How will Jimmy Webb be remembered?

Webb is revered in Japan. In time, I believe he will be rediscovered by the mainstream in the US as one of the 20th century's best pop music composers.

I recently got on a Webb jones and wanted to find some guitar tabs. Surprisingly, there is not a single Jimmy Webb sheet music anthology that's in print.

 

Try the Michael Feinstein songbook "Only One life" - only JW songs, inside arranged par piano/voice/guitar

Re: OOP collections - there used to be many sheet music collections of his work : http://www.jimmywebb.com/cgi-bin/webforum/viewmessage.cgi?r=1577053&l=level2 -, try abebooks (or biblio.com etc..) - that's where I purchased "The Genius Of Jimmy Webb" published by Hansen in the late 60's...

 

He is a wonderful composer that will probably remembered as someone who wrote hits for other people.

 

I've been I guess what you might call fascinated with the song Up, Up, and Away since hearing it in my youth. It seems to me like he's using variations on chords in that song that you never hear in other pop songs. I've seen the tablature and the ones they have never really represent the song properly. It has an aura unlike any other, yeah I know the lyrics are corny for lack of a better word but it's the music that is exceptional. I always imagine he wrote it on some pretty good acid or something like that.

 

I can't recall a time when I didn't love his music - even when I didn't know who he was!

I'd like to think his place in songwriting history is secure: he virtually invented the genre of hip/subversive easy listening and his 'purple patch' in the late sixties threw out so many great songs.

That said, he may go down as an under-achiever: it's easy to forget that, round about 1968/69, there seemed like nothing he couldn't do. Grammies were being thrown at him, Sinatra wanted him to write an album (never happened), a Broadway music was mooted (ditto) and the phrase 'one--man Beatles' was casually bandied about. Impossible expectations to live up to, maybe.....and while his work remained strong, possibly even improved, in the seventies, he was never as visible. In recent years, his albums have focused on re-covering his back catalogue: superbly, but what we really need is new stuff...

His voice wasn't immediately appealing, though it does grow on you, and he's probably a better singer now than at any time before.

 

What is the best source for his songs and artists who have recorded them?

 

From the Glen Campbell Album thread: Hep Alien
Here is a (hopefully) comprehensive list of Jimmy Webb (with one exception, sister Susan wrote one) songs recorded in the studio (with two live exceptions due to no released studio recordings) by Glen Campbell. If one has all these songs, this could make a nice double disc/digital music playlist for the next road trip.
Jimmy Webb songs sung by Glen Campbell (chronologically, listed by recording date/album & release date):
42 songs time: 136:14

1. By the Time I Get to Phoenix 2:42 (8/17, 29, 31/67), By The Time I Get To Phoenix, Capitol 2851, 11/27/67
2. Wichita Lineman 3:05 (5/68, 8/14/68), Wichita Lineman, Capitol 103, 11/04/68
3. Galveston 2:39 (11/27/68, 1/9/69), Galveston, Capitol 210, 3/17/69
4. Where's the Playground Susie 2:55 (11/27/68, 1/9/69), Galveston, Capitol 210, 3/17/69
5. Didn’t We (live) 3:36 (7/4-5/69), Live In New Jersey, Capitol 268, 8/27/69
6. Honey Come Back 3:00 (11/24/69, 12/1, 9/69), Try A Little Kindness, Capitol 389, 1/14/70
7. Just Another Piece of Paper 2:09 (2/17/70, 3/3/70), The Goodtime Album, Capitol 493, 9/70
8. MacArthur Park 4:47 (7/8/70), The Goodtime Album, Capitol 493, 9/70
9. Wishing Now 3:12 (12/14, 20/73), Reunion, Capitol 11336, 10/15/74
10. About the Ocean (Susan Webb) 2:57 (12/14, 20/73), Reunion, Capitol 11336, 10/15/74
11. Ocean in His Eyes 3:25 (12/15, 20/73), Reunion, Capitol 11336, 10/15/74
12. It's a Sin (When You Love Somebody) 2:24 (12/15, 20/73), Reunion, Capitol 11336, 10/15/74
13. Adoration 3:14 (3/4/74), Reunion, Capitol 11336, 10/15/74
14. Just This One Time 3:42 (3/15/74), Reunion, Capitol 11336, 10/15/74
15. You Might as Well Smile 3:31 (4/1/74), Reunion, Capitol 11336, 10/15/74
16. I Keep It Hid 3:24 (6/18/74), Reunion, Capitol 11336, 10/15/74
17. The Moon's a Harsh Mistress 3:04 (7/2/74), Reunion, Capitol 11336, 10/15/74
18. Christiaan No 2:34 (1/26/76), Bloodline, Capitol 11516, 4/15/76
19. This is Sarah’s Song 2:34 (10/1, 4, 6, 13/77), Southern Nights, Capitol 11601, 2/15/77
20. Early Morning Song 3:30 (10/1, 4, 6, 13/77), Southern Nights, Capitol 11601, 2/15/77
21. (Let My Life Be Your) Love Song 3:15 (2/22/78), Highwayman, Capitol 12008, 10/15/79
22. Highwayman 3:01 (2/24/78), Highwayman, Capitol 12008, 10/15/79
23. In Cars 3:05 (7/29/80), It’s The World Gone Crazy, Capitol 12124, 1/15/81
24. I Was Too Busy Loving You 3:08 (Summer 1982), Old Home Town, Atlantic 90016, 10/06/82
25. Before There Could Be Me 2:17 (Spring 1985), No More Night, Word/A&M 8293, 8/14/85
26. Cowboy Hall of Fame 2:33 (circa 12/85), It’s Just A Matter Of Time, Atlantic 90483, 11/06/85
27. Do What You Gotta Do 3:44 (circa 12/85), It’s Just A Matter Of Time, Atlantic 90483, 11/06/85
28. Shattered 3:30 (circa 12/85), It’s Just A Matter Of Time, Atlantic 90483, 11/06/85
29. Still Within the Sound of My Voice 4:08 (circa 3/87), Still Within The Sound Of My Voice, MCA 42009, 8/87
30. For Sure, For Certain, Forever, For Always 3:16 (circa 3/87), Still Within The Sound Of My Voice, MCA 42009, 8/87
31. Lightning in a Bottle 4:03 (circa 5/88), Light Years, MCA 42210, 8/88
32. If These Walls Could Speak 2:58 (circa 5/88), Light Years, MCA 42210, 8/88
33. More Than Enough 2:53 (circa 5/88), Light Years, MCA 42210, 8/88
34. Brand New Eyes 2:29 (circa 5/88), Light Years, MCA 42210, 8/88
35. Light Years 3:47 (circa 5/88), Light Years, MCA 42210, 8/88
36. Almost Alright Again 3:27 (circa 5/88), Light Years, MCA 42210, 8/88
37. Saturday Night 2:32 (circa 5/88), Light Years, MCA 42210, 8/88
38. Our Movie 3:33 (circa 5/88), Light Years, MCA 42210, 8/88
39. Sunshower (live) 2:49 (12/88), In Session, Fantasy 34070, 9/25/12
40. Where Am I Going 4:09 (circa 1991), Show Me Your Way, New Heaven Records 20011-2, 7/2/91
41. The Four Horsemen 5:05 (circa 1991), Show Me Your Way, New Heaven Records 20011-2, 7/2/91
42. Only One Life 4:08 (circa 1992), Wings Of Victory, New Heaven Records 20021-2, 1992

UNISSUED Jimmy Webb songs sung by Glen Campbell: (chronologically by recording date):
Didn`t We, 6/10/69, 9/16/69, 4/28/71, Matrix #70544, Try A Little Kindness outtake?
Clowns Exit Laughing, 5/31/69, 12/7/72, Matrix #72364, Try A Little Kindness/I Knew Jesus outtake?
Beth, 2/17/70, 5/11/70, Matrix #73997, The Goodtime Album outtake?
Evie, 12/23/70, Matrix #76025, The Last Time I Saw Her outtake?
Crying in My Sleep, 3/15/74, Matrix #91168, Reunion outtake?
All I Know, 4/1/74 Matrix #91245, Reunion outtake?

The above does not take into account the following:
1) released non-exclusive live recordings of Jimmy Webb songs, some of which were conducted by Mr. Webb (there are a handful of the latter, but a whole bunch of the former)
2) the rest of the In Session album, for a similar reason to #1
3) released studio recordings of non-Jimmy Webb songs that were produced by Mr. Webb (there are a handful of these)

 

I misread this as "someone who wrote hits for older people" and thought "yeah, that kind of nails it." He wrote grandiose soft rock for people who came of age before the Beatles, and to the extent that he's remembered it'll be as a songwriter intimately connected to the 1967-1974 timeframe who never really transcended it, through his close connection to Glen Campbell, and perhaps as the one to ultimately credit/hold responsible for "MacArthur Park." I don't know if he's had much impact or influence beyond a handful of aficionados, but I expect someone will make the counterargument with examples...

 

One of my favorite lesser known Jimmy Webb songs, "Rosecrans Boulevard", performed by Johnny Rivers on his album Rewind, which included 7 songs by the then almost unknown composer:

 

You beat me to it HarborRat, the Johnny Rivers LP "Rewind" is one of my go to albums for great versionsof Jimmy Webb songs. One of my faves on Rewind ,
" The Eleventh Song" actually doesn't feature Rivers but his backup singers the Blossoms:

 

saw him earlier this year---certainly a great songwriter---no question---live he was a great storyteller but i found him to be a bit bombastic/over the top behind the piano as he performed some of these songs---don't get me wrong, i am definitely glad i went, but there was an air of "hey, i'm jimmy webb" about him---i mean, he is but.....

 

My wife and I saw Jimmy earlier this year. It was an excellent show. He really connected with the audience. He talked at length about working with Richard Harris, but he never mentioned the obvious song title, nor did he perform that song. Maybe it's just as well.

 

I have a few of Jimmy Webb's 70s albums (including Letters which is my personal favourite) but bought Ten Easy Pieces + 4 this after reading through this thread and seeing the recommendations.
And I couldn't agree more. What a fantastic album - thank you.

 

I really dig a lot of his stuff... I just think "Wichita Lineman" is sublime, and really like "Galveston" and "Phoenix." I'll even cop to "MacArthur Park."

Heard "Honey Come Back" by Glen Campbell on a 1970 countdown on SXM the other day and thought it was not as good.