topic Any oldsters remeber the song "galveston"? in Community Chat

Any oldsters remeber the song "galveston"?

Group 5 minus 1 — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 15:07:36 GMT

We were talking about the Vietnam War and remembered how CBS pulled the "war" videos when Glenn Campbell wanted to show them when he sang that song. How could anyone doubt that it was about the war? Daddy was on the draft board during that war and I believe it contributed to his disease. The stress was awful.

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

Lucibee — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 15:18:42 GMT

The song debuted in 1969 and was written by Jimmy Webb. It was meant to be an anti-war protest but Glen Campbell sang the song in a more conventional way. Jimmy Webb did not appreciate Campbell's interpretation. I'm sorry about your dad.

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

Lucibee — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 15:19:18 GMT

Oldster?

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

Suziepeach — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 15:29:06 GMT

Oldster?

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

esmeraldagooch — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 15:30:20 GMT

Thanks for this post, I guess I never thought of that song like that.

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

wildcat fan — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 15:40:27 GMT

According to songfacts.com Webb wrote the song with the Spanish-American War in mind.

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

qualitygal — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 15:40:47 GMT

O L D S T E R ? I resemble that remark!

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

Marmalade_1 — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 15:42:42 GMT

And here I thought it was actually about Galveston.

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

birkin baby — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 16:54:43 GMT

On 2/22/2015 qualitygal said:
O L D S T E R ? I resemble that remark!

hahahaha

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

Preds — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 17:01:24 GMT

On 2/22/2015 qualitygal said:
O L D S T E R ? I resemble that remark!

Me, too! But I thought it was Middle Aged. Galveston oh Galveston, I can hear old age a callin'.

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

Vamp — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 17:25:34 GMT

On 2/22/2015 Preds said:
On 2/22/2015 qualitygal said:
O L D S T E R ? I resemble that remark!

Me, too! But I thought it was Middle Aged. Galveston oh Galveston, I can hear old age a callin'.

Preds!

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

Cakers1 — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 17:33:31 GMT

Ack! Serious ear worm now.

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

colliegirls — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 17:50:17 GMT

On 2/22/2015 Marmalade said:
And here I thought it was actually about Galveston.

Me too!!

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

ivanatrump — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 17:50:44 GMT

On 2/22/2015 colliegirls said:
On 2/22/2015 Marmalade said:
And here I thought it was actually about Galveston.

Me too!!

So did I.

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

MathisFan — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 18:32:46 GMT

My favorite Glen Campbell song. I was a senior in high school when that song came out. I always associated it with Vietnam. Breaks my heart every time I hear it.

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

Suziepeach — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 18:36:29 GMT

Galveston oh Galveston
I still hear your seawinds blowing
I still see her dark eyes glowing
She was 21 when I left Galveston

Galveston oh Galveston
I still hear your seawaves crashing
While I watch the cannon's flashing
I clean my gun and dream of Galveston

I still see her standing by the water
Standing there looking out to sea
And is she waiting there for me
On the beach where we used to run

Galveston oh Galveston
I am so afraid of dying
Before I dry the tears she's crying
Before I watch your seabirds flying in the sun
At Galveston at Galveston

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

Suziepeach — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 18:39:20 GMT

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

Free2be — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 18:40:08 GMT

From songfacts.com -

This was written by songwriter Jimmy Webb, who also wrote Campbell's hits "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" and "Wichita Lineman." Webb also wrote "MacArthur Park," which was a hit for both Richard Harris and Donna Summer, and "Up-Up and Away," which was recorded by The 5th Dimension.

When we spoke with Jimmy Webb in 2011, he said: "Glen was very, very good at commercializing my songs. He could come up with great intros and great solos, great breaks, and he wrote perfect strings, because he wrote very little. It was a minimalist approach and it just left Glen out there with the song and the guitar. I tended to write a little bit more as an arranger, and probably too much. So I could have done better to have stayed out of Glen's way, I think."

Galveston is a city on the coast of Texas that attracts lots of hurricanes. Webb was on a beach in Galveston when he wrote this. He made up the story about a soldier in the Spanish-American war and the girl he left behind. Most songwriters never find themselves in places like Galveston or Wichita, but Webb found inspiration in the people he encountered in these places.

The Vietnam War was going on when Campbell released this. It was considered an antiwar song.
This made the CMT Top Ten list of all-time great country music songs. (thanks, Charles - Charlotte, NC)
Little Richard, who speaks his mind and doesn't hand out praise lightly, said of this song: "When Glen Campbell says one word 'Galveston' - it shakes me up. It takes me, man, that's the whole soul of it right there."

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

Free2be — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 18:47:10 GMT

I get what Little Richard was feeling at the hearing of that one word. I think of those lost and returned then and now, the lives affected and all those since right up to today.

Read Maureen Dowd's NY Times column, tremble and weep.

Re: Any oldsters remeber the song ""galveston""?

tansy — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 18:49:58 GMT

On 2/22/2015 Free2be said:
I get what Little Richard was feeling at the hearing of that one word. I think of those lost and returned then and now, the lives affected and all those since right up to today.

Read Maureen Dowd's NY Times column, tremble and weep.

I saw her column this morning:/