What I Would Have Played – Eerie #1 Light Rock Hits
1 – Dan Fogelberg – Leader of the Band (1982)
This (quite frankly, beautiful) song written by Dan Fogelberg in honor of his father seemed to be a great eulogy; however, his father wasn’t dead at the time. This led to a lot of questions about whether or not Fogelberg’s father had passed, and a lot of media attention for his dad. A lot of guys will scream and complain about hating this song — and Fogelberg — but it can tend to get a little dusty when this song plays.
2 – Jim Croce – I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song (1974)
This song spent exactly one week at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1974, but this isn’t the main reason for which it is notable. Croce wrote this song after a fight with his wife, then sang it to her the next morning. It was largely undiscovered on an album released the same week of his death, and didn’t reach #1 until seven months after he was gone. This simple masterpiece from a man who left us far too early (he was 30 when he died in a plane crash in 1973) is a lasting tribute to his greatness.
3 - Christopher Cross – Think of Laura (1984)
The song that became most associated with the show General Hospital (anyone remember that show?) because of the love story of the main characters, Luke and Laura, had nothing to do with the show whatsoever.
This song was written as an homage to a college lacrosse player who was caught in the crossfire of an argument and killed by a stray gunshot. Though Cross lost a lot of his popularity when MTV came along and people saw the face behind the voice, his musical skill and distinctive voice never left.
4. Bruce Springsteen – My Hometown (1986)
Much like a lot of The Boss’ records, this song was co-opted for a lot of meanings that were unrelated to the actual song’s message. Springsteen often sang of the heartbreak and troubles surrounding many Americans, and this song was no different. It starts with what sounds like a wistful view of the singer’s hometown, but ends on a much more sorrowful note. The journey between the first note and the last is quite the roller coaster.
5. Eric Clapton – Tears in Heaven (1992)
It seems really creepy to think of a singer pocketing a #1 single off the death of his son, but that’s what happened in this case. Clapton’s introspective and plantive work exploring his inner monologue after this tragic event wound up also being one of his most commercially successful, netting him three Grammies and nearly universal critical recognition. This touching track is no longer a part of Clapton’s repertoire, for the most part, but it defined his career — and himself personally — for well over a decade.
