Glen Campbell's commercial breakthrough came by way of the title track, which was the direct precursor in production terms to "Wichita Lineman," and by the same writer. The cover of
Paul Simon's "Homeward Bound" is sincere if a little perfunctory, but
Campbell's rendition of
Ernest Tubb's "Tomorrow Never Comes" is a bravura performance, rich and soulful, as well as recalling
Rodgers & Hammerstein's "You'll Never Walk Alone" as done by
Gerry & the Pacemakers. "Cold December in Your Heart" harks back to
Campbell's country-folk material, a piece of midtempo country-pop. Material like that and the similar "Back in the Race,"
Dorsey Burnette's "Hey Little One,"
Jerry Reed's "You're Young and You'll Forget," and
Bill Anderson's "Bad Seed" hold up better than more pop-focused numbers like "My Baby's Gone," though the string backings on most of these very much date them. The final number here, the touching "Love Is a Lonesome River," makes a brilliant coda.
By the Time I Get to Phoenix was reissued in August of 2001 in a newly remastered, upgraded edition, with somewhat crisper sound, as part of Capitol-Nashville's
Cornerstones series.