Leader of the band (1981)     (video)

 

    G - G7 - C   - Am - Em - D   - G - C   - G - C   - G - C - G

 

   G                 C     G                       Bm                      C

1.   An only child alone and wild, a cabinet maker's son,

Am                                         Em

    his hands were meant for different work

                    Am                          C - D

    and his heart was known to no….ne.

G                     C               G                        Bm         C

    He left his home and went his lone and solitary way

                 Am                Em               Am    D7       G

    and he gave to me a gift I know I never can repay.

 

+  G - C    - G - C    - G - C - G

 

   G                 C         G           Bm                 C

2.    A quiet man of music, denied a simpler fate,

Am                        Em                            Am                    C - D

    he tried to be a soldier once but his music wouldn't wai…..t.

G                         C                    G                 Bm                     C

    He earned his love through discipline, a thund'ring velvet hand,

           Am                       Em                                Am       D7       G

    his gentle means of sculpting souls took me years to understand.

 

C                               Bm                            C                         G

    The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old,

              Am                            Em                          Am                    F - D

but his blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my sou.….l.

C                                 Bm               - C                          G

    My life has been a poor attempt        to imitate the man,

      Am             Em                 Am     C         G

I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band.

 

+  G - C    - G - C    - G - C - G

 

   G                      C                G                         Bm                  C

3.    My brothers' lives were different, for they heard another call,

    Am                    Em                 Am                C - D

    one went to Chicago, and the other to St. Pau…l.

G                     C    G                    Bm                  C

    And I'm in Colorado when I'm not in some hotel,

   Am                  Em                     Am          D7        G    - C - G

    living out this life I chose and come to know so well.

 

+  G - G7 - C   - Am - Em - D   - G - C   - G - C   - G - C - G

 

   G                     C          G                      Bm                C

4.    I thank you for the music and your stories of the road,

Am                              Em                    Am                      C   - D

    I thank you for the freedom when it came my time to go.

G                    C         G                       Bm                             C

   I thank you for the kindness and the times when you got tough,

             Am               Em               Am            D7      G

   and, Papa, I don't think I said "I love you" near enough.

 

C                               Bm                            C                         G

    The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old,

              Am                            Em                          Am                    F - D

but his blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my sou.….l.

C                                 Bm               - C                          G

    My life has been a poor attempt        to imitate the man,

      Am             Em                 Am     C         G

I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band.

 

      Am                 Em                Am     C         G

+  I am the living legacy to the leader of the band

 

+  G - C   - G - C   - G - C - G     + G - G7 - C   - Am - Em - D - G

 

 

(orig. = capo 1st)    (Dan Fogelberg)