Dan Fogelberg The Leader Of The Band Lyrics

The Leader Of The Band Lyrics

LEADER OF THE BAND
Dan Fogelberg

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 thund'ring
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 thru' 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 brother's 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 papa 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