''Gentle on My Mind'' is the sixth album by American singer-guitarist

Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting '' The Glen Campbell Good ...

, released in 1967 by Capitol Records.

Background

The centerpiece of the album is "

Gentle on My Mind "Gentle on My Mind" is a song that was written and originally recorded by John Hartford, and released on his second studio album, '' Earthwords & Music'' (1967). Hartford composed the song after watching ''Doctor Zhivago'' in 1966, as he was i ...

". Campbell heard songwriter

John Hartford John Cowan Hartford (December 30, 1937 – June 4, 2001) was an American folk, country, and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics, unique vocal style, and extensive kn ...

's original version on the radio and fell in love with this song about memories of a lost love. At the time, Campbell was under contract with Capitol Records as a solo artist but had little success in establishing a name for himself in the public eye. Campbell gathered some of his fellow session players from the famous " Wrecking Crew" gang (which included Leon Russell credited as Russell Bridges) to come into the Capitol studio to record a demo version that he could pitch to his producer. Between phrases and stanzas, Campbell yelled instructions to the players. He then left the rough recording for his producer to listen to. His producer fell in love, not only with the song but with the recording itself. Without telling Campbell, he took the tape back into the studio and removed the unwanted verbiage from between the phrases. He then released the demo recording, which became a mega-hit for Campbell when it was released. Hartford’s inspiration for the song came from watching the film ''

Dr. Zhivago ''Doctor Zhivago'' is the title of a novel by Boris Pasternak and its various adaptations. Description The story, in all of its forms, describes the life of the fictional Russian physician and poet Yuri Zhivago Yuri Andreievich Zhivago is the ...

''. He would later remember, "I know watching the movie gave me a feeling that caused me to start writing, but as far as saying it came from that, I don't know. It just came from experience. While I was writing it, if I had any idea that it was going to be a hit, it probably would have come out differently and it wouldn't have been a hit. The song came real fast, in about 15 minutes. It was a blaze, a blur."

Track listing

Side 1 # "

" (

) – 2:56 # "

Catch the Wind "Catch the Wind" is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. Pye Records released "Catch the Wind" backed with "Why Do You Treat Me Like You Do?" as Donovan's debut release (Pye 7N.15801) in the United Kingdom on 28 ...

" ( Donovan Phillips Leitch) – 2:15 # " It's Over" (

Jimmie Rodgers James Charles Rodgers (September 8, 1897 – May 26, 1933) was an American singer-songwriter and musician who rose to popularity in the late 1920s. Widely regarded as "the Father of Country Music", he is best known for his distinctive rhythmi ...

) – 2:01 # "

Bowling Green A bowling green is a finely laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of turf for playing the game of bowls. Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding of Thrupp, near Stroud, UK, invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep ...

" (Terry Slater, Jackie Ertel) – 2:18 # "Just Another Man" (Glen Campbell, Joe Allison) – 2:10 # "

You're My World "You're My World" is a ballad originally recorded in 1963 as "Il mio mondo" ("My World") by Umberto Bindi, who co-wrote the Italian version with Gino Paoli. Subsequently, an English version was commissioned, and the lyrics were written by Carl S ...

" (

Umberto Bindi Umberto Bindi (12 May 1932 – 23 May 2002) was an Italian singer-songwriter. He is especially known for the popular song he co-wrote with Gino Paoli, ''Il Mio Mondo'' (" You're My World"), which he recorded in Italian in 1963. It was later perfo ...

, Carl Sigman, Gino Paoli) – 2:33 Side 2 # "The World I Used to Know " ( Rod McKuen) – 2:23 # "Without Her" (

Harry Nilsson Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994), sometimes credited as Nilsson, was an American singer-songwriter who reached the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. His work is characterized by pioneering vocal ov ...

) – 2:13 # "

Mary in the Morning "Mary in the Morning" is a song written by American songwriter and record producer Michael Rashkow and singer Johnny Cymbal. Background It describes a man's intense love for his wife and how he looks forward to a lifetime with her. Recordings ...

" ( Michael Lendell,

Johnny Cymbal Johnny Cymbal (born John Hendry Blair; February 3, 1945 – March 16, 1993) was a Scottish-born American songwriter, singer and record producer who had numerous hit records, including his signature song, "Mr. Bass Man". Overview During a 33-ye ...

) – 3:01 # "Love Me As Though There Were No Tomorrow" (

Jimmy McHugh James Francis McHugh (July 10, 1894 – May 23, 1969) was an American composer. One of the most prolific songwriters from the 1920s to the 1950s, he is credited with over 500 songs. His songs were recorded by many artists, including Chet Baker, Ju ...

Harold Adamson Harold Campbell Adamson (December 10, 1906 – August 17, 1980) was an American lyricist during the 1930s and 1940s. Early life Adamson, the son of building contractor Harold Adamson and Marion "Minnie" Campbell Adamson, was born and raised in ...

) – 2:39 # "

Cryin' "Cryin'" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Taylor Rhodes. It was released by Geffen Records on June 20, 1993, as a single from their 11th studio album, ''Get a Grip''. The single rea ...

" (

Joe Melson Joe Melson (born May 1935) is an American singer and a BMI Award-winning songwriter. Life and career Joe Melson was born in Bonham, Fannin County, Texas, United States. He was reared on a farm until he was sixteen. He attended high school in ...

, Roy Orbison) – 2:51

Personnel

Music * Glen Campbell – vocals, acoustic guitar *

James Burton James Edward Burton (born August 21, 1939, in Dubberly, Louisiana) is an American guitarist. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001 (his induction speech was given by longtime fan Keith Richards), Burton has also been recognized ...

– acoustic guitar,

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...

Doug Dillard Douglas Flint Dillard (March 6, 1937 – May 16, 2012) was an American musician noted for his banjo proficiency and his pioneering participation in late-60s country rock. Biography Early life Dillard, who grew up on a farm near Salem, Missouri, ...

– banjo * Joe Osborn –

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

* Jim Gordon – drums * Leon Russell (listed as Russell Bridges) – piano Production *

Al De Lory Alfred V. De Lory (January 31, 1930 – February 5, 2012) was an American record producer, arranger, conductor and session musician. He was the producer and arranger of a series of worldwide hits by Glen Campbell in the 1960s, including John H ...

– producer, arranger, conductor * Leon Russell – arranger, conductor

Charts

Album – Billboard (United States) Singles – Billboard (United States)

Awards

In 1967, Campbell won two Grammy Awards in the categories Best Country & Western Recording and Best Country & Western Solo Vocal Performance, Male for "

". In 2008, "

" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

References

{{Authority control Glen Campbell albums 1967 albums Capitol Records albums Albums conducted by Leon Russell Albums arranged by Leon Russell Albums recorded at Capitol Studios