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Mike Joyce
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Re: Would Glen have supported Pres. Donald Trump?

Post by Mike Joyce »

Hi Dee,
I guess you could call private John Q a prelude to Galveston. It would probably make a great medley of sorts.
Private John Q is written to describe the personal feelings of ONE man who hears that World War 3 is a real possibility based on the news papers and TV reports. The idea obviously fills him with dread. "Everybodys worried about something or other, who's gonna worry about a Private John Q. John Q i imagine is a general term like John Doe for unidentified murder victims etc. The song is drawing attention to the fact that soldiers who are going to fight are human beings like everyone else and are just as afraid of the potential to be badly injured or killed. "I am so afraid of dying" , is the same point made by another soldier in another conflict. Whatever peoples views about war, these songs try to tell a personal story of one man's experience in the bigger story of the conflict.
Glen did get a lot of stick for Universal soldier. There was an article which was written at the time which I read, I am sure it was put on this forum awhile ago. Glen states that he didn't agree with draft dodging and felt everyone should support the soldiers who had gone to fight in Vietnam.
Jimmy, was quiet clear, that he was inspired to write Galveston when he saw the cannons on display, which had been used during the Spanish/American war. No doubt Vietnam was in the news each day so that would have also been on his mind also. Jimmy has always written from his heart and tries to look for the story of an individual and the emotions he/she may be feeling. That for him is the most important story and the one he can relate too at a very deep level.
His annoyance with Glen, changing the arrangement also went deep with Jimmy. He has told that story every time he discusses the song. And yet I feel Jimmy has been unfair on this point, as even the way Glen performed it, still let the listener feel the agony of the soldier wanting to go home. It made the song more dramatic but held on to the poignancy of the situation and Glen's vocals conveyed the heartbreak.
And because we don't seem to learn from history, the song will still be relevant in decades to come.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezK2Q69rVtU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


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Dee
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Re: Would Glen have supported Pres. Donald Trump?

Post by Dee »

I just watched a Sonny & Cher Show tonight that included this clip with Ronald Reagan who was Governor of the State of California when this episode originally aired September 15, 1972.
Thought you all would enjoy it and also a break from our thoughts on politics, protest songs, and the political views of Glen Campbell.



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Dee
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Re: Would Glen have supported Pres. Donald Trump?

Post by Dee »

Great discussion!
The video that Randy posted (below) sums up everything about Glen Campbell and the song, Galveston, I feel! Thank you, Randy!
(Interesting that there were clips of soldiers at war in the background when GC was performing Galveston on stage in the video; something that Glen wouldn't allow back in 1969 --see post below.)

I was googling to try to find out more about Glen's thoughts about the song and found this LAUGH OUT LOUD quote (I apologize if I offend anyone by my LOL) from The American Conservative. The quote is taken from Bill Kauffman's review of a 2012 Goodbye Tour concert held at the U. of Buffalo. It's not a "gentle" review, that's for certain. But it just goes to show that there is an extremist's view of Galveston's meaning.
Is there a better antiwar pop song than “Galveston,” which Jimmy Webb wrote and Glen Campbell sang in the Vietnam-hued year of 1969? Therein, a young soldier daydreams of his Texas home by the Gulf and the girl he left behind. He describes the things he misses—“seawaves crashing,” “seabirds flying in the sun”—and confesses, “I am so afraid of dying” without seeing girl or Galveston again.

There is not a single note of preachiness or abstraction in the song. Yet in elevating home over foreign crusades, “Galveston” borders on sedition. It really ought to be banned under the Patriot Act.
Was this reviewer serious?

The title of this review, "I Clean My Gun and Dream of Galveston", which of course is also a line from the JW song, does make a point in my mind that JW perhaps linked those two opposing phrases for a reason. What was JW really saying here? Why link cleaning one's gun (in some country far away) and dreaming of Galveston (the homeland) together? Was this a form of protest? Or "simply" an expression of longing?

I will think on your points, Cowpoke, and will try to find any sixties articles or interviews in which Glen shares his thoughts about "Galveston". He certainly loved the song. It is a "Glen Campbell song" in every way. It's the type of song GC would recognize as having all the elements of a great song, a hit song. Back in 2012, Glen described what he looked for in a song: "...a great me, I song: I want, I feel, I love, I need." Galveston fits all those criteria, you think?

Same as Randy, I am not familiar with Universal Soldier to comment on it; same with Private John Q. (I never really understood PJQ.)


Review from: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/ ... galveston/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


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Cowpoke
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Re: Would Glen have supported Pres. Donald Trump?

Post by Cowpoke »

To Randy, I agree with you that "Galveston" is not a protest song. And I also agree it's not a "let's go kick their ..." march either, as Jimmy Webb has suggested. I do think that in a subtle way it speaks out against war. However the main focus of the song is the soldiers themselves and the heartbreak they and their loved ones feel during a time of war.

I think Glen's opinion on the Vietnam war has been oversimplified. People either say: "oh look, he sang a protest song against the Vietnam war" or "he was a Republican so he was in favor of the war". Neither of which is accurate. Glen, just before the big fame of the Goodtime Hour hit him spoke out against the Vietnam war in an interview. But not for any political reasons, but just because he felt the USA shouldn't send their own boys into a war in a far away country. But while the war was raging Glen always supported the troops and the president / government. But to say that thus Glen was pro-war is not accurate.

So, I can understand why Glen recorded Universal Soldier. He saw it as a anti-war song (and, might I add, a chance to have a hit). However when people pointed out to him that the song could be seen as promoting subordination (again an oversimplification) he of course distanced himself from that.

Note that after Universal Soldier, Glen again recorded a song about the war, Private John Q. (a Roger Miller song). A completely different song than Universal Soldier, it does focus on the personal story of the soldier, or the soldier to be. For Glen, that's where the real story was, not in some political statement.


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Cowpoke
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Re: Would Glen have supported Pres. Donald Trump?

Post by Cowpoke »

From other articles and interviews I have read/watched with GC, as well as discussions with Glen fans, one in particular, ;) I got the impression that regardless of Glen's political views and party associations through the years, he preferred not to mix politics with entertainment. He felt a certain responsibility as an entertainer to generally not get involved or voice his opinions publicly about controversial subjects being battled in the political arena. Do other fans have the same or a different impression??
Hi Dee, interesting question. My take on it is until the early 80s Glen didn't really mix politics with entertainment. However, around the time that Ronald Reagan became president, this changed. Glen performed at the Republican Convention at Reagan's inauguration and at Republican rallies for Reagan's reelection and also when George Bush sr. ran for president and indeed also when Bob Dole ran for president (against Bill Clinton).
On the other hand, I do remember reading an article or perhaps discussing an article with a fan that concerned Glen and Kim's public stand against abortion. Can't remember the details of this story, but I do believe it might have taken place when they lived in Phoenix? Anyone remember this story
Yes I remember this. Glen and Kim organized an anti abortion meeting (maybe more than one) at their house somewhere in the mid-80s. There were opposing to certain pro-abortion legislation if I remember correctly.


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Randy
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Re: Would Glen have supported Pres. Donald Trump?

Post by Randy »

I'm not familiar enough with Universal Soldier to comment, but in my mind I'm not getting where people call Galveston a protest song or anti-war song. Even JW chimed in the comment about Glen speeding up the tempo and making it sound like a march as if I believe Jimmy said something to the effect of "let's go kick their arze boys"....In my opinion someone (troll maybe lol) started calling it an anti war song and it stuck. You'll never hear me call it that or a "let's go kick azz " song either.

You're right Dee, I do like the joke about the dogs not believing.

I'll go with Brad Paisley's description on the song and Merle Haggard's description of Glen Campbell here....and ev1 else's opinion is fine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd9nMrvBbmA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


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Dee
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Re: Would Glen have supported Pres. Donald Trump?

Post by Dee »

Good point about Clinton's participation in "I'll Be Me", Cowpoke.
I meant to post this pic with quote first, before my long and winding post below.
I'll Be Me_Bill Clinton_gcf.jpg
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Dee
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Re: Would Glen have supported Pres. Donald Trump?

Post by Dee »

From the Glen Campbell Forums' extensive newspaper archives: a GC interview with Robert Chalmers and "The Independent on Sunday" in 2007.

Chalmers touched briefly on politics when he talked with Glen about his life and career in the sixties.
Glen's replies to Chalmers provide a little insight to his political views but perhaps better describe Glen's character, a man who lived by the code of decency and integrity.

From Chalmers' interview with Glen:
He (Glen Campbell) remains a close friend of veteran New York comedians Tommy and Dickie Smothers, whose show was pulled when, as Campbell puts it, “they made one joke too many about Richard Nixon.” Despite their radically differing views, Campbell had been a mainstay of the Sixties TV show The Smothers Brothers, even though there were certain things he was not prepared to do for them.

“In one sketch I was supposed to refer to Ronald Reagan as a homosexual. I looked in the dictionary to be sure what the word meant. I didn’t want to badmouth the governor of California.” He also declined to perform the Sinatra standard “I Believe (For Every Drop Of Rain That Falls)” when he discovered that Tommy Smothers planned to display, on a screen behind him, images from Vietnam. Three months after the Smothers brothers’ show was cancelled, under pressure from the White House, The Glen Campbell Good Time Hour replaced it.

“I was a slow-talking country boy with conservative values,” he (Glen) says.
From other articles and interviews I have read/watched with GC, as well as discussions with Glen fans, one in particular, ;) I got the impression that regardless of Glen's political views and party associations through the years, he preferred not to mix politics with entertainment. He felt a certain responsibility as an entertainer to generally not get involved or voice his opinions publicly about controversial subjects being battled in the political arena. Do other fans have the same or a different impression?

On the other hand, I do remember reading an article or perhaps discussing an article with a fan that concerned Glen and Kim's public stand against abortion. Can't remember the details of this story, but I do believe it might have taken place when they lived in Phoenix? Anyone remember this story?

I have been searching my e-files unsuccessfully for the LOOK interview with Tommy Smothers about Glen's views on politics. This interview was enlightening...maybe Cowpoke has a copy of it? This could have been the article in which Glen was asked if he would ever seek public office?

I still have a difficult time in my mind about why Glen recorded the protest songs, "Universal Soldier" and "Galveston", since he preferred to stay out of controversy. About the latter song, I just can't believe Glen had thought this song was about the Spanish-American War, not relating to the Vietnam War. When Galveston was released in 1969, the U.S. (and other countries as well) was still deeply entrenched in the Vietnam War, and the U.S. was as deeply divided over our involvement in Vietnam as it had been divided (over different issues) at the time of the U.S. Civil War. Glen (and Jimmy Webb and all the rest of us) were living in the hot bed of war time and anti-war protests and death. I feel Glen's recording and release of "Galveston" was his way of making a statement about the Vietnam War that had seeped into the lives of every single American. When Glen sang the line "Galveston, I am so afraid of dying", don't you think (or perhaps you don't?) that Glen was putting himself on the political side of U.S. citizens who were anti-war?

One more quote and this one is for Randy 'cuz I know you will enjoy the first line of this conversation about journalists:
Robert Chalmers: “Wasn’t it you,” I ask him (Glen), “who once said journalists lie so much that they have to get another guy to call their dog?” :)

Glen Campbell: “I did say that, because a lot of the guys I met, years ago, just didn’t give a [...]. I’ve finally realised that you do what you do in the eyes of God. Those people were lying on paper. God hates liars. Not that we are perfect, in the entertainment industry. The majority of people in this business are bullsh*tters.”
LOL...Glen's feelings about journalists in 2007 seem very similar to Trump's opinions today about journalists and journalism! :D

Source of above quotes:
Independent on Sunday, The (London, England) - Sunday, May 13, 2007
Author/Byline: The Robert Chalmers Interview
Edition: 1ST
Section: SUNDAY REVIEW
Glen Campbell_Universal Soldier_Capitol Records Ad-GCF.jpg
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Mike Joyce
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Re: Would Glen have supported Pres. Donald Trump?

Post by Mike Joyce »

You are correct Cowpoke. I saw the programme when it was broadcast a few years ago. The programme was just Bill Clinton being interviewed by Elvis Costello and was primarily about his love of music etc. Elvis brought up the point that Bill Clinton was from the same area as Glen and Bill confirmed it and mentioned how he appreciated Glen's talent as a guitarist and singer.


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Cowpoke
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Re: Would Glen have supported Pres. Donald Trump?

Post by Cowpoke »

That's right. While Glen made clear in interviews at the time he certainly wasn't a supporter of president Clinton, I don't think Glen would hold that against him on a personal level at all. And how nice of Bill Clinton to appear in Glen's documentary.

One more thing to add about the Campbell - Clinton connection: I believe Bill Clinton mentioned Glen once in an interview with Elvis Costello as one of his early musical favorites. But I haven't been able to confirm this.

Not discussing politics around the supper table... that was during the Goodbye Tour, when Kim did everything she could to keep Glen happy and in a good mood. Discussing politics is usually not a good recipe for maintaining a good mood I guess... :)


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