Galveston by Glen Campbell

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TGNeil
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Wed Oct 26, 2022 9:05 pm

Hey Gang,
I recently got hooked listening to Glen Campbell again and realized this song had been overlooked for too long. It has been remedied and Galveston is now in the TG Library.

Galveston is one of Jimmy Webb's masterpieces, arranged and recorded by Glen Campbell, which turned into one of Glen's biggest hits in 1969. It is written from the point of view of a soldier longing to be back home rather than anywhere else in the world, let alone at war. Glen's upbeat treatment of the melancholy theme is quite a contrast to the way Jimmy envisioned it, and recorded it years later.
The song is in the key of F, uses lots of chords (including many from other keys), and has unusual harmonic phrasing as well. This adds up to a lot of barre chords, along with some advanced chord shapes and changes.
The lesson covers the way Glen plays it in F, as well as an easier way to play it in D (which can be capoed to the third fret to be in F, of course).





familyman4
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Thu Oct 27, 2022 1:33 pm

Hello Neil,
Another great, very detailed lesson!

FYI, I cannot seem to find the PDF or GP song sheet below the lesson where it usually is?

Thoughts?
Bart


GeeWhy
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Fri Oct 28, 2022 12:11 am

I grew up mostly a rocker with notable exceptions in pop. Got a bit more into prog and fusion as I got a bit older. Still like it all. Oddly enough, two of my first searches here were for Please Come To Boston and Galveston (IIRC, this was turned into a TV movie starring Glen). Too bad I'm not currently on subscription. Who knows. I might be in a better place (another of my initial searches - Harry Chapin's Better Place to Be) to re-up another time. Not that there wasn't plenty to keep me busy. Keep these great tunes coming. I don't post often, but I still like to keep up around here and watch On The Beat most Fridays.

BTW, I usually see this covered on acoustic in D without the capo using an A11 (G/A). It looks like that's what Glenn does on the 12 string in the video you posted.


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TGNeil
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Fri Oct 28, 2022 8:59 am

Thanks for the replies folks. The chart has been added (my mistake on posting). And he definitely does it in D without a capo in the later video, which would have been easier on the pipes as well. Also notice, no solo on the 12-string. Even with the lower key he also skips the very high line just before "I am so afraid of dying."

Neil


GeeWhy
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Fri Oct 28, 2022 11:55 am

Thanks Neil.

Just wanted to correct myself. Glen Campbell starred in the movie Norwood about A soldier returning to Texas from Vietnam. It does not include the song Galveston. I guess I did not recall correctly. :(


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