Galveston (song)


"Galveston" is a song written by Jimmy Webb and popularized by American country music singer Glen Campbell who recorded it with the instrumental backing of members of The Wrecking Crew. In 2003, this song ranked number 8 in CMT's 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music. Campbell's version of the song also went to number 1 on the country music charts. On other charts, "Galveston" went to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the "Easy Listening" charts. It was certified gold by the RIAA in October 1969.
The song is considered by many to be the unofficial anthem of both Galveston Island and the City of Galveston, Texas.

Background and writing

The protagonist is a soldier waiting to go into battle who thinks of the woman he loves and his hometown of Galveston, Texas. The song was first released in 1968 by a mournful-sounding Don Ho, who introduced Glen Campbell to it when Ho appeared as a guest on The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. Campbell's recording of the song, released in early 1969, was perceived by many as being a Vietnam War protest song, but Campbell performed it up-tempo. In his original promo video, Campbell was dressed as a soldier in a military-style outfit. Webb has challenged the implication of Campbell's version that it was in any way "a patriotic song". According to Webb, the song is "about a guy who's caught up in something he doesn't understand and would rather be somewhere else".
In Ho's recording, the second verse was:

However, in both Campbell's version and in Webb’s own 1972 release, this verse was:

Other Cover Versions

Within a year of Campbell's hit version, Rolling Stone states, "recordings of “Galveston” had sold six million copies, having been cut by 27 different artists, from fellow country star Faron Young to jazz great Dizzy Gillespie."

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts