“Same Old Lang Syne” (Dan Fogelberg cover)

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

“I’ll Be Home For Christmas” (Christmas song cover)

Part 3 of this four part Laptop Sessions extravaganza comes to you with a Christmas song. I’ve always loved the way the Beach Boys did this tune, so I’m doing it in the key they sang it in. Like I’ve mentioned before, Christmas music just makes me excited about this time of year, and this tune always kind of sets that mood for me.

It’s an interesting song because there’s really no pattern. It’s just like one long musical sentence. That makes it pretty difficult to play, but now that I’ve got the hang of it, I’ll be able to play it every year. I hope you enjoy and I hope this helps make your season great, if only in your dreams. 😉

Fusco-Moore Video Blog: Christmas Decorating 2007

Hello Laptop Session lovers! Today, in addition to a regular Laptop Session, I give you a video montage of what we’ve been doing lately!

As I mentioned previously, Christmastime is my favorite time of the year. Having a condo for the first year (first Christmas, as we moved in last February), I’ve been very excited and ambitious when it comes to making the place look nice.

So, we put a ton of lights on the outside and plenty of decorations inside. Some of it was a pain (Like these sticky squares that are supposed to keep the lights on the wall. The lights fall off, but the squares take the paint off the walls!), but most of it was fun.

I hope you enjoy this little trip into our lives as we celebrate the Holiday Season!

The song in the background is “Run Rudolph Run” by my band “Masters of the Universe” at http://jimfusco.com/albums.html. You can purchase the Christmas Concert 2006 CD or DVD (which contains that song and 29 others!) on our online store at http://jimfusco.com/mou-xmas-concert.html. Check it out- it’s a really cool store with a TON of stuff, including some free music downloads and wallpapers!

Okay, I’ve ranted enough, but the last thing I’ll say is that I’d love to see other people’s decorations! We only have a condo, but I’m sure someone with a house could put on a GREAT show, as I hope to do someday (like my parents do).

Merry Christmas, everyone,

~Jim



“The Other Side of Life” (Moody Blues Cover)

Back again with another edition of the Laptop Sessions!

This time I finally get to do a Moody Blues song. I just got the urge to do this one yesterday, so it gets first billing. It’s not my favorite of theirs, but it does remind me of listening to it while riding in the car when I was little.

I think it’s got a great beat and a cool chorus (especially how they do the drums in concert), but my father thinks it sounds a bit too much like “Dragging the Line” by Tommy James. I have to agree.

Anyway, this is the first of MANY Moodies songs to come, so stay tuned!