RIP Dan Fogelberg

[boonedoggle]

An only child
Alone and wild
A cabinet makers son
His hands were meant
For different work
And his heart was known
To none --
He left his home
And went his lone
And solitary way
And he gave to me
A gift I know I never
Can repay

A quiet man of music
Denied a simpler fate
He tried to be a soldier once
But his music wouldnt wait
He earned his love
Through discipline
A thundering, velvet hand
His gentle means of sculpting souls
Took me years to understand.

The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through
My instrument
And his song is in my soul --
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
Im just a living legacy
To the leader of the band.

My brothers lives were
Different
For they heard another call
One went to chicago
And the other to st. paul
And Im in colorado
When Im not in some hotel
Living out this life Ive chose
And come to know so well.

I thank you for the music
And your stories of the road
I thank you for the freedom
When it came my time to go --
I thank you for the kindness
And the times when you got tough
And, pap, I dont think i
Said i love you near enough --

The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through
My instrument
And his song is in my soul --
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
Im just a living legacy
To the leader of the band
I am the living legacy
To the leader of the band.

[Da Klugs]

Love when you can
Cry when you have to...
Be who you must
Thats a part of the plan
Await your arrival
With simple survival
And one day well all understand...

[Darb85]

a sign of my youth, who is he?

[boonedoggle]

Originally Posted by Darb85

a sign of my youth, who is he?

I remember listening to the Leader of the Band when I was a kid, and everytime I hear that lonely acoustic guiter and those sappy lyrics, I am instantly transported to another place and time when there were no cares in the world.

[n3uka]

Originally Posted by Darb85

a sign of my youth, who is he?

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...gelobit17.html

[billybarue]

YGTBSM!!

I don't admit it much (because it is kind of "soft" rock music), but he is probably my favorite artist. Came from the late 60/thru mid 70, what I call "Folk Rock" Genre. Guys like the Eagles, America, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Jackson Browne, Harry Chapin, Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Croce, Bob Seeger, Springsteen, Steve Miller, etc, etc -- real musicians who wrote, played, and sang their own music

I pretty much have everything from his early days, as well as Jackson Browne. Fogelberg is an absolute Poet. There is no better lyricist in my mind. Guys like Jackson Browne are also great, and maybe James Taylor comes close but Fogelberg was awesome. He played a lot of 12 string and I know nothing about guitars or playing music, but beyond his lyrics he was an outstanding musician. I hear 12 string ain't easy!!

One of his first albums - Netherlands, and a double album - "The Innocent Age" (which has "Leader of the Band") are my favorites but any of his early stuff I really like.

man I am sorry to hear it.

[n3uka]

died Sunday of prostate cancer at his home in Maine. He was 56.

The said thing is we lose a great one to an almost totally curable disease.
Just goes to show how important testing is.

[monsoon]

Wow ... and only 56 years old. How sadly ironic that this should come, right before "Another Old Lang Syne."

Truely one of the greats.




Met my old lover in the grocery store
The snow was falling christmas eve
I stole behind her in the frozen foods
And I touched her on the sleeve

She didnt recognize the face at first
But then her eyes flew open wide
She went to hug me and she spilled her purse
And we laughed until we cried.

We took her groceries to the checkout stand
The food was totalled up and bagged
We stood there lost in our embarrassment
As the conversation dragged.

We went to have ourselves a drink or two
But couldnt find an open bar
We bought a six-pack at the liquor store
And we drank it in her car.

We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to now
And tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how.

She said shed married her an architect
Who kept her warm and safe and dry
She would have liked to say she loved the man
But she didnt like to lie.

I said the years had been a friend to her
And that her eyes were still as blue
But in those eyes I wasnt sure if I saw
Doubt or gratitude.

She said she saw me in the record stores
And that I must be doing well
I said the audience was heavenly
But the traveling was hell.

We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to now
And tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how.

We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to time
Reliving in our eloquence
Another auld lang syne...

The beer was empty and our tongues were tired
And running out of things to say
She gave a kiss to me as I got out
And I watched her drive away.

Just for a moment I was back at school
And felt that old familiar pain
And as I turned to make my way back home
The snow turned into rain --

[RenoB]

One of only a few artists my wife and I equally enjoy. Be at peace and thanks for the memories!

[gvarsity]

Thanks for the post. When I was growing up leader of the band was one of my favorite songs. I haven't thought about Dan Fogelberg in awhile. Brings back good memories. Sad to die so young of as n3uka said an curable disease if caught early. Prostate cancer took a friend of mine at 66 which is to young.

[onlyonerm]

A great artist and a sad day.

[boonedoggle]

I still have the cassette of Leader of the Band, speaking of which.

[bobarian]

Another classic example of his music is "Twin Sons of Different Mothers" DF and Tim Weisburg. One of those albums you hated to admit you liked.

[tzaddi]

Originally Posted by bobarian

Another classic example of his music is "Twin Sons of Different Mothers" DF and Tim Weisburg.

Great Album, I can remember the album art, that was the look.



You can still hear his voice if you listen.

[RPB67]

A shame.

He will be missed. May he R.I.P.