The Innocent Age

The Innocent Age is an album by American singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg, released in 1981. It was one of his most successful albums: three of his four Top 10 singles on the Billboard pop chart ("Hard to Say" (no. 7), "Same Old Lang Syne" (no. 9), and "Leader of the Band" (no. 9)) were from this album, as well as another Top 20 single in "Run for the Roses" (no. 18). All four also reached the Top 10 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart, with "Leader of the Band" reaching number 1 on that chart.

The Innocent Age
Studio album by Dan Fogelberg
Released	August 1981
Studio	Northstar (Boulder) Caribou Ranch (Nederland) Rudy Records (Hollywood) Wally Heider's Studio 3 (Hollywood) Sunset Sound (Los Angeles) Record Plant (Sausalito)
Genre	Soft rock
Length	80:01
Label	Full Moon/Epic
Producer	Dan Fogelberg, Marty Lewis
Dan Fogelberg chronology
Phoenix (1979) The Innocent Age (1981) Greatest Hits (1982)
Singles from The Innocent Age
"Same Old Lang Syne" Released: 1980 "Hard to Say" Released: 1981 "Leader of the Band" Released: 1981 "Run for the Roses" Released: 1982

The album includes his song "Times Like These", from the 1980 Urban Cowboy soundtrack. Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, Glenn Frey and Don Henley are prominent contributing vocalists.

The Innocent Age drew its inspiration from Thomas Wolfe's major novel Of Time and the River. The Innocent Age was originally released as a two-LP vinyl set and later as a two-disc CD set.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Rolling Stone Album Guide

The Rolling Stone Album Guide deemed the album "banal and overblown."

Track listing

All tracks written by Dan Fogelberg, except where noted.

Disc 1

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Nexus"	6:04
2.	"The Innocent Age"	4:15
3.	"The Sand and The Foam"	4:19
4.	"In The Passage"	6:28
5.	"Lost in the Sun"	3:53
6.	"Run for the Roses"	4:18
7.	"Leader of the Band (concludes with an excerpt from "The Washington Post" march arranged by Lawrence Peter Fogelberg, performed by the UCLA Band)"	4:48
8.	"Same Old Lang Syne"	5:21

Disc 2

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Stolen Moments"		3:12
2.	"The Lion's Share"		5:10
3.	"Only The Heart May Know" (duet with Emmylou Harris)		4:09
4.	"The Reach"		6:30
5.	"Aireshire Lament"		0:52
6.	"Times Like These" (from the 1980 Urban Cowboy Soundtrack)		3:02
7.	"Hard to Say"		4:00
8.	"Empty Cages"	Fogelberg, Russ Kunkel, Norbert Putnam, Michael Utley	6:24
9.	"Ghosts"		7:16

Production

• Producers – Dan Fogelberg and Marty Lewis
• Engineer – Marty Lewis
• Recorded at Northstar Studios (Boulder, CO); Caribou Ranch (Nederland, CO); Rudy Records and Wally Heider Studios (Hollywood, CA); Sunset Sound (Los Angeles, CA); Record Plant (Sausalito, CA).
• Mixed at Sunset Sound
• Cover Design – Kosh
• Cover Photography – Dan Fogelberg and Andy Katz
• Liner Photography – Andy Katz
• Liner Notes – David Awells
• Text – Thomas Wolfe

Charts

Album

Chart (1982)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard 200	6
Australia Albums Chart	38

Year End Chart (1982)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard 200	19

Singles

Single	Chart	Position
"Same Old Lang Syne"	Adult Contemporary	8
"Same Old Lang Syne"	Pop Singles	9
"Hard to Say"	Adult Contemporary	2
"Hard to Say"	Pop Singles	7
"Lost In The Sun"	Mainstream Rock	45
"Leader of the Band"	Adult Contemporary	1
"Leader of the Band"	Pop Singles	9
"Run for the Roses"	Adult Contemporary	3
"Run for the Roses"	Pop Singles	18