Dan Fogelberg’s Kentucky Derby Song

Of course everyone knows that “My Old Kentucky Home” is the official song of the Kentucky Derby; as well as being the official state song of the Commonwealth. Stephen Foster’s 1853 tribute to the antebellum slave plantation at Federal Hill in Bardstown, Kentucky, is so important here in the Bluegrass State that students can’t get their GED certificates until they memorize the words. (Foster’s verse, “It’s Summer, the darkies are gay…,” has been officially changed to “It’s Summer, the people are gay…” We expect the term “gay” will be the next term to be bowdlerized in the name of historical revisionism and political correctness by our General Assembly.)

But another, gentler, song is fast becoming as popular with Kentuckians as Stephen Foster’s anachronistic paen to old Uncle Tom. Daniel Fogelberg released his double album, The Innocent Age, in the Fall of 1981, and it became an unprecedented success. It generating four Top 20—including "Same Old Lang Syne", "Run For The Roses", written for the Kentucky Derby, "Hard To Say", and the touching tribute to his father, "Leader Of The Band". "I still think most highly of that album," Fogelberg said. "Making it was certainly one of the high water marks of my life." "Run for the Roses" was released as a single the following year, it placed to number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100.

It has since been used as an unofficial theme for the Kentucky Derby. The song alludes to "the chance of a lifetime, in a lifetime of chance" at once describing the experience of horse racing, and life itself.

The song contains one "goof". Its opening lines describe the foal as "Born in the valleys/And raised in the trees/Of western Kentucky". The Thoroughbred breeding industry has no real presence in that part of the state; Kentucky's Thoroughbred industry is centered on Lexington, located in the Bluegrass region and most commonly thought of as being in Central Kentucky. Nevertheless, “Run for the Roses” retains a solid place in the hearts of all faithful Kentucky Derby fans.

Fogelberg died on December 16, 2007, and left us all with this valuable gift:

Run For The Roses  (CLICK HERE for YouTube Video)

Born in the valley and raised in the trees
Of Western Kentucky on wobbly knees
With mama beside you to help you along
You'll soon be a-growing up strong
All the long, lazy mornings in pastures of green
The sun on your withers, the wind in your mane
Could never prepare you for what lies ahead
The run for the roses so red

(Chorus)

And it's run for the roses as fast as you can
Your fate is delivered, your moment's at hand
It's the chance of a lifetime in a lifetime of chance
And it's high time you joined in the dance
It's high time you joined in the dance
From sire to sire, it's born in the blood
The fire of a mare and the strength of a stud
It's breeding and it's training and it's something unknown
That drives you and carries you home