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TL;DR:

  • Jimmy Webb turned down the chance to work with Elvis Presley.
  • This was partially because his songs had been recorded by Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett.
  • Webb said his decision not to collaborate with Elvis was shooting himself in the foot.

Jimmy Webb was one of the most famous country music/classic rock songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s. He turned down the chance to work with Elvis Presley. Despite this, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll performed some of Webb’s songs.

Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, asked too much of Jimmy Webb

Webb is a songwriter most known for penning “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” and “MacArthur Park.” During a 2015 interview with The Yorkshire Post, he discussed losing the chance to write for Elvis. “It was certainly nothing that I did that prevented me from working with him,” Webb said. Webb said he would have worked with the “Heartbreak Hotel” singer. However, the demands of Colonel Tom Parker got in the way.

“I have bootleg recordings of Elvis doing ‘MacArthur Park’ and ‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix,'” he said. “We talked about recording together, but Colonel Tom Parker insisted on 100% of the publishing [rights].”

The songwriter later regretted not working with Elvis Presley

Webb said he didn’t want to give up the publishing rights because he was doing so well. “I was being recorded by Mr. Sinatra and Tony Bennett and Glen Campbell and I just didn’t feel that I was in a position where I had to make that kind of a sacrifice,” he said.

Webb regretted his decision. “In retrospect, I would have loved to have had a record with him, but I guess I stood on principle and it wouldn’t be the first time or the last time in life that I would cut off my nose to spite my face — I’m extremely good at that,” he opined.

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Jimmy Webb’s famous songs were sung by Glen Campbell and Donna Summer

While Webb never got to work with Elvis, his songs still took on a life of their own. “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” was recorded by Glen Campbell. Besides “Rhinestone Cowboy,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” is probably his most famous song. “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” is also one f the most famous and tragic songs in the history of country music.

“MacArthur Park” also became huge. First, Irish singer Richard Harris made it famous with his folk-rock rendition of the tune. Later, Donna Summer released a cover of the track that starts out as a ballad before transitioning into an upbeat disco track. Her “MacArthur Park” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, staying on the chart for 20 weeks in total. That cover appeared on the album Live and More, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a single week, staying on the chart for 75 weeks in total.

Webb lost his chance to write for the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll but he still had a big impact on music.

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