On the Charts 57 Years Ago, Glen Campbell Replaced Himself at No. 1 With a Classic Album Buoyed by a Jimmy Webb-Penned Title Track

Selling more than 45 million records and racking up nine No. 1 hits, Glen Campbell combined his vocal and guitar skills with a winning, geographic-based formula. His 1967 album By the Time I Get to Phoenix made history as the first country record to win a Grammy for Album of the Year. Campbell released Wichita Lineman the following year, which also topped the country album chart and spawned a major crossover hit in the title track. And on this day (April 27) in 1969, the Arkansas native resumed his spot at No. 1 with his 12th studio album, Galveston—which replaced none other than Wichita Lineman in the top spot.

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Named for the Texas island city nestled on the Gulf of Mexico, Galveston marked Glenn Campbell’s seventh No. 1 country album in 14 months. Astonishingly, six of those came in 1968 alone.

In addition to spending 11 weeks at the pinnacle of the country albums chart, Galveston made an incredible run on the pop chart as well. It climbed to No. 2, but could never quite overcome the original score for the 1967 rock musical Hair.

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“Galveston, Oh Galveston”

Like its predecessor Wichita Lineman, Galveston was also buoyed by its Jimmy Webb-penned title track.

The Oklahoma City native frequently visited the beachside resort town with his Baptist minister father as a child. Its waterfront location made for a haunting backdrop to Webb’s tale of a U.S. solider preparing to head into battle: Galveston, oh Galveston / I still hear your sea waves crashing / While I watch the cannons flashing.

Topping the country music charts, “Galveston” also made its way to No. 4 on the all-genre Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart.

Webb also wrote the album’s follow-up single, “Where’s the Playground Susie”, which rose to No. 26 on the Hot 100 and No. 28 on the country singles chart.

Galveston would mark Glen Campbell’s final No. 1 album for nearly a decade, until Rhinestone Cowboy restored him to his former glory in 1975.

Featured image by CBS via Getty Images