not the same Auld Lang Syne: RIP Dan Fogelberg

I saw Fogelberg in 87 with my then-girlfriend. A few years later after we'd broken up but were still in contact she said she heard that song and thought of me and wondered if we'd ever have a moment like that years later.

She lives in Colorado now, so I doubt it, but I always think of her when I hear that song. Maybe she thought of me today if she heard the news he died.

 

Nope.

 

The cave theory could be correct.

 

I was driving home from my brother-in-law's graduation from Western Illinois tonight and I heard the news on the radio. I pulled out one of the CD's I have of Dan and played it until I got home and here on the computer.

Same Auld Lang Syne is a favorite, but Heart Hotels, Missing You, and Lonely in Love are my top favorites because it reminds me of being a 5-year old running around and listening Fogelberg on the AM dial in the early 80's.

It won't be the "Same Auld Lang Syne" coming up without him. Prayers and comfort to his family. He's one of the most underrated and talented songwriters I've listen to.

 

For my 5,000th post I present a Dan Fogelberg reference in the comic pages:



full-sized version can be found here: http://www.berkeleybreathed.com/Images/fav_strip3_full.jpg

(I try deleting the sizing on here, but SportsJournalists.com automatically adds it)

 

I grabbed my iPod to listen to some of his stuff and found I had only loaded "The Innocent Age" two-disc album so I put my work down and spent half an hour digging out his Greatest Hits and "Super Hits" CDs to load into my iTunes.

I'm going to guess that most of you have not heard the song I mentioned above called "Tucson, Arizona." But it's one heck of an 8-minute story song.

Here are the lyrics:

 

I agree about the Power of Gold, and for those who think he couldn't rock out, listen to Face the Fire -- the last track on the Phoenix.

 

Damn... RIP.

 

There were few bigger solo acts in the 1979-82 range than Fogelberg. He seemed to become kind of a John-Denver-like Birkenstock punchline in the 90s, which was too bad because he was a fine songwriter and musician.

 

Well, he didn't star in a movie with George Burns...

Just sayin'! ;D

 

Johnny, you probably are aware of this site, but for all the others here who have picked up the guitar and might like Mr. Fogelberg, this site has a lot of his songs with the chords and lyrics to play along.

http://www.gregorysteele.com/index.php?section=21&cat=3

Maybe I should start another thread to find out how many of us are strum-along wannabees.

 

Another Auld Lang Syne ...

My ex-wife, Tanja, sent me an e-mail tonight. I'd written her a few weeks ago, when things were a bit shaky, and a little while ago I received the e-mail below. Some context: I'd always remembered her as hating my Fogelberg collection and having no interest in his music at all. Also, the Mr. T signature is a reference to a piece of snail mail we received when we were first married, and someone butchered her maiden name by addressing the letter to Mr. T van Protijen.

Some of what she says oh-so-subtly brings full circle my grief and connection to a recent tragedy, one she does not know about yet, but I won't go into that here. I'll just say this e-mail touched a lot of chords.

Funny also that she's turned into an LSU fan after moving far away to live with husband No. 3.

Sorry I am so busy these days, Hanukkah finally over with though, so some more breathing room.
So very sorry about Dan Fogelberg, hug hug I remember well how much you played his music, on the guitar and just listening to it for peace. I still have the tape you made me with his music.

Rest peacefully, Dan.

I think about you, Johnny that is, so often.
Wish I could make life less heavy.

I know the holidays suck.

Few more weeks.

And then LSU beating the cookies out of the &(*&^*&^* Buckeyes. Right?

MUCH love
Mr. T