“Galveston” (Glen Campbell)

Today’s classic Jimmy Webb song of the day is another collaboration with singer Glen Campbell. “Galveston” was released as a single in February of 1969 and went all the way to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart, and #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. As with many Jimmy Webb/Glen Campbell collaborations, it’s become a timeless classic.

“Galveston” is one of the most subtle and lyrical anti-war songs ever written. Jimmy Webb’s lyrics are subtly powerful—so much so that many listeners at the time didn’t realize it was a protest song. It’s one of Jimmy’s best, and Glen’s, too.

Songwriter Jimmy Webb has a powerful talent for making the universal personal. In “Galveston,” he writes about war from the standpoint of a single soldier, thousands of miles away from home, afraid and lonely and missing the love of his life. As Jimmy himself put it, the song is “about a guy who’s caught up in something he doesn’t understand and would rather be somewhere else.” It’s all about how the young man feels, and that reflects on the experience of war itself:

Galveston, oh Galveston, I am so afraid of dying
Before I dry the tears she’s crying
Before I watch your sea birds flying in the sun
At Galveston, at Galveston

Few people know that Hawaiian singer Don Ho made the first recording of “Galveston” (in 1968) and then introduced the song to Glen Campbell when he appeared on Glen’s television show, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. The Don Ho version is interesting, not the least for the different lyrics throughout—particularly the entire second verse:

Galveston, oh Galveston
Wonder if she could forget me
I’d go home if they would let me
Put down this gun
And go to Galveston

Frankly, I like the Glen Campbell-version lyrics much better, although maybe it’s just because I’m more familiar with them:

Galveston, oh Galveston
I still hear your sea waves crashing
While I watch the cannons flashing
I clean my gun
And dream of Galveston

Glen Campbell’s version, of course, is the one that we all remember. Glen was backed on his recording by members of the legendary Wrecking Crew, including Leon Russell on keyboards, Joe Osborn on bass, and Hal Blaine on drums. Al De Lory produced and arranged, and Glen played the guitar parts.

Jimmy Webb always envisioned “Galveston” at a much slower tempo, but he got used to Glen’s interpretation. (The royalty checks it brought in helped, no doubt.) As proof of the songwriter’s original intent, here’s a version that Jimmy recorded on his 1996 solo album, Ten Easy Pieces. This version really makes you feel the protagonist’s loss and despair at being so far away from home and the woman he loves.

And here’s your daily bonus video of the day, a nascent music video (they called them “promotional films” back then) for Glen Campbell’s “Galveston.” Watching this one really takes you back.