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The Story Behind the Song Bob Dylan Once Called the \u2018Greatest Ever Written\u2019<\/a> originally appeared on Parade<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n Bob Dylan<\/a><\/strong> has called \u201cWichita Lineman,\u201d<\/a> the 1968 song written by Jimmy Webb<\/a><\/strong> and recorded by his frequent collaborator Glen Campbell<\/a><\/strong>, the \u201cgreatest song ever written.\u201d<\/p>\n The song is enjoying renewed interest<\/a> after music publisher Primary Wave posted a clip of Campbell performing the classic on TikTok<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfac <\/strong>SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\udfac\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n In an interview for The Billboard Book of Number One Albums<\/a>, Campbell told me about the origins of the song. The singer-songwriter and former session guitarist had previously scored his first top 30 hit with his recording of another Webb-penned classic, \u201cBy the Time I Get to Phoenix.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n It was during a visit from Webb to Campbell\u2019s Hollywood hills home that he first heard the song about a telephone company worker, not a football player. \u201cHe played it for me on this big organ that looked like the organ at the Crystal Cathedral, and it just blew me away,\u201d Campbell said.<\/p>\n However, when Campbell first attempted to record the song at Capitol Records Studio A in Hollywood, it didn\u2019t sound quite right. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t get the sound we wanted for the record, so we ended up carting that organ down to the studio and we had Jimmy play on it,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n Related: Legendary Singer-Songwriter, 78, Plays What Bob Dylan Called the ‘Best Song Ever Written’ in ‘Brilliant’ New Video<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWichita Lineman\u201d ended up being the title track on Campbell\u2019s 11th studio album. And even before Dylan started praising the song, Campbell\u2019s label was raving about the album on the hype sticker on its cover with the words \u201cProbably one of the best albums you\u2019ve ever heard\u2026 Probably the best album he\u2019s ever made\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Although the single of \u201cWichita Lineman\u201d stalled at No. 3 on the Hot 100, it topped the Country Songs and Adult Contemporary Songs charts. More importantly, it propelled the album of the same name to the top of the album chart in its sixth week, becoming Campbell\u2019s first and only number one album.<\/p>\n The Story Behind the Song Bob Dylan Once Called the \u2018Greatest Ever Written\u2019<\/a> first appeared on Parade on Aug 5, 2025<\/p>\n This story was originally reported by Parade<\/a> on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n