_ _ I think I could only have written one song in my life.
_ It would have been Leader of the Band.
_ _ _ .
Because what that meant to my father and to me, _ _ .
there's no way I could quantify that or even explain it.
_ _ _ _ .
My father passed away over ten years ago now,.
and _ _ _ he got to hear that song.
He got to see this, enjoy the success of that song.
_ People were calling him on the phone and interviewing him in his last days.
_ Who is this man, the leader of the band?.
_ _ And he loved that, and I loved that, because I respected him so much.
He gave me everything I am, really.
My mother and he were both musicians.
_ _ .
_
G The idea of being a living legacy is really the truth.
_ I don't think I'll ever be as accomplished a musician as he was, _ _ _ _ .
but _ _ I've had a different gift.
It came to me in a different way.
I've been able to
C reach and touch people with these songs that I write.
_ And that one has probably touched more people more
E deeply than anything
Am I've ever done.
_ _
Em _ _ _ .
_ _
D _ _ _ _ .
G _ _ _
C _ _ _ .
G _ _
C _ _ _
G _ .
_
C _ _ _
G _ _ .
_ _ _ _
C _ _ .
_
G _ _ _ _ _ .
Bm _ _ _ _
C _ _ .
_ _ _
Am _ _ _ .
_ _
Em _ _ _ _ .
_
Am _ _ _ _ _ .
C _ _
D _ _
G _ _ .
C _ _ _
G _ _ _ .
_
Bm _ _ _ _ _ .
_
C _ _ _ And
Am he gave to
Em me a gift I know
Am I _
D.
never can
G _ _
C repay.
_
G A
C _ _ _ .
G _ _
C _ _ _
G _ .
_ _ _ _ _
C.
quiet man of
G _ music, _
Bm denied a simple
C _ fate.
He
Am _ .
tried to
Em be a soldier once,
Am but his _ music couldn't
C _
D wait.
_
G _ .
He
C earned his love through
G _ .
discipline,
Bm a _ thundering
C velvet hand _ .
Am His gentle,
Em meant-to _ -sculpting souls
Am took me
D years to _
G _ understand.
_
C The _ leader of
Bm the band is dying,
C and his eyes are
G growing old.
_
Am But his blood runs through
Em my instrument, _
Am and his soul is in my _
D soul.
_
C.
My life has been
G _
Bm an attempt
C to imitate the
G band.
_ Oh,
Am I'm just a
Em living _ legacy
Am to
C the leader
G of the
C band _ .
G My _
C _ _ _ .
G _ _
C _ _ _
G _ .
_ _ _ _ _
C _ .
brother's lines were
G different, for
Bm they _ heard another
C _ come.
_ _
Am.
One went
Em to Chicago, _
Am and the other to
C St.
_
D _ _ .
G Paul.
And
C I'm in _
G.
Colorado, _
Bm when I'm not in some _
C _ hotel _ .
_
A Living out
Em this life I have chose,
Am I've come
D to know
G so
C _ .
well.
G _ I _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ .
_ _
C _
G _
C _ _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ .
G _ _
Am _ _ _ _ .
_
Em _ _ _ _ _ .
D _ _ _ _ _
G _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ .
C _ _
G _ _ _
C _ .
_ _
G _ _ _ _ .
_ _
C thank you for the
G music, _ and
Bm your _ stories of
C the road.
_ I
Am _ thank you for
Em the freedom, _
Am when it came my time
C to go.
G _
D I
G _ .
C thank you for
G your kindness,
Bm and the times when you
C got tough _ .
Am And Papa, I
Em don't think I said
Am I love
D you
G near enough _ _ .
_
C The leader
Bm of the _ band is dying,
C and his eyes are _
G growing old _ .
But
Am his blood runs through
Em my instrument, and
Am his soul is in
G my _ .
_
D _
C soul.
My life has
Bm been _ _ _ _ .
C _ an attempt to imitate the
G band.
Oh,
Am I'm just a living
Em _ legacy _
Am to the _
C leader
G of the band _ .
Am I am a living
Em _ .
_ legacy to
Am the _ _
C _ leader _ .
_
D _ _ _ of _ _ _ _ _ .
G the
C band.
_
G _ _ .
C The _
G _ _ _ .
C _ _
G _ _ _ _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ .
_ _
C _ _
G _
C _ .
_ _ _ _ song, Leader of the Band,
G cemented our
Am relationship.
There was nothing left unsaid
Em when he passed away.
_
D _ _ _ _ _ _
G _ _ _ _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ .
_
N _ _ _ _ _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ .