8 Chords used in the song: G, C, Bm, Am, Em, D, D7, F
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Transpose chords:
G C G
An only child, alone and wild
Bm C
A cabinet maker son.
Am Em
His hands were meant for different work,
Am C D
and his heart was known to none.
G C G
He left his home and went his lone
Bm C
and solitary way.
Am Em D7 G C
And he gave to me a gift I know I never can repay.
G C G
A quiet man of music
Bm C
Denied a simpler fate.
Am Em
He tried to be a soldier once,
Am C D
But his music wouldn't wait.
G C G
He earned his love through disipline
Bm C
A thundering velvet hand
Am Em
His gentle means of sculpting souls
D7 G C G
Took me years to understand.
C Bm C G
The leader of the band is tired, his eyes are growing old.
Am Em
But his blood runs through my instrument
Am F
and his song is in my soul.
C Bm C G
My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man.
Am Em Am G
I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band.
G C G
My brother's lives are different
Bm C
For they heard another call.
Am Em
One went to Chicago
Am C D
and the other to St. Paul.
G C G
And I'm in Colorado
Bm C
When I'm not in some hotel
Am Em
Living the life I chose
D7 G C
And come to know so well.
G C G
I thank you for the music
Bm C
And your stories of the road.
Am Em
I thank you for the freedom
Am C D
When it came my time to go.
G C G
I thank you for your kindness
Bm C
And the times when you got tough.
Am Em
And papa I don't think I said
D7 G C G
"I love you" near enough.
C Bm C G
The leader of the band is tired, his eyes are growing old.
Am Em
But his blood runs through my instrument
Am F
and his song is in my soul.
C Bm C G
My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man.
Am Em Am G
I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band.
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About this song: Leader Of The Band
"Leader of the Band" is a song written by Dan Fogelberg from his 1981 album The Innocent Age. The song was written as a tribute to his musician father. Released as a single at the end of the year, it did quite well on charts, climbing to number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It became Fogelberg's second #1 song on the Billboard adult contemporary chart, following his 1980 hit "Longer".