By Jim Fusco:
Hello everyone. A somber Laptop Session today, as I pay tribute to Dan Fogelberg, who wrote one of the best songs of all time in “Same Old Lang Syne”. No matter what generation you’re from, I’m sure you can relate to this song. Meeting up with someone from your past that evokes such strong memories is one of those experiences that just seems like part of life. I can’t explain how much I enjoy “Same Old Lang Syne”. The song is really the anti-Christmas song because of how somber the tone/mood is. Honestly, it isn’t really even a Christmas song. It’s just a song about Mr. Fogelberg was out one Christmas Eve and how he ran into an old girlfriend. The reminisced about the old times they had together and even though they had a good time, they both knew that they’d moved on in life.
When the woman leaves, Dan’s left with “that old familiar pain” that he felt back when he had relationships in his school years. I remember that pain. It’s a pain I never want to feel again. Though, as I said in my song, “The Game” from Masters of the Universe’s “Homestead’s Revenge” album, “Don’t you tell me you don’t miss the game.” You should really listen to that album- click here! There’s a certain thrill about the “game” of it all- it’s exciting, but most times it leaves you heartbroken. Of course, Dan Fogelberg talked about that sentiment perfectly in “Same Old Lang Syne” when he said, “The snow turned into rain.”
This song always made my brother and I think of Christmas being over. And I guess that’s the realization Dan Fogelberg came to when he wrote this song, too. He realized that his old flame had died. Of course, growing up, our take on the song was this: all the presents have been opened and now we have to clean up! Doesn’t exactly have the same sentiment, right? 🙂
Of course, Dan wrote many other great songs, but his passing makes the song even more poignant now.
The one funny thing is that I was planning on doing this music video the day BEFORE he died anyway because it’s always been one of my favorite Christmas-time songs. Instead, I make this acoustic cover song music video a tribute.
To all Dan Fogelberg fans- I’m sorry for your loss and I hope, as I do with all the Laptop Sessions cover song videos, that I’ve done the song justice here.
~Jim