Glen Campbell Forums

I think this is correct now. Sorry guys.

I guess it shows these guys are VERSE-atile.
I can't imagine Glen would change a whole verse without reference to Jimmy, so they must have talked about it and asked him to modify it for Glen to record.
I have noticed though that Glen sometimes sings different lyrics to some some songs.
Here is an example I remember from the Music Show " Ocean in his eyes"
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=[/youtube] I hope I have done this correctly this time.

I never thought of that, that Don Ho's version hints at deserting. The small changes like see/watch are typical for changes Glen would make. But a whole verse? Maybe Jimmy changed them at Glen's request? Intriguing!

Mike, this info posted by the commenter on YT about the reason for a change in verse two rings of truth, don't you think? Glen had shied from controversy...maybe that original second verse, if it is the original, was a little too controversial as noted.
Very interesting!

Thanks for your explanation of "see" and "sea" in the same line.

I hope Jimmy's new book (not yet published) will address the back stories associated with his songs...song evolutions, changes by other artists, how he and Glen worked on lyrics together and more.

Dee

Dee,
I have the score for the song Galveston in a Jimmy Webb song book I got last year. The words are exactly as Glen sings the song and its written as "before I watch your sea birds flying". I think it is just a case of not wanting to repeat the see -sea words in the same sentence. Singing Watch allows for a better emphasis on the point being made that he wants to be in Galveston and have the luxury of time to watch this event and not just a quick glance. At the bottom of the score it says it was copyrighted in 1968 and renewed in 1996. I thought Jimmy had written this in 1967.
Don Ho's version is on Youtube and one of the comments is that the second version was changed as it implied the soldier might desert which would have probably made the song more controversial and might even have affected airplay etc.
This have never been mentioned by Jimmy which surprises me given that he has always bemoaned changes to his songs. I remember he didn't like the fact Glen changed the last line of Phoenix before he recorded it. However I think he accepted that Glen knew what he was doing and I think he did respect him as an Artist who had a valid input into his material.

Mike J. had mentioned under the "Sing!" topic that Don Ho's version of "Galveston" has different lyrics than Glen's in verse two.
Below are the lyrics to both versions, Don's and Glen's:

BTW, this topic has been discussed before but never solved!

From Cowpoke:
Remember how Glen sometimes recalled in interviews how he met Don Ho and Don gave him his record of Galveston, saying "it didn't work for me, maybe you will have more luck with it"? And how Glen says he initially didn't like the song the way Don sang it until he wrote down the lyrics? Well the strange thing is, the lyrics between the two versions differ significantly:

Glen Campbell's version

Galveston, oh Galveston, I still hear your sea winds blowin'
I still see her dark eyes glowin'
She was 21 when I left Galveston

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

Don Ho's version (released in late 1968)

Galveston oh Galveston why do I hear your sea winds blowin'
Why do I see her dark eyes glowin'
She was 21 when I left Galveston

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

I can almost see her 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 see the sea birds flying in the sun
At Galveston, at Galveston

+++
I listened to Jimmy Webb's version of Galveston recently -- from his "Live and at Large Jimmy Webb in the U.K." CD. His version pretty much follows Glen's version...the main exception being that in the second to last line of GC's lyrics, Jimmy Webb changes the word "watch" to "see" which matches Don Ho's version!
GC: Before I watch your sea birds flying in the sun
JW & DH: Before I see your sea birds flying in the sun
I much prefer Glen's change (assuming he changed it) to use the word "watch".

What do you think about this "see/watch" change and the other more significant differences between Don and Glen’s versions? Did Don make the changes from Jimmy’s lyrics? Or did Glen make the changes—and from whose version?
Dee

This Newsmax article (with video) describes Glen Campbell as becoming "the most visible face of Alzheimer’s since Ronald Reagan" and that Glen's new song, I'm Not Gonna Miss You, has gone viral, "...one that is hitting home with relatives and advocates of Alzheimer’s sufferers across the country."

Newsmax also interviewed Jimmy Webb who talks about his collaboration and friendship with Glen over the years--and how Jimmy has been affected by Glen's illness.

The first and last time that Glen and Jimmy sang a duet of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" was for Jimmy's duets album, "Just Across the River" (2010). About this recording, Jimmy said, "I'm so glad that we have that because he (Glen) was in such good voice that day."

Also from Jimmy, "We were counting up the other day that he's (Glen has) recorded about 70 or 80 different songs of mine," Webb said. "So basically, he would record everything that I wrote and out of those songs came some hits. But certainly not all of them were hits and some of them are just absolutely gorgeous and nobody ever heard them."

For the complete article and video, see: http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/glen-c ... id/604428/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Posted on Friday, August 15, 2014 - 08:21 am:


Good point, Mike. Those anniversaries of Elvis's death so close to Jimmy's birthday must have been difficult and likely still are. I had never thought about that.
BTW, I think you'll agree that the respect between Elvis and Jimmy was mutual. Jimmy's song "Elvis and Me" seems evident of their respect for each other. (Too bad that Col. Parker put that friendship to an end.) I couldn't find a good YouTube of Jimmy singing this song, but it is on Jimmy's newest album, STILL WITHIN THE SOUND OF MY VOICE.
And, of course, Glen's impersonation, through mostly performances of Elvis throughout the years, including on the Goodbye Tour, is evident of Glen's long-time admiration and love for Elvis, too.

-Dee

Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 05:08 pm:


I hadn't thought about that before Jimmy having his birthday on the 15th August and Elvis dying on the 16th.Jimmy would have been very upset by the news and every year his birthday must be tinged with a little sadness at the ongoing anniversaries of Elivs's passing.

-Mike Joyce

Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 04:53 pm:


Happy Birthday, Jimmy Webb! (August 15th)

Wishing you "No Signs of Age" and your best year yet!

-Dee