Andy
Dan Fogelberg's Passing and Christmas Time
Dec 21, 2007
So, Dan Fogelberg passed away earlier this week. He was 56 years young, and had been fighting a very advanced form of prostate cancer since 2004. It's always sad when we lose a great songwriter and musician, but Dan's passing at this time of year is quite poignant. That's because one of his most popular and beloved songs is associated with the holiday season, "Same Auld Lang Syne." For the uninitiated, it's a ballad about a man running into an old girlfriend in a grocery store on Christmas Eve. They have both moved on to other marriages and lives, but they share a 6 pack of beer in her car and reminisce about a long lost love and the wonders of what might have been. Many years later, Dan confessed that this actually happened and the song was indeed based on a true story. That's the brilliance of Dan Fogelberg's songwriting. All of us have a past relationship like that, and the pains and regret of lost opportunities. But he put that random experience into a song that moves us. I heard it on the radio twice today, and I'm not so sure I'll ever listen to that song again without getting a tear in my eye. I pulled out my copy of "Portrait", which was a 4 CD set released in the late-90's and really covers the full embodiment of Fogelberg's work. So many great songs...hits and otherwise...that make one appreciate his amazing songwriting ability. Hits like "Longer" and "Power of Gold", to deep stories like "Scarecrow's Dream" and "Make Love Stay." The one song of his that really resonates with me is "Seeing You Again." He wrote it after meeting his soon-to-be-ex wife in Hawaii to see if his marriage could be saved. It couldn't...and anyone who's been in a marriage, gave it another shot to see if it could work...and failed, feels the pain in his heart. It's very moving, and we have lost one of the great American songwriters. I’m also fortunate, because I was able to see him live twice. Once as a solo act, going back-and-forth between his acoustic guitar and the piano. The second with a full band. Both shows were amazing. So, it's holiday time, and you'll hear "Same Auld Lang Syne" a lot over the next week If you're not done with your holiday shopping, go out and buy someone you love the "Portrait" collection. Or better yet, go buy it as a gift to yourself. Happy Holidays
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