The youngest of three sons, Dan was born in Peoria, Illinois, the son of Margaret (née Irvine), a classically-trained pianist, and Lawrence Peter Fogelberg, a high school band director, who spent most of his career at Peoria Woodruff High School and Pekin High School. Dan Fogelberg's mother was a Scottish immigrant and his father was of Swedish descent. His father would later be the inspiration for the song Leader of the Band. Using a Mel Bay course book, Dan taught himself to play a Hawaiian slide guitar his grandfather gave to him; he also learned to play the piano. He started his music career at age 14 when he joined his first band, The Clan, which paid homage to The Beatles. His second band was another cover combo, The Coachmen, which in 1967 released two singles on Ledger Records: "Maybe Time Will Let Me Forget" and "Don't Want To Lose Her." Another was the blues band, Frankie and the Aliens, who toured regionally during the 1980s covering songs by Cream and Muddy Waters, among others.
After graduating from Woodruff High School in 1969, he studied theater arts and painting at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and began performing as a solo acoustic player in area coffeehouses including the Red Herring Coffeehouse where he made his first solo recordings as part of a folk festival recording in 1971. There, he was discovered in 1971 by Irving Azoff. Fogelberg and Azoff – who started his music-management career promoting another Champaign-Urbana act, REO Speedwagon – moved to California to seek their fortunes. Fogelberg became a session musician who played with pop-folk artists like Van Morrison. In 1972, he released his debut album Home Free to lukewarm response. His second effort was much more successful: the 1974 Joe Walsh-produced album Souvenirs and its hit song "Part of the Plan" made him a major star.
Following Souvenirs, Fogelberg released a string of gold and platinum albums, including Captured Angel (1975) and Nether Lands (1977), and found commercial success with songs like "The Power of Gold." His 1978 Twin Sons of Different Mothers was the first of two collaborations with jazz flutist Tim Weisberg. 1979's Phoenix reached the Top 10, with "Longer" becoming a #2 hit and wedding standard in winter 1980. This was followed by his Top 20 hit "Heart Hotels."
The Innocent Age, released in October 1981, was Fogelberg's critical and commercial peak. This double album song cycle included four of his biggest hits: "Leader of the Band," "Hard To Say," "Run for the Roses", and "Same Old Lang Syne," based on a real-life accidental meeting with a former girlfriend (Jill Anderson). In 1984, he rocked a little again with the album Windows And Walls.
later years:
Fogelberg released High Country Snows in 1985. Recorded in Nashville, it showcased his (and some of the industry's best) talent in the bluegrass genre. Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Doc Watson, Jerry Douglas, David Grisman, Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen were among those who contributed to the record. In a world defined by "life in the fast lane" Fogelberg described the music as "life in the off-ramp." 1987 heralded a return to rock with Exiles, while 1990's The Wild Places was a tribute to Earth preservation. In 1991, he released the live album Greetings from the West.
River of Souls, released in 1993, was Fogelberg's last studio album for Sony Records. In 1997, Portrait encompassed his career with four discs, each highlighting a different facet of his music: "Ballads," "Rock and Roll," "Tales and Travels" (which displayed his talents as a narrative songwriter) and "Hits." In 1999 he fulfilled a career-long dream of creating a Christmas album called First Christmas Morning, and in 2003, Full Circle showcased a return to the folk-influenced, 1970s soft rock-style of music for which he and other singer-songwriters from his era had gained popular recognition.
Fogelberg also used his music to address social issues, including peace and Native American concerns. He was particularly outspoken about his commitment to the environment and to finding alternatives to nuclear power. To that end, Fogelberg included "Face the Fire" on the Phoenix album and performed at a number of the Musicians United for Safe Energy "No Nukes" concerts in 1979 and 1980.
His live concerts won acclaim across the nation over the years. Fogelberg said one of his proudest moments came in 1979 when he played New York City's Carnegie Hall for an audience including his mother and father. Most summers, Fogelberg would perform with full band or in solo acoustic setting; the formats allowed him to show the breadth and depth of his talent as a singer, guitarist, pianist and bandleader. In 2002, fans showed their appreciation by choosing Fogelberg to be one of the first 10 inductees into the Performers Hall of Fame at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.
In May 2004, Fogelberg was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. He underwent therapy and achieved a partial remission, which did not eliminate his cancer but reduced it and stopped its spread. On August 13, 2005, his 54th birthday, Fogelberg announced the success of his cancer treatments and he thanked fans for their support. He said that he had no immediate plans to return to making music but was keeping his options open and enjoying spending time with his wife, musician Jean Fogelberg.
Fogelberg maintained residences in Deer Isle, Maine and at Mountain Bird Ranch, a 610-acre property near Pagosa Springs, Colorado that he bought in 1982. The ranch was put up for sale in 2005.
After battling prostate cancer for three years, Fogelberg died on December 16, 2007 at his home in Maine with his wife Jean by his side.
Soon after his death, Fogelberg's wife, Jean, announced that a song written and recorded for her by Fogelberg for Valentine's Day 2005, Sometimes a Song, would be sold on the Internet and all proceeds would go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The song was released on Valentine's Day 2008. She further announced that this song would be included in a collection of eleven previously unrecorded songs (nine originals) to be released on a CD provisionally entitled "Love In Time".
Changing Horses
Dan Fogelberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gets you wet and sometimes cold
Changing faces in the middle of a dream
Gets you old
Oh, gets you old.
Looking farther than you'll ever hope to see
Takes you places you don't know
And still you go
Oh, still you go.
Don't you think it's kind of sad to say,
Don't you think it's gonna change?
Makes you think you'll have to stay inside
For a while.
Changing horses in the middle of a stream
Gets you wet and sometimes cold
Changing faces in the middle of a dream
Gets you old.
The opening lines of Dan Fogelberg’s song, Changing Horses, is metaphorically alluding to how changing one's decisions halfway can lead to getting wet and cold. Changing course midway, while crossing a stream, can leave you soaked and uncomfortable. Similarly, changing the person you are while in the middle of a dream can lead to aging and missed opportunities. The song is about how we can get sidetracked easily, and how that can ultimately affect us. The second verse, “looking farther than you'll ever hope to see/ takes you places you don't know/ search for someone you can't ever hope to be/ and still you go/ oh, still you go” suggests that the more we seek what we cannot have or be, the further we are from knowing ourselves. It is a meditation on the human compulsion to find meaning and direction in life.
The chorus highlights how the subtle human inclination to change course midway can be detrimental, leading to aging, missed opportunities, and ultimately no progress: “Don't you think it's kind of sad to say/ don't you think it's gonna change?/ Makes you think you'll have to stay inside/ for a while” Changing course can be seen as a metaphor for making decisions without careful consideration. The third verse rounds out the song's theme nicely: “In the end it seems there's only yesterday/And nothing left to say.” The lyrics suggest that our lives can become pointless if we cannot find a way to anchor it, if we allow ourselves to change horses mid-stream or to change our faces in the middle of a dream. In conclusion, Fogelberg’s Changing Horses is a meditation on how we must be conscious of our choices and remain true to ourselves if we want to avoid ending up with lives full of regret.
· The song was released on his album, Home Free, in 1972 as a four-minute single.
· Fogelberg was only twenty-two at the time of release.
· The song remains a fan favorite, and Fogelberg would perform it frequently on tour.
· The song did not chart well, peaking at #73 on the Billboard Hot 100.
· Jackson Browne provides background vocals on the song.
· Some of the instrumentation on the song was performed by Fogelberg himself.
· One of the verses has been misinterpreted by some listeners as saying "search for someone you can't ever hope to be like,” when it is actually just "search for someone you can't ever hope to be."
· Fogelberg said that the song was inspired by existentialism.
· The song was heavily influenced by the music of Joni Mitchell.
· The song's most famous cover was performed by the Charlie Daniels Band, which changed the lyrics to promote American nationalism and anti-Soviet sentiment.
Chords: D, G, A, D, Em, G, A, D.
Line by Line Meaning
Changing horses in the middle of a stream
Making sudden decisions in life can be disruptive and uncomfortable
Gets you wet and sometimes cold
The consequences of change can be uncomfortable and inconvenient
Changing faces in the middle of a dream
Trying to be someone you're not is a form of self-deception
Gets you old
Pretending to be someone you're not can prevent personal growth and aging
Looking farther than you'll ever hope to see
Aspiration should be balanced with reality - don't set unrealistic goals
Takes you places you don't know
Ambition and curiosity can lead you to discover new experiences and opportunities
Search for someone you can't ever hope to be
Trying to emulate others instead of embracing your authentic self is unfulfilling
And still you go
Even though it may not be the best path, the desire for change is a human impulse
Don't you think it's kind of sad to say,
Reflecting on the negative outcomes of impulsive decisions can be regrettable
Don't you think it's gonna change?
Anticipating change before it happens can prevent unnecessary disruption
Makes you think you'll have to stay inside for a while.
Fear of change can lead to stagnation and self-isolation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAN FOGELBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lori Griffith
this is my favorite Dan Fogelberg song. You are missed and not forgotten.
wxbug1
Can only say this little sweetheart of a Fogelberg tune is perfection .. perfect pickin' and words so true!.. my favorite.. Eight years gone now.. RIP, Dan.. your music lives on and we do miss you so.
Larry Salaets
How can somebody actually dislike this?!? A great song from a great artist! R.I.P. Dan ...
Becky Mundt
So love this song and all this man's music. <3 Love you, Dan...
Randy Shannon
Very nice! Thanks!
Larry A
perfection
CJF
My fav too