Dan Fogelberg

What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, the bell tolls for Dan Fogelberg, a/k/a/ the Captured Angel. Back here, he's going to be remebered mainly for his time as a balladeer of woosy love songs. That sucks more than any of his songs ever did.

Yes, you're in the right place, rock dogs. This is coming from a guy who rocks out every night to Led Zeppelin, Skynyrd, Van Halen, AC/DC. You might wonder why I'd even note the passing of Dan Fogelberg. It's a simple answer. I adored Dan Fogelberg. This is no "guilty pleasure" confessional.Before he sang his pop songs, Dan Fogelberg ranked high on the list of things cool.

The pop culture attention span being what it is, Dan Fogelberg will doubtless be rembered as

• The guy who did that song about meeting his old girlfriend in the store on Christmas
  
• The guy who did that song about his father the bandleader
  
• The guy who did that song about the horse in the Kentucky Derby
  

Oh there's so much more. Dan Fogelberg wove the soundtrack to no small part of my life, and of my circle of friends.

My college and early married years were entwined with his early career. Even today, hearing "Illinois" or "There's A Place in the World for a Gambler" or that whole delicate side of "Netherlands" brings forth all the thoughts and memories of that time. That music was ribbed with passion. filled with angelic harmonies, lonesome echoes and the anticipation of what could be just beyond the horizon.

Forgive for drifting into seventies-speak. Yes, kids we really did used to think that way.. start each day with a warm smile. Discover what magic the morning sky would hold today...yeah, hold hands and sing Kumbaya. and hopefully wake up naked next to someone.

Fogelberg was not 'rock your way through the day' music. He was for contemplation, after class, after work, after a date that somehow ended at 9:30. You'd not play him at a party, except really late. That's when one of the real benefits of his work became evident. Women who liked his music were attracted to splendor and intensity... and were more generous in their passion.

Later in his career, as his popped out hit after hit for soft rock radio, Dan Fogelberg became embedded with the "sad ballad" tag. Eventually, his "Lite-FM" persona overtook whatever cool points he earned early on.

Much like Billy Joel, the popular perception of Fogelberg came to be shaped more by his radio hits than his early, less mainstream music.Looks like the secret got out. He became a staple of the early 80's, and enjoyed great commercial success.

Well, good for him. I'm happy. How can I begrudge someone the success that springs from his hard work. I'm also grateful to return to college in my mind for a few minutes. Dan Fogelberg will always be a big part of those years, as will the feelings his music evoked.

Then again, screw him, he's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.

StevenK