Galveston, oh, Galveston
I still hear your sea winds blowin'
I still see her dark eyes glowin'
She was twenty-one, when I left Galveston

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

I still see her standing by the water
Standing there lookin' 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 sea birds flying in the sun
At Galveston, at Galveston


Lyrics submitted by OpinionHead

Galveston Lyrics as written by Jimmy L Webb

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Galveston song meanings
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  • +2
    General Comment

    That's funny, I always thought of this as a Civil War soldier thinking of his girl back in Galveston. Guess it works equally well in Vietnam. War is war.

    markuslaon November 10, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This is a song about war, bot about Galveston. A soldier reminisces about last seeing his girlfriend at Galveston. He is now fighting in Vietnam and fears being killed.

    chrisb1on September 24, 2005   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    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."

    RussEABrownon May 16, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    It is a time capsule in terms of the haunting way in which strings and other sweeteners were used in the 60's hits. I grew up around the Houston/Galveston area and still reside here. Galveston does not have white sands and pristine beaches that I have seen other places, but it has a history and a magic all it's own. The song even has a video that accompanied it long before MTV ever existed,that is a must see if you appreciate history.

    stixtogoon March 17, 2016   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Great song and comments, especially the first one,very informative. The only thing I'd like to add is I think he's just as worried about losing his girl as much as his life while he cleans his gun and dreams of Galveston and the life he was forced to leave behind.

    jackwinabox57on June 13, 2018   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    correct - an a very awsome song and performance

    BoyBlueon December 12, 2005   Link

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