Monday, December 17, 2007

"...and maybe there are seasons, and maybe they change..."*

Rest in peace, Dan Fogelberg.

I hadn't heard the news until this morning. I am profoundly sad. He was 56, and died of advanced prostate cancer.

He lifted all musicians, influenced almost everyone who strummed a guitar (some even unknowingly) and gave the feelings of millions a voice. If lyrics** are important to you, it's likely you own a Dan Fogelberg album. Check out this video on You Tube for evidence, or these lyrics from "Changing Horses":

Changing horses in the middle of a stream
Gets you wet and sometimes cold.
Changing faces in the middle of a dream
Gets you old...
Oh, gets you old.
Looking farther than you'll ever hope to see
Takes you places you dont know.
Search for someone you cant ever hope to be
And still you go
Oh, still you go.

God bless and keep ya, Dan.

If you're a male, please read up on the symptoms, and if you're over 50 (40 with family history) get checked annually.

*From "To the Morning."
**See Same Auld Lang Syne, Seeing You Again, There's a Place In the World For a Gambler, Heart Hotel.

5 comments:

Ginger said...

Still hard to beat Leader of the Band for tear-jerking quality.
Sad news...

Blogarita said...

I've been a fan of Dan Fogelberg for a very long time, and loved it all, from the jazzy "Twin Sons of Different Mothers" with Tim Weisberg to his bluegrass album "High Country Snows", and everything in between.

He will be missed.

Chris Johnson said...

Very sad! Same Old Lang Syne is one of my favorite songs by him.

Anonymous said...

How weird. I'm checking my own prostate right now. Ah, there. Feels normal!

Weary Hag said...

Tch. That silly ol' LBB up there. (giggles a little)

But more seriously, I was quite saddened by this news as well, Dave. And there's a major irony here which I'd like to share with you.

My dad was a professional musician (knew and played with Les Paul, et al). I looked up to him for his musical savy all my life. When I first heard "Leader of the Band" which DF wrote for his OWN father, I cried -imagining how he felt when his dad died; relating somehow.

Well - it's just a touch odd that I lost my own dad this summer and now DF died too. Kinda weird - if you're weary, and a hag.

Thanks for the GREAT comment you recently left. It was good to see you at The Outpost, dude.

Enjoy the holidays!