GALVESTON BAY^©

For fifteen years Le Bin Son
Fought side by side with the Americans
In the mountains and deltas of Vietnam
In '75 Saigon fell and he left his command
And brought his family to the promised land

Seabrook, Texas and the small towns in the Gulf of Mexico
It was delta country and reminded him of home
He worked as a machinist, put his money away
And bought a shrimp boat with his cousin
And together they harvested Galveston Bay

In the mornin' 'fore the sun come up
He'd kiss his sleepin' daughter
Steer out through the channel
And cast his nets into the water

Billy Sutter fought with Charlie Company
In the highlands of Quang Tri
He was wounded in the battle of Chu Lai
Shipped home in '68

There he married and worked the gulf fishing grounds
In a boat that'd been his father's
In the morning he'd kiss his sleeping son
And cast his nets into the water

Billy sat in front of his TV as the South fell
And the communists rolled into Saigon
He and his friends watched as the refugees came
Settled on the same streets and worked the coast they'd grew up on
Soon in the bars around the harbor was talk
Of America for Americans
Someone said "You want 'em out, you got to burn 'em out."
And brought in the Texas Klan

One humid Texas night there were three shadows on the harbor
Come to burn the Vietnamese boats into the sea
In the fire's light shots rang out
Two Texans lay dead on the ground
Le stood with a pistol in his hand

A jury acquitted him in self-defense
As before the judge he did stand
But as Le walked down the courthouse steps
Billy said "My friend you're a dead man."

One late summer night Le stood watch along the waterside
Billy stood in the shadows
His K-bar knife in his hand
And the moon slipped behind the clouds
Le lit a cigarette, the bay was still as glass
As he walked by Billy stuck his knife into his pocket
Took a breath and let him pass

In the early darkness Billy rose up
Went into the kitchen for a drink of water
Kissed his sleeping wife
Headed into the channel
And cast his nets into the water
Of Galveston Bay

Published on The Ghost Of Tom Joad in 1995 and played most of the nights during that tour, about 100 times. The song reappeared during the Devils& Dust tour, played on the second night of the tour on 28 Apr 2005 at the Nokia Theatre, Dallas, TX.

From Yahoo! Music:

GALVESTON BAY brings together a Vietnamese fisherman, a disgruntled Vietnam vat an the Ku Klux Klan; by the time it's over, two Klansmen are dead and the American vet has learned, if not to overcome his prejudice, to at least live and work side by side with his Vietnamese compatriot. It may be a not-so-veiled lesson for the flag-waving patriots who misinterpreted Springsteen's anthem BORN IN THE USA.

Song intro on 21 Nov 1995 at State Theater, New Brunswick, NJ:

Thank you, thanks so much. Thanks, when, uh, usually when, uh, when a good part of the country's in trouble, or election years, you hear, uh, you know, there's always candidates and people out there looking for scapegoats, trying, trying to blame what's wrong with the country on somebody, anybody they get their hands on. It's usually somebody whose skin is darker or he speaks a little differently than they do, and uh, there are plenty of code words for it too, plenty of code words and you hear all about "America for Americans" and all that stuff. "Lady, where do you come from?" This is a song about, uh, in the mid-80's, it's about, it's about an incident that happened in, uh, Texas, in the mid-80's, at the end of the Vietnam War, when a lot of Vietnamese refugees settled in Texas 'cause, 'cause the geography of the country was a lot like home and uh, this is called "Galveston Bay" and this is about, based on some, on a fight between the Vietnamese refugees and Texas fishermen.

Song intro on 21 Nov 1995 at Count Basie Theater, Red Bank, NJ:

Yeah, uh, I knew there was a reason I did that song with a band. Hey, I told you about fucking clapping. Alright, this is uh, this is a song that, uh, it was based on actual events that happened in Texas in the mid-80's. Uh, at the end of the Vietnam War, there was a lot of... let me, let me preface this by saying that there's always, particularly during an election year, there's always, uh, somebody out there trying to scapegoat somebody else for what they perceive is right or wrong with the country and it's always somebody whose, skin is a little diffent color than theirs or who speaks a little differently or who's from some different place and you'll hear all these, you know, "America for Americans" statements and, and you know, like we all, you know, were, were, uh, were here in the first place, so I guess, um, this is a song, at the end of the Vietnam War, a lot of the Vietnamese refugees ended up down in Texas because, there was, there are parts of it that was very similar to their home, and they went into the shrimping business and there was a lot of tension between the Texas Gulf fishermen and, and the Vietnamese refugees and this is a song called, uh, "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 26 Nov 1995 at the Wiltern Theater, Los Angeles, CA:

Thank you very much, thank you. ???, little bit more of this up here, Jim. I'd like to, you've been a real fabulous audience, I wanna say thank you. I, this is, uh, this is uh, this is music that means a lot to me and you've shown me a lot of love tonight and I appreciate it. This next song, this is uh, it's based on some incidents that happened down on the, uh, Texas Gulf Coast in the mid-80's, at the end of the Vietnam War, a lot of refugees that came over and settled in and around, Viet-Vietnamese refugees came in and settled in and around the area 'cause it was a lot like home and there was tremendous tensions and violence between, the Vietnamese fishermen and the Texas fishermen. This is uh, this is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 29 Nov 1995 at Berkeley Community Theater, San Fransisco, CA:

??? this is a song that was, uh, based on some incidents that occurred in the, down in the Texas Gulf and uh, uh, oh, I guess it was mid-80's, I believe. What you had was, uh, after the Vietnam War was over, there were a lot of Vietnamese refugees that came and settled down in that area because it was like home. And uh, they went into the shrimp industry and there was a tremendous amount of, of tension and, and, and some violence between the Texas fishermen and the Vietnamese refugees. This is called, uh, it's called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 05 Dec 1995 at the Constitution Hall, Washington, DC:

Thank you. Thanks you very much. Thanks, I just wanna take a minute and say uh, I wanna thank you for the, helping me, helping me work tonight. Uh this, this is a music that means a lot to me and, and you showed to me a lot of love and I appreciate that. Thank you, thank you ???. This next song, this is uh, in the mid-80's, this is based on an event that happened down in Texas Golf in the mid-80's, and at the end of the Vietnam war there were a lot refugees came out of Vietnam and settled in the Golf Coast area 'cause it reminded them of home. Uh, they went into the fishing industry, and there was a lot of tension and, and violence between the Vietnamese fishermen and, and the Texas fisherman. This is a song called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 06 Dec 1995 at the Constitution Hall, Washington, DC:

Thank you. I want to say you're great collaborators, thank you (chuckles) ???. I was telling the folks last night that, uh, uh, a lot of people keep giving me their shit, and uh (chuckles), I was telling the folks last night that, that uh, this music, it means a lot to me and that, that you've shown it and me a lot of love and thanks for being a great audience, I really appreciate it. This next song, this is uh, it's based on some incidents that happened down in Texas 'round, in the, in the mid-80's on the Texas Gulf. There were a lot of, at the end of the Vietnam War, there were a lot of Vietnamese refugees that came to the States and ended up settling down there because it reminded them a lot of home. They went into the fishing, fishing industry and there was a lot of tension and violence between the Texas fishermen and the Vietnamese fishermen. This is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 09 Dec 1995 at the Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA:

Oh, thanks. First I wanna say thanks for, uh, your collaboration tonight. Uh, there'll be ten bucks for everybody on the way out, no (chuckles). This is a, uh, been telling the folks that this, this group of music is music that means a lot to me and uh, uh, since I've started ???, we've had such, such good audiences and that's a real gift to me and I just wanna say thanks. This song uh, happened in Texas in the mid-80's, based on events down in the Texas Gulf Coast, at the end of the Vietnam War. There were some, a lot of Vietnamese refugees come over into Texas 'cause it reminded them of home. They, they entered into the fishing industry and there was a lot of tension between the refugees and the Texas fishermen. This is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 16 Dec 1995 at The Orpheum, Boston, MA:

??? I wanna take a second and I tell you that you have been just a, a fabulous audience ???. I really can't thank you enough. You know, it's music that means a lot to me and, and the freedom to be able to do this is, is, is a wonderful gift that you've given me tonight and I appreciate it and I, I just wanna say I love you, thank you. I'm gonna bus all you guys out into New York tomorrow, alright (chuckles). Here's a song that was uh, I was getting, I was towards the end of the record and, and I was looking for a song that, I guess I describe it as it contains a real life miracle, you know, and that's where, uh, I don't know, I guess it's something that, that where somebody holds fate in their hands and, and does the right thing, does the right thing, and in doing so, forever changed themselves, first of all, in, in not compounding to the brutality and the violence that's out there, they change the world too, they change the world. This is called uh, this is about an incident that happened in Texas in the mid-80's where, after the Vietnam War, there were a lot of Vietnamese refugees that settled in that area. They went into the fishing industry and there was a lot of tension between the Texas fishermen and the Vietnamese fishermen. This is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 17 Dec 1995 at the Beacon Theater, New York City, NY:

Thank you. Oh, I'd just like to, I'd just like to thank you, you were a great crowd tonight, thank you very much. ??? this is music that means a lot to me and, and, and giving me the space and the freedom to do this show is a great gift and I thank you very much. This uh, this is a song based uh, I guess this is, I was getting towards the end of the, end of the Tom Joad record and this is the last song I wrote and I knew that, that I had, I had a lot of what I needed and I, and I had just written this "Across The Border" and I knew, well, that's, that's the dream, that's, that's the thing that stays and lives inside of people's hearts, that they carry with, you know, ??? of beauty, you know, that, and, but I knew that I needed, I needed something else. I needed what felt like a manifestation of that faith in, in the real world and some, and some real life miracle in some, in someone's behavior, something that somebody does, something they did that changes them and changes their world and uh, this was a, this is about somebody who does that. This is a, this is a song that was based on, uh, an incident in the Gulf Coast of Texas in the mid-80's where at the end of the Vietnam War, the Vietnamese refugees moved into that area 'cause it reminded them of home and they went into the fishing industry and there was a lot of tension between the Texas fishermen and the Vietnamese fishermen. This is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 12 Jan 1996 at Stambaugh Theater, Youngstown, OH:

Thank you. Uh, this is a song, I guess I was finishing the... Oh, first I'd like to say, I'll say that later (chuckles) ???. Uh, uh, uh, this was a song, I was finishing the Tom Joad-record, this is the last song I wrote and, at the time I was looking for, maybe in my own life as well for the record, you know, like you're looking for some little bit of light, you know, some, but something that, that's not a dream, something that's, that's not, uh, uh, uh, a fantasy. Something that, something that's hard, some real hard, real, true life, it can happen like and, uh, I wrote this song and I guess this is a song about somebody who changes themselves at, in one particular moment, about how the battle between that will to live and the will for destruction, ??? . Uh, in the mid, in the mid-80's there was a, at the end of the Vietnam War a lot of the Vietnamese refugees settled in the Gulf Coast, and they brought their families because that reminded them of parts of Vietnam. Uh, they went into the fishing industry and there was tremendous tension between the Vietnamese fishermen and the Texas fishermen.

Song intro on 25 Jan 1996 at the Music Hall, Austin, TX:

Thanks. I wanna tell you thanks for being a great crowd, you were fabulous. I have uh, I was saying how, you know, we uh, ??? the first time we came to Texas, we came on a train from New Jersey, ooh (chuckles). I remember that (chuckles) and we came sort of thinking "they're gonna kill us" (chuckles), and uh, right away we, you know, we, I've been greeted so warmly down here since the first time I came that, uh, just wanna say thanks for the longtime support, and uh, and I think, you know, tonight I guess this is just music that means a lot to me and, and uh, I wanna thank you for your collaboration and, and your help in, in just giving me the room to do it, just to do this stuff here tonight, it means a lot to me and it's a great gift, thank you. Towards, uh, towards the end of the, the end of the Tom Joad-record and I was, I had one more song I was thinking about writing and I knew that, I was looking to find some light in, in, in the record but, I had written "Across The Border" but I knew that I wanted a song that had, I guess, sort of a, like a real life miracle, you know ??? the hard kind of like, kind of like that uh, that's not about, you know, movements or, or, or some ideal dream of some world, you know, that is maybe yet to come but something that's real kind of like that can happen any day any place, and uh, I guess this is another song sort of about somebody who changes themmself and in doing so changes the part of the world that they touch, and uh, it's based on an incident that happen right here in the Gulf Coast in the mid-80's. This is called uh, "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 15 Feb 1996 at Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle, Munich, Germany:

Danke... thank you. I'd like to just take a minute and say thank you, thank you for being a wonderful audience, thank you very much, thank you. This is a, uh, song, at the end of the Tom Joad record I was looking for something that was gonna bring a little light into the record and I'd had uh, had written "Across The Border" but uh, that's sort of a dream that, I don't know, always stays with people or something that, that's in your head at night, you know, when you lay down or before you fall asleep, so I was looking for something that would bring some sort of hard light, I guess, and uh, some, something where somebody just makes one decision, that alters things, the things that they can touch, that alters themselves, uh. Anyway, this is a song based on an incident that happened in the Texas Gulf Coast in the mid-80's. At the end of the Vietnam War there was a lot of Vietnamese refugees that came over and there was a tremendous resentment between the refugees and the Texas fishermen, many of whom had fought in, in Vietnam. This is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 17 Feb 1996 at CCH Halle 1, Hamburg, Germany:

This is uh, this is a song that took place down in the Texas Gulf Coast in the mid-80's, and uh, basically what happened was after the Vietnam War, there were a lot of Vietnamese refugees that settled into the Gulf Coast area, and there was a tremendous amount of tension between uh, between the Vietnamese refugees and Texas fishermen, many of whom had fought in Vietnam, and uh, I guess, this is a song, at the end of the record I was looking for something that would bring a little, a certain sort of hard light into the album, and it's a song where somebody uh, they take one individual action and they do something and in doing so, somebody sort of decides not to compound the brutality that's already out there and in doing so, changes himself and changes the part of the world that he touches. So, blah, blah, this is "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 13 Mar 1996 at The Cirkus, Stockholm, Sweden:

Thank you. Oh thanks. Let me just take a second and, and say thank you, you've just been a fabulous audience, thank you very much. Uh, it's uh, this is music that, that means a lot to me and, and uh, uh, being able to come out here and do this like this is a, is a great gift that you give me and I appreciate it very much, thank you. This is a, this is a song that's based on a, uh, based on an incident that happened in the uh, Gulf Coast of Texas in the mid-80's. Uh, what you had was at the end of the Vietnam War. There was a uh, a whole, large amount, number of refugees that came over and settled in the Gulf Coast, and uh, they went into the fishing industry and there ended up being a lot of tension between the Vietnamese fishermen and the Texas fishermen, and, I guess, part of it's a song about... I don't know. Let the music do the talking (chuckles).

Song intro on 20 march 1996 at the Point Theater, Dublin, Ireland:

Thank you. Uh, this is uh, we were up in Belfast last night, very powerful. Uh, this is a song I guess about small decisions that, that change the world, a small part uh, based on some incidents that happened in the Gulf Coast of Texas in the mid-80's, at the uh, end of the Vietnam War there were a lot of Vietnamese refugees that came into the Gulf Coast, and there was a a lot of tension, they went into the fishing industry and there was a lot of tension and a big deal of violence between the Vietnamese fishermen and the Texas fishermen. This is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 19 Apr 1996 at ICC, Berlin, Germany:

Thank you. Thank you. Ich liebe Euch (in German). First I'd like to, I'd like to thank everybody for coming out to the show tonight and uh, thank you. And also like to say this is uh, music that means a lot to me and I, I appreciate being able to come out here and, and do this like this, it's something that takes, it's a real collaboration between the singer and, and the audience and it's a gift that you give me and I wanna thank you for it tonight so thanks. This song, this was uh, this was the last, the last song that I wrote for the Tom Joad record. You know, I was uh, mid-80's there was a series of incidents that happened down in Texas, at the end of the Vietnam War. There were a lot of Vietnamese refugees that came and settled in the Gulf Coast area of Texas and they went into the fishing industry and there was tremendous tension between the Vietnamese refugees and the Texas fishermen, many of whom had served and, and fought in Vietnam. This is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 24 Apr 1996 at the Brixton Academy, London, UK:

Thanks you. (chuckles) Wanna uh, thank everybody for coming out the show tonight. Thank you very much. And uh, ??? this music it means a lot to me and I appreciate your cooperation to be able to come out here and do it like this (chuckles). Let's see uh, because that's a gift that I get from the audience and I appreciate it, it's a gift... This is a, this is a song set in golf coast of Texas based on so many incidents that happened down there in the, in the mid-80's. And I, I guess uh, and I, I grew up in a generation where people they thought that if you did the right thing or, or sang the right song somehow you change the world, you know. You get older and you realize that, that that gets you out of here pretty quick, you know. But I, I guess this is a song about somebody effecting the part of the world that they touch, you know, saving some part of themselves and some part of the world that they touch, that's not so bad. So uh, at the end of the Vietnam war there were a lot Vietnamese refugees settling in the golf coast of Texas, they went in the fishing industry. There was a lot of bad feeling and tension between the Vietnamese fishermen and the Texas fishermen. It's called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 27 Apr 1996 at Royal Albert Hall, London, UK:

I'd like to uh, just take a second and thank everybody for coming down to the shows that I've done here in London. Thank you all very much. It's a real trip to get to play here, it's a beautiful building, ??? was uh, and uh, hey ??? I guess uh, since I've come here in 1975 I've gotten a lot of support from my British fans and I just wanna say thank you, Brixton. This is uh, this is a song that uh, it was the last song I wrote for the Tom Joad record and it's based on uh, a series of incidents that happened in the, uh... (people yelling) could you guys do me a favor and shut up? Don't do that! (chuckles) Thank you (chuckles). But uh, uh, it's based on a series of incidents that happened in the Gulf Coast of Texas in the mid-80's where you had a, at the end of the Vietnam War you had a lot of Vietnamese refugees that came and settled in the Gulf Coast of Texas because it reminded 'em of home. They went into the fishing industry and there was a lot of tension between the Vietnamese fishermen and Texas fishermen, many of whom had served in Vietnam. This is called "Galveston Bay"

Song intro on 02 May 1996 at Kongresshaus, Zurich, Switzerland:

Thank you. I wanna thank everybody for coming out to the show tonight, thank you very much. This is the uh, last song I wrote for the Tom Joad record. It was uh, based on a series of incidents that happened in the Gulf Coast of Texas in the mid-80's, you know, I was looking to find some way to bring some light into the record to uh, I guess, get to the, get to the, an idea about what difference individual action makes. And uh, after the Vietnam War, there were a lot of Vietnamese refugees that came and settled in the Gulf Coast of Texas and they uh, went into the fishing industry and there was a lot of tension between the Vietnamese fishermen and the Texas fishermen, men who had served and fought in Vietnam. This is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 25 Sep 1996 at E J Thomas Hall, Akron, OH:

Thank you. Thank you everybody for coming out tonight. Thank you very much. You've been a fabulous audience. Yes, I mean that sincerely. It's really uh, I appreciate coming out here and having the room to play like this and it's a gift that you give me and I thank you a lot for it. I was uh, I was to the end of the Tom Joad record and I needed a few songs and I think I wrote "Across The Border" and I had that down at the end of the record, you know. I played it through and listened to it, said "Yeah, that's, that's good but that's, that's the dream, that's that thing that keeps people, moving along for some reason". I felt like I needed something else, something that wasn't so much of a dream. So this is a song about uh, uh, it's not about what you're saying, it's about what you do. In the mid-80's there was a, at the end of the Vietnam War a lot of Vietnamese refugees settled in the Gulf Coast of Texas and went into the fishing industry. There was a lot of tension between the Vietnamese and the Texas fishermen, many of whom had fought in Vietnam. This is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 16 Oct 1996 at the Paramount Theater, Denver, CO:

Thank you. I'd like to thank everybody for coming out tonight. Thank you very much. I'd like to say you've been a terrific audience. It's a, I appreciate having the room to come up here and work like this. It's a gift that you give me and I wanna say thank you for it. As I was uh, getting to the end of the Tom Joad record, I was looking for something that was gonna bring a little light into the record and I'd written "Across The Border" but that sort of was uh, you know, it was like a dream, you know, and I felt like I needed something that felt more tangible, more, more real, in some fashion ???. This is uh, I guess this is a song about, it's about what you do, not what you say. It's uh, it's based on an incident that happened in Texas in the mid-80's, at the end of the Vietnam War, there were a lot of Vietnamese refugees that ended up in the Gulf Coast 'cause it reminded 'em of home and they went into the fishing industry and there was a lot of tension between the Vietnamese fishermen and the Texas fishermen. This is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 23 Oct 1996 at Saroyan Theater, Fresno, CA:

Thank you. I wanna thank everybody for coming down to the show tonight. Thank you very much. Thank you. And uh, I wanna say you've been a terrific audience. I wanna say it's a, it's a real treat for me to come up here and be able to play this music like this and it's a gift that you give me and I wanna say thanks. I was uh, towards the end of the Tom Joad record and I was looking for something that would, I guess help me make sense of what I'd written, you know, something that would bring some light into the record and uh, I'd written "Across the Border" but that, that felt sort of like that's a dream that people carry in 'em all the time, you know, and it seems to always be there but sometimes it takes, it takes more to get by in the real world, you know. And uh, so I was looking for something, I think when I started out playing the guitar, I was always, I remember when I first picked it up, I'd been hit so hard by music that I thought that it could do anything, you know, I always joke about it, I said I picked it up and "Oh, if I write the right song, peace in the Middle East, I'm sure" (chuckles). You know, you're 15 or 16 and that gets kicked out of you along the way, you know, which is ok but I think that as you get older, you can forget about what you can do, you know, what's possible and this is a song about a fella that makes just one decision but uh, in doing so he saves himself and he saves the part of the world that, that needs him, and that he touches. That's pretty good, that's pretty good. So uh, this is a song based on mid-80's, after the Vietnam War, there were a lot of Vietnamese refugees who settled in the Gulf Coast of Texas and went into the fishing industry and there was a lot of tension between the Vietnamese fishermen and the Texas fishermen, many of whom had fought in Vietnam. This is about, 'cause it's in the end, it's about what you do, and uh, sometimes the most political acts are made in the dead of night. This is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 13 Nov 1996 at Landmark Theater, Syracuse, NY:

Thank you. I wanna thank everybody for coming down to the show tonight, thank you very much, nice to be back in Syracuse. I wanna say you've been really a, a lovely, lovely audience and I've enjoyed myself tremendously up here tonight. I want to uh, I wanna thank you for giving me the room to come out here and do this. It's music that means a lot to me and it's a gift you give me and I appreciate it. Thank you. This is a song, I remember when I first, when I first picked up the guitar, I remember it felt so, so uh, powerful to me that I said "Boy", I'd been so moved by music, I said "Boy, if I, if I write that right thing, I'm telling you there's gonna be peace in the Middle East if I can ??? write the right song" (chuckles). I was so sure, you know, I was so sure and it doesn't take long until "Well, maybe, maybe not" (chuckles). And uh, uh, but I think that one of the things about getting old is you can forget about what you can do and you can forget about connecting yourself to that, that big world outside, you know. And uh, well this is, is a story about a fellow that, that uh, saves himself, saves the best part of him and saves the part of the world that he touches at the same time. Uh, that's pretty good, that's so... Uh, after the Vietnam War a lot of Vietnamese refugees moved into the Texas Gulf Coast, went into the fishing industry and there was a lot of tension between the Vietnamese fishermen and the Texas fishermen uh, many of whom had served in Vietnam. This is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 17 Feb 1997 at Palais Theater, Melbourne, Australia:

Thanks. Gonna do uh, something I don't usually do in this spot and uh, ???, yeah, alright, ok. Here's a song uh, the last song I wrote for the Tom Joad record ???. Yeah, yeah? You sure? (chuckles) I'll take your word for it (tunes his guitar). Yeah, here's a song I, the last song I wrote for the Tom Joad record and it was uh, I was looking to bring some light into the record, I guess and uh, this is a song sort of about uh, not selling yourself short, I guess, and uh, ???, in the uh, after the Vietnam War there were a lot of Vietnamese refugees that came and settled in the Gulf Coast of Texas and they went into the fishing industry and there was a lot of tension and some violence between the Vietnamese fishermen and Texas, and the uh, and the Texas fishermen, many of whom hadserved in Vietnam so...

Song intro on 06 May 1997 at the Austria Center, Vienna, Austria:

Thank you. I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight. Thank you so much for coming down to the show. This is my first time here in Vienna and uh, thank you for giving me such a warm reception and uh, I appreciate being able to come up here and play this music like this. It takes a lot out of the audience and it's a gift that you give me and I appreciate that so (something in Austrian). I won't put you through any more of my Austrian (chuckles). This is uh (someone yells "Thunder Road") no, I'm not doing that old sucker. Alrigh, there's a song about uh, it was set in the uh, south of Texas. It's a song about uh, happening, based on some incidents that happened in the mid-80's in the Gulf Coast, you had uh, at the end of the Vietnam War there were a lot of Vietnamese refugees that came and settled in the Gulf Coast of Texas and they went into the fishing industry alongside the Texas fishermen, many of whom had served in Vietnam and there was tremendous tension. This is uh, called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 16 May 1997 at Le Corum, Montpellier, France:

??? (chuckles). Alright uh, alright, this is a song uh... I'd like to thank everybody for coming down to the show tonight, thank you very much. Montpellier, thank you. This is a uh, song set on the Gulf Coast of Texas. It's about an incident that happened in the mid-80's in the United States, at the end of the Vietnam War, had a lot of refugees that came out of uh, South Vietnam and ended up settling in the Gulf Coast of Texas, this is a song, they went into the fishing industry. There was a lot of tension between the Vietnamese fishermen and the Texas fishermen. So this is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 18 May 1997 at The Acropolis, Nice, France:

Thank you. This is, I need (some people are yelling) sssh, aah, merci (chuckles). This is s uh, song that uh, it's the last song I wrote for the Tom Joad record, it's a song based on an incident that happened in the Gulf Coast of Texas in the mid-80's where uh, at the end of the Vietnam War, there were a lot of Vietnamese immigrants that settled in the Gulf Coast of Texas and went into the fishing industry and there was a lot of tension between the Vietnamese fishermen and the Texas fishermen. So this is a song about uh, it matters what choices you make. This is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 22 May 1997 at Theatro Augo, Napoli, Italy:

Thank you. I'd like to thank everybody for coming out to the show tonight. Thank you very much. Glad to have been here tonight. This is a uh, song that was the uh, last song that I wrote for the Tom Joad record uh, and uh, I guess it's a song about how uh, it's funny you get older and you can think because the world seems so unchangeable that there's nothing you can do about it. But uh, in the end, the individual decisions we make make a difference. Those are the things that hold communities together and their families together and, and our own sense of ourselves. This is a song about a man who makes a particular decision, uh, that helps hold those things together, I guess. This is called uh... At the end of the Vietnam War there were a lot of Vietnamese refugees that settled in the Gulf Coast of Texas and they went into the fish, fishing industry and there was a lot of tension between the Texas fishermen and the Vietnamese fishermen. Many of the Texas fishermen had fought in Vietnam so... Anyway, this is called "Galveston Bay".

Song intro on 25 May 1997 at Palais Des Congres, Paris, France:

Merci. I wanna thank everybody for coming to the show tonight. This is a uh, the last song I wrote for the Tom Joad record uh... It's based in the uh, the Gulf Coast of Texas. At the end of the Vietnam War there were a lot of refugees that came out of Vietnam and settled down in the Gulf Coast of Texas and went into the fishing industry, and there was a lot of tension between the Vietnamese fishermen and the Texas fishermen, many of whom had served in Vietnam.