This file is part of a collection that (moreso than the rest of the site) are not meant to be detailed or accurate transcriptions of the original recordings. They're just some simple chord charts that I made for my own use, some of them my own arrangements.
- T-rev
"LEADER OF THE BAND" by Dan Fogelberg www.danfogelberg.com
From his 1981 album The Innocent Age
Written by Dan Fogelberg
Transcribed by T-rev www.t-rev.net
Capo 1st fret.
|G7/B. . . |C . . . |Am . Em . |D . |
|G C/G G C/G|G C/G G . |
G G/C G
An only child alone and wild
Bm C
a cabinet maker's son
Am Em7
His hands were meant for different work
Am C D
And his heart was known to none--
G G/C G
He left his home and went his lone
Bm C
and solitary way
Am Em7
And he gave to me a gift I know
Am D G
I never can repay
|G C/G G C/G|G C/G G . |
G G/C G
A quiet man of music
Bm C
denied a simpler fate
Am Em7
He tried to be a soldier once
Am C D
but his music wouldn't wait--
G G/C G
He earned his love through discipline
Bm C
a thundering velvet hand
Am Em7
His gentle means of sculpting souls
Am D G
took me years to understand
Am G/B C Bm
The leader of the band is tired
C G
and his eyes are growing old
Am G/B Am Em7
But his blood runs through my instrument
Am F D
and his song is in my soul--
C Bm
My life has been a poor attempt
C G
to imitate the man
Am G/B Am Em7
I'm just a living legacy
Am C G
to the leader of the band
G G/C G
My brothers' lives were different
Bm C
for they heard another call
Am Em7
One went to Chicago
Am C D
and the other to St Paul--
G G/C G
And I'm in Colorado
Bm C
when I'm not in some hotel
Am Em7
Living out this life I've chose
Am D G
and come to know so well
|G C/G G . |
|G7/B. . . |C . . . |Am . Em . |D . |
|G C/G G C/G|G C/G G . |
G G/C G
I thank you for the music
Bm C
and your stories of the road
Am Em7
I thank you for the freedom
Am C D
when it came my time to go----
G G/C G
I thank you for the kindness
Bm C
and the times when you got tough
Am Em7
And Papa, I don't think I said
Am D G
I love you near enough
Am G/B C Bm
The leader of the band is tired
C G
and his eyes are growing old
Am G/B Am Em7
But his blood runs through my instrument
Am F D
and his song is in my soul--
C Bm
My life has been a poor attempt
C G
to imitate the man
Am G/B Am Em7
I'm just a living legacy
Am C G
to the leader of the band
Am G/B Am Em7
I am a living legacy
Am
to the leader
C D G
of--- the band
Transcribed 2024-08-23 by T-rev
More tab available at www.t-rev.net
x23030 G7/B
x32010 C
x02210 Am
022000 Em
xx0232 D
3x0003 G
3x2013 C/G
x24432 Bm
022030 Em7
x2003x G/B
133211 F
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