Glen Campbell passed away this week after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for the last few years. He leaves behind a collection of brilliant country songs and one of my favorite tracks of all time Wichita Lineman.

There are songs that resonate with you at particular points in your life and in the future bring those memories back with vivid detail, Wichita Lineman is a perfect example. One perfect moment where it correlated with me traveling back from visiting Glamorgan university for a taster day when I was 18 years old. My mini disc player had run out of batteries and so I plugged my headphones into the virgin trains seat and on comes Wichata Lineman to accompany me as the train wound its way over the lush greenery of South Wales on a clear day as the sun hung low in the sky.

Listening back to this song takes me to this place and time in my life. A moment when everything was ahead of me. Multiple paths leading to the horizon with both the luxury and fear of the choice to pick which one to walk down. At that moment alone on the train with a Whichita Lineman playing in my ears I came to the realisation that things were changing, I was growing up and yet it was all going to be all right. Feelings I will always associate with this song for the rest of my life and with that Glen Campbell will stay with me long after his passing. A true representation as to the power of music at its best.

Spotify:

TOTW Playlist: