Posted on 12/16/2007 12:06:46 PM PST by lunarbicep
I was part of a folk group in the late 70s - we did that song A LOT for weddings...our fearless leader had a wonderful voice.
I dragged my portable stereo to college with me in 1980 and the one of the few records I brought with me was Nether Lands. Wow...He wrote Leader of the Band for his beloved Father. The Father of 16 children..RIP Mr. Fogelberg:
Leader of the Band Lyrics:
An only child
Alone and wild
A cabinet maker’s 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 wouldn’t 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
I’m 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 I’m in colorado
When I’m not in some hotel
Living out this life I’ve 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 don’t 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
I’m just a living legacy
To the leader of the band
I am the living legacy
To the leader of the band.
Dan Fogelberg touched many lives. His lyrics were touching and real. We have lost a beautiful soul. May you rest in peace Dan.
I actually cried when I read this..I don’t know..so young..a part of my formative years...so handsome, so talented. Seemed like a good man.
There are million rock songs where people trash their parents. But Fogelberg was too classy to write something like that.
For what my opinion is worth, “Leader of the Band” is the greatest tribute song in rock music history. We thank you for the music, Dan.
That’s just the way it is.
I certainly treasure this song. My daughter just got her first taste of his music. And as she loves that show How I Met Your Mother, she surely enjoyed hearing this song. Thanks for the link. I don’t think she’d ever heard it in it’s entirety. A new fan born today. He was such a gentle voice.
A year ago I noted that many of the guitars that he played in concert and used on a daily basis were up for sale at Gruhn's Guitars in Nashville; one notable was a White 1957 Gretch that any collector in his right mind would never sell...now I know why. God bless him....
Terrible news. ‘Hearts Hotel’ was always one of my favorites - - for some reason I remember hearing that song and Toto’s ‘99’ quite often at Camp Geiger ITS. Saw Dan in Philly circa 1984.
RIP to a great talent. May God bless and comfort his family.
I couldn’t call myself a Fogelberg fan, but I did recognize his extraordinary talent and class. Rest in peace, Dan.
His music got me through some rough times in my young adulthood, and inspired my own guitar playing. Did many of his songs at open mic nights.
Thanks for your music Dan.
wow....chicks love his early to mid 70s stuff
he and Jessie Colin Young had that same sound
I managed a concert at Ole Miss in 77 he played...
Still have my AR turntable. Simple as they get. Getting a needle and pickup is getting harder these days though. The turntable is ported analog through my stereo which is hooked wireless to my computer. Though I no longer need to, I can convert anything to digital, including 8-track. Love the digital stuff though.
How sad. What a good looking, talented man he was. After years of being boxed up, I took out my albums and set up my old (and still in great shape) stereo - turntable, AM/FM radio, 2 cassette tape decks - in my new house and cranked up the volume (I’ve lived in apartments most my adult life). I thought about Dan for some reason when I put on a Jimmy Spheeris album. RIP sweet soul and prayers to your family.
Sad to hear this. Very talented guy. I rememeber how his music influenced many parts of my young life. RIP
As a hard-core heavy metal highschooler from the 80’s
LOL me too!
There is more now that can play vinyl than 10-15 years ago. Believe me.
Of course, I hold onto my old Panasonic stereo which my sister gave me either as graduation (HS) or b-day present in ‘87. It still works perfectly fine and includes the turntable.
Looking for a turntable unit for my parents mid-90s for Christmas, it was almost impossible. Luckily I did find 1 at Wal-Mart with the whole stereo unit (cheap, like my Panasonic). And the fancy music conniseur shop in the area had a couple modular turntables, and gave me nice advice. Other than that, it was almost impossible to find 1, much less have a choice.
Now, after that frantic search, it seems turntables are easier to find even “in person”. You don’t necessarily have to order sight-unseen even.
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