounds more bittersweet than ever.

Glen died 6 years later, but he's a mainstay on my jukebox, and the Celebrity Jukebox honours him today with these choice tunes...

Every time I hear Glen Campbell, I think about you
And in that moment I can always find
"Southern Nights" coming up the hallway
And I’m home again in such a simpler time
Back when the world was ever "Gentle On My Mind"

Pat Green - Echo

Now some days I feel like an engagement ring
Resting on the ocean floor
Yet others just like that same Glen Campbell record
Found in every second hand store

Darren Hanlon - Scenes From a Separation

Here's a song about a young man who plays a Yamaha guitar in the Slee Cowboy Orchestra and knows all the lyrics to Glen's biggest hits... in French, I bet...

C'était un garçon des cantons
Avec son étui plein d'chansons
On pouvait l'voir tous les samedis
Avec l'orchestre de cowboys Slee
Y avait une guitare Yamaha
Et un habit aux opéras
Y connaissait toutes les paroles
Des dernières tounes de Glen Campbell

Daniel Lavoie - Garçon des Cantons

When he got out of prison, country music outlaw David Allan Coe lived in a red Cadillac hearse parked in front of the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. He was clearly more of a badass than Glen Campbell, and I'm sure Glen would have agreed.

I've always been the Rhinestone Cowboy
I don't care what Glen Campbell has to say

David Allan Coe - Ride 'Em Cowboy

James Reyne is quite a big deal down under, first as lead singer of Australian Crawl, then as as successful solo artist. Glen's influence travels far and wide...

Couldn't tell if I was dreaming
When I woke before the dawn
Thought I heard Glen Campbell screaming
Where have all the flowers gone?

James Reyne - Reno

Canadian pop punks Chixdiggit win the prize for Band Name of the Week...

I can't be with you tonight, it ain't right 
Got home, one message for me, our song was on the machine 
Now I got a song in my head, a mix of Glen Campbell and Queen

Chixdiggit - Going to the Peelers?

Jeremy Warmsley is from London. He's in the band Summer Camp, writes soundtrack music, and releases his own stuff. This is a pretty perfect 60's pastiche...

You swore that you would never tour again
Just stay home in bed and write the songs
Glen Campbell sat in and sang the high parts
While the interband relationships fell apart

Jeremy Warmsley - On Top Of The World

Laine started out as a karaoke singer. He enjoyed singing country tunes so much, he started his own band...

I've got a pretty boy and big old void
Karaoke could not fill
And singing southern nights under neon lights
Makes me feel like Glen Campbell

Laine & The Laters - Been Country

Almost at the end now, here's a Saint Etienne out-take featuring Stephen Duffy on storytelling duties...

Glen Campbell was on the radio singing about cleaning his gun

And dreaming of Galveston

"What's this?" she said

"It's Hall and Oates or nothing for me."

Saint Etienne - Fake '88

At last... a titular mention!

Bawl - Glen Campbell Nights

Definitely the most famous song to mention Glen - and arguably the best - comes from the legendary Gil Scott Heron. It's a cursory mention in a list of performers who are symptomatic of the "white-washing" of US TV in the 70s, so hardly a tribute to Glen... but always worth a spin.

Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

All of which brings us to these guys. Back in 1980, Melody Maker called Any Trouble "the most exciting new rock 'n' roll group since the Pretenders". They signed to Stiff, then EMI... but never broke the big time. They reformed in 2007 and released two new albums. This track comes from their 2015 album Present Tense. I wonder if it was in response to Glen releasing a song coincidentally named after their band on his final album in 2011...?