An only child
Alone and wild
A cabinet maker's son
His hands were meant
For
different work
And his heart was known
To none --
He left his home
And went
his lone
And solitary way
And he gave to me
A gift I know I never
can
repay
A quiet man of music
Denied a simpler fate
He tried to be a soldier
once
But his music wouldn't wait
He earned his love
Through discipline
A
thundering, velvet hand
His gentle means of sculpting souls
Took me years to
understand.
The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But
his blood runs through
My instrument
And his song is in my soul --
My life has
been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy
To the leader of the
band.
My brothers' lives were
different
For they heard another call
One
went to Chicago
And the other to St. Paul
And I'm in Colorado
When I'm not in some
hotel
Living out this life I've chose
And come to know so well.
I thank you for
the music
And your stories of the road
I thank you for the freedom
When it came my
time to go --
I thank you for the kindness
And the times when you got tough
And, pap,
I don't think I
Said 'I love you' near enough --
The leader of the band is
tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through
My instrument
And his song is in my soul --
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I'm
just a living legacy
To the leader of the band
I am the living legacy
To the leader
of the band.
