Same Old Lang Syne - Dan Fogelberg

Same Old Lang Syne by Dan Fogelberg

Met my old lover in the grocery store
The snow was falling Christmas Eve
I stole behind her in the frozen foods
And I touched her on the sleeve

She didn't recognize the face at first
But then her eyes flew open wide
She went to hug me and she spilled her purse
And we laughed until we cried

We took her groceries to the checkout stand
The food was totalled up and bagged
We stood there lost in our embarrassment
As the conversation dragged

We went to have ourselves a drink or two
But couldn't find an open bar
We bought a six-pack at the liquor store
And we drank it in her car

We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to now
And tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how

She said she'd married her an architect
Who kept her warm and safe and dry
She would have liked to say she loved the man
But she didn't like to lie

I said the years had been a friend to her
And that her eyes were still as blue
But in those eyes I wasn't sure if I saw
Doubt or gratitude

She said she saw me in the record stores
And that I must be doing well
I said the audience was heavenly
But the traveling was hell

We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to now
And tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how

We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to time
Reliving in our eloquence
Another 'auld lang syne'

The beer was empty and our tongues were tired
And running out of things to say
She gave a kiss to me as I got out
And I watched her drive away

Just for a moment I was back at school
And felt that old familiar pain
And as I turned to make my way back home
The snow turned into rain

----------------------------------------

A long but interesting trivia about the song from www.songfacts.com

As Fogelberg tells it on his official website, the song is totally autobiographical. He was visiting family back home in Peoria, Illinois in the mid-'70s when he ran into an old girlfriend at a convenience store.

After Fogelberg's death from prostate cancer in 2007, the woman who he wrote the song about came forward with her story. Her name is Jill Greulich, and she and Fogelberg dated in high school when she was Jill Anderson. As she explained to the Peoria Journal Star in a December 22, 2007 article, they were part of the Woodruff High School class of 1969, but went to different colleges. After college, Jill got married and moved to Chicago, and Dan went to Colorado to pursue music. On Christmas Eve, they were each back in Peoria with their families when Jill went out for egg nog and Dan was dispatched to find whipping cream for Irish coffee. The only place open was a convenience store at the top of Abington Hill, at Frye Avenue and Prospect Road, and that's where they had their encounter. They bought a six pack of beer and drank it in her car for 2 hours while they talked.

Five years later, Jill heard "Same Old Lang Syne" on the radio while driving to work, but she kept quiet about it, as Fogelberg also refused to reveal her identity. Her main concern was that coming forward would disrupt Fogelberg's marriage.

Looking at the lyrics, Jill says there are 2 inaccuracies: She has green eyes, not blue, and her husband was not an architect - he was a physical education teacher, and it's unlikely Fogelberg knew his profession anyway. Regarding the line, "She would have liked to say she loved the man, but she didn't like to lie," Jill won't talk about it, but she had divorced her husband by the time the song was released.

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=3506

Category:

Music

Tags:

• same
• old
• lang
• syne
• dan
• fogelberg
• michael
• brecker
• solo
• guitar

[crfcm764]

Just curious, how did you teach yourself to play by ear? I love acoustic guitar and have tried to learn to play, but the tabs, theory and garble that teachers want you to learn---I have no interest in. Any suggestions?

[oniepot]

@crfcm764

i first learned the chords, and that's all i played for years. eventually i started playing by ear, and the more i did it, the keener i got in mimicking the notes. i can't really explain it in technical terms, i basically sing the melody in my head and the fingers find the notes. i don't have the notes memorized, in fact if i stop playing a song i forget how to play it. it's more of a gut feeling. sorry if that didn't help... :(

[soxandale]

If you don't mind, could you email me a tab? Thanks

[oniepot]

@soxandale

sorry, i don't have tabs for it. ...

[annonthebeach]

I really like your guitar playing.  Do you have sheet music to Same Old Lang Syne, would you share it with me if you do?

[oniepot]

sorry i don't have tabs or the music for this. i can't read tabs and i can only play by ear. sorry...

[juicemoves]

Awsome!!!

[billdhicks]

Beautify rendition.



[karamattox]

Gorgeous! Gave chill bumps!

[mightyerle]

Beautiful. Exactly what I was looking for.

I never heard this song until yesterday, when I was looking through a huge list of xmas/new years songs for something new to play at a coffee house in a couple of weeks. Found the Fogelburg version on youtube and liked it, but the tabs and chords for it that I found were pretty lame. If I decide I can sing it (no guarantee there lol) I'll definitely be copying some of your shapes and changes. Thanks.

[aanglero]

so kool my dude!

[goneoverboard2]

Wow !!! That was really, really beautiful. Well done. Who needs tabs anyway. I am 64, been playing guitar at home for years and still never bother to read. Suppose it`s diff if it`s a tune you have never heard before. However, you will always develope your own style playing by ear.........