The story behind “Same Old Lang Syne” Posted on December 26, 2013 | BY RICHARD A. MARINI In what’s becoming an annual holiday tradition, we bring you the story behind one of the most beloved, if somewhat sappy New Year’s songs ever written: Originally published in 2007 by Peoria (Illinois) Journal-Star columnist Phil Luciano, this column tells the story behind Dan Fogelberg’s weepy New Year’s Christmas Eve reunion song “Same Old Lang Syne.” Since the song’s release in 1980, Peoria – as well as the rest of his fans worldwide – has wondered about the “old lover” referenced in the song. Fogelberg never would say, and only a handful of people knew the ex-girlfriend’s identify. The column reveals that the “old lover” was a one-time high school sweetheart of Fogelberg’s named Jill Anderson and how the song is a fictionalized account of an actual New Year’s Christmas Eve meeting between the two. It also reveals that, to Anderson’s credit, she rarely spoke about the meeting or her relationship with the singer/songwriter, who had died shortly before the column was published. …she and Fogelberg only rarely had communicated over the past quarter-century, she feared that her talking about the song somehow might cause trouble in his marriage. But in the aftermath of his death – he passed away of prostate cancer Sunday at age 56 – she has been sharing her secret with old friends in Peoria. The story of their inadvertent meeting was a simple one of the need for eggnog and whipping cream. …on Christmas Eve 1975, Jill and her husband visited her parents, who still lived in the Woodruff district. Also at the home were some friends of the family. During the gathering, Jill’s mother asked her to run out for egg nog. Jill drove off in search of an open store. Meanwhile, a few blocks away, a similar scenario was playing out at the Fogelberg home, where Dan Fogelberg was visiting family for the holiday. They needed whipping cream to make Irish coffees, so Fogelberg volunteered to go search for some. After their convenience-store meetup, the two sipped some beers, talked and reminisced. About five years later, Fogelberg released “Same Old Lang Syne,” a sentimental telling of their NYE Christmas Eve encounter — with some minor poetic license taken. One inaccuracy had to do with the color of Jill’s eyes, the other, what her ex-husband did for a living. But those are minor details. The heart of the song hangs on its most chilling line: “She would have liked to say she loved the man, but she didn’t like to lie.” Still, even decades later, she declines to discuss that line of the tune. “I think that’s probably too personal,” she says. But the song had no impact on her marriage. By the time of its release, she had divorced. “Somebody said he waited until I was divorced to release the song, but I don’t know if that’s true,” Jill says. It’s a sweet column about a long-ago romantic reunion. You’ll likely hear the song on the radio in the coming days, so read the full column here so you’ll know the whole story. Categories: Uncategorized https://youtube/watch?v=WJxcEjI_U-8
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 13:57:11 +0000
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