Twenty-three years after the Spanish-American War,
Galveston island had their 5th annual swimsuit competition on the beach.

Songwriter Jimmy Webb – seated at the piano in this video – was on that same beach on Galveston island when he wrote this Glen Campbell hit about a soldier in the Spanish-American war and the girl he left behind in Galveston. Jimmy also wrote Campbell’s hits By the Time I Get to Phoenix and Wichita Lineman as well as MacArthur Park, which was a hit for both Richard Harris and Donna Summer. And as strange as this might sound, he wrote Up-Up and Away, that iconic song of The 5th Dimension (bottom of the page.)

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