I Clean My Gun and Dream of Galveston

American Conservative, the ^ | 04 December 2012 | Bill Kauffman

[Lorianne]

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. Glen’s voice was rough, and despite a stage ringed with monitors he fumbled lyrics. But his fingers remembered the chords, and the filial cast of his band, which included two sons and a daughter (all from his fourth wife), seemed a real comfort to a man who in his most lucid moments must see premonitions of blackness and blankness. When his daughter good-naturedly interrupted Campbell as he started to play a song he’d finished playing a minute earlier, he grinned and said, “That’s why I brought my kids up good.”

After barely more than an hour, Campbell closed the concert with “A Better Place,” a simple and lovely song he wrote for his final album. Backed by his children, he sang:

Some days I’m so confused, Lord My past gets in my way I need the ones I love, Lord More and more each day

Glen Campbell ended his last song with a promise that “A better place awaits/You’ll see.” Then his daughter took him by the hand and led him from the stage, into the darkness.

[Lorianne]

I ran across this older article about Glenn Campbell on his final musical tour and though it touching.

[robroys woman]

My favorite ever bumper sticker:

“The voices told me to stay home from work and clean the guns”

[ifinnegan]

Thanks.

“Yet in elevating home over foreign crusades, “Galveston” borders on sedition. It really ought to be banned under the Patriot Act. “

Is that supposed to be a joke?

[Lorianne]

I think so, think back to 2012

[crazy scenario]

" “The voices told me to stay home from work and clean the guns”"

My voices tell me your voices are going to get me in trouble!

[pabianice]

No soldier ever said “clean my gun.” Almost as stupid a song as the galactically stupid “Imagine,” written by pampered billionaire John Lennon in a drug stupor.

[Buttons12]

One of very few songs from that era I’m familiar with...but wasn’t it “I aim my gun?”

[DuncanWaring]

I first saw that one on a “List of Excuses To Use When Calling-in Sick From Work”.

[Fiji Hill]

Is there a better antiwar pop song than “Galveston”?

Yes.

That Crazy War--Lulu Belle & Scotty (1940)

Plow Under--The Almanac Singers (1941)

Rockabye My Baby (There Ain't Going to Be No War)--The Knights (1939)

[newfreep]

Galveston, oh Galveston
I still hear your sea winds blowing
I still see her dark eyes glowing
She was twenty-one
When I left Galveston

Galveston, oh Galveston
I still hear your sea waves crashing
While I watch the cannon flashing
I clean my gun
And I dream of Galveston

I still see her standin’ by the water
Standin’ there lookin’ out to sea
And is she waiting there oh 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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToUszCrccsI

[WeWaWes]

Sometimes I have to scratch my head(now) and wonder where did the sedition comment come from.

[oldtech]

I can think of some things(many of which happened during the last administration)which speak more clearly of sedition than this song ever did.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Is there a better antiwar pop song than “Galveston,”

The Green Green Grass of Home.

We'll Meet Again.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Back in those days a song was released on the East coast and worked it’s way by radio to the west coast.

I first heard GALVESTON in Little Rock and it was on every station all the time.
Then I got sent to California and it was just breaking there and heard it for weeks on every station there.
Then I got sent to Hawaii and guess what song was just getting popular and was on every station?

Then Se Asia and guess what song was on all the AFRTS radio stations.

I hate that song!

[budj]

...No soldier ever said “clean my gun.” ...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I had an M16 in Viet Nam; you danged well cleaned that thing every time you could, or it would sure as hell jam.

FO’d on ROK (White Horse) patrols; we always took AK’s. They sounded the same as the VC and never jammed.

[YogicCowboy]

I think it implies that the Patriot Act is Constitutionally indefensible - which it is.

When that was named and passed, I felt like I was living in NAZI Germany. So-called conservatives like Michael Savage approbated it.

[YogicCowboy]

They should have kept the M-14 .308/7.62.

[tumblindice]

This was a little heavy, but it had a nice beat and was easy to dance to ...

Generals gathered in their masses,
Just like witches at black masses.
Evil minds that plot destruction,
Sorcerer of death’s construction.
In the fields the bodies burning,
As the war machine keeps turning.
Death and hatred to mankind,
Poisoning their brainwashed minds.
Oh lord yeah!

[budj]

Agreed; I have an “AR10”, chambered for Winchester .308. It’s everything the 15/16 should have been.

[Openurmind]

Yep, my cousin did the same. They sure stuck you guys with a lemon. I still have no idea why so many are fanatic about a firearm design that was about worthless in an environment like that. Not me... I want mine to cycle when I need it, mud, sand, ice... Cleaned or not.