Leader Of The Band

1981

Dan Fogelberg

When most people who were both around in the early 80s and young enough (Either in years or in soul) to enjoy the popular music of the era think,' Dan Fogelberg Song', 'Leader Of The Band' is one of the two songs that come instantly to mind. 'Leader Of The Band was also, by far, Dan Fogelberg's most personal song. The tune was a love song to his dad, and a beautiful one...both in melody, and in thought...at that. He wrote it as a tribute to Fogelberg family patriarch Lawrence Fogelberg, who was a long time high school band leader and teacher in their home town of Peoria Ill, and who Dan credited him with molding him into the person he was.

The other song that everyone thinks of as a Dan Fogelberg hit is 'Same Old Lang Syne', and interestingly enough, the songs tied for chart position among his four biggest hits...both peaked at #9. 'Leader Of The Band' was released the day after Thanksgiving of 1981, on November 28^th, and peaked at #9 just more that three months later on March 6^th 1982

Everyone who was around back then recognizes that mellow, soothing. guitar intro, and I have a feeling most everyone can swing into '...An Only Child Alone And Wild, A Cabinet Makers Son...' right on cue. It's a beautiful song, and anyone who loved their dad can not tell me that they don't get a little misty-eyed when they hear it.

This is actually my favorite Dan Fogelberg tune, and it's way up on my list of favorite songs. I have a feeling I'm not alone in feeling that way, either. I've always though 'Leader Of The Band' should be required listening on Fathers Day...it perfectly illustrates what the relationship between a father and a son should be.

Lawrence Fogelberg got to hear his son's musical tribute to him...the song was released on November 26th, 1981, Lawrence passed away in August of '82. And Dan Fogelberg got to tell his dad how uin felt about him with a classic..

So Enjoy! Leader Of The Band, by Dan Fogelberg.

Hard To Say

1981

Dan Fogelberg

The wild thing about Dan Fogelberg's second biggest hit is the fact that it's the one I've heard the least on Oldies stations.

It's still an awesome little tune though, with an upbeat but mellow melody, and meaningful soulful lyrics...the latter definitely one of Dan Fogelberg's specialties. He wrote 'Hard To Say' while recovering form surgery, and (My take here) its a retrospective on how much a guy loves his girlfriend or wife, even though they're apart. Of course, their can be as many meanings of songs as there are fans of that song. What ever your take on it, it's very definite soulful ear candy, and makes you pause and reflect (Likely while mouthing the lyrics!)

'Hard To Say' was Dan's second biggest hit, peaking at #7 on The Hot 100 on Halloween of 1981 after being released two months earlier, on August 28^th. It hung around the charts for 19 weeks.

I..and everyone else alive and teenage to young Twenty-something in late summer and Fall of '8...heard it constantly, usually on WRVQ...'Q-94'...in Richmond, though it was also a force over on the area's easy listening station (98.1, or 'Lite98', WTVR-FM). Like all four of Dan Fogelberg's 'Big 4' . it was also a huge hit on the Adult/Contemporary charts, where it spent three weeks at #2

It always amazes me when songs this good don't show up on Oldies stations any more than they do. This is a sweet, thoughtful little tune, and it should be around forever.

So Enjoy! Hard To Say by Dan Fogelberg.

I really like the way this video gives a tip o' the hat to Dan Fogelberg's backing band...and let me tell ya, Dan had some pretty accomplished musicians backing him up on 'Hard To Say'. Tom Scott was blowin' the sax, and there are only a very few other saxophone players who approach his abilities on than most awesome of all wind instruments. He lent his talents to a slew of hits and popular TV theme songs during the 70s and 80s. Glen Frye...who was also lent his vocal skills to a little group called 'The Eagles...sang back-up vocals, and Keyboard duties were handled by Mike Utley, who for years played keyboard with Margaritaville's mayor and best know resident, the one and only Jimmy Buffet.