Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival

By: Ron Powers

In October of 1969 Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) released a rock-n-roll masterpiece that electrified the world of popular music and continues to do so today. Shortly after its release, “Fortunate Son” became a big hit peaking at number 3 on the Billboard charts and has been added to several greatest-songs-of-all-time lists published by Rolling Stone Magazine and Pitchfork Media. The song also became a Vietnam anti-war movement anthem and a symbol of opposition to the United States military involvement in the Vietnam War. From its driving backbeat to the passionate snarl of the lead vocals, “Fortunate Son” provides a tough and scrappy energy that lifts your spirits and lends support to the resistance of and contempt for the corrupt. 

CCR gets things started with a steady drumbeat accompanied by a single-note bass line that creates a steady tension before the first verse begins. After two measures of bass and drums the iconic guitar playing of brothers John and Tom Fogerty is introduced creating the unmistakable mood of “Fortunate Son”. The band proceeds to play a few bars of some of the coolest music ever printed to tape and then we hear Fogerty belt out lyrics that give expression to a burning feeling that so many were relieved to hear expressed. The verses of “Fortunate Song” chastise a system that exploits the poor and gives excessive privilege to the wealthy. When asked about the meaning of the song, John Fogerty had this to say: "It's the old saying about rich men making war and poor men having to fight them."

Next the band launches into a brief yet satisfying chorus, delivering musical and lyrical punctuation to the driving snarl of the verses. Here additional guitar work is added to the steady pattern of Tom Fogerty’s rhythm guitar playing. For the top line of the chorus we hear John’s raspy voice sing the lines: “It ain't me, it ain't me / I ain't no senator's son, son / It ain't me, it ain't me / I ain't no fortunate one, no”. The stripped down four-piece band and single vocal with no harmonies creates an unvarnished emotion that is the perfect vehicle for the song’s fiery message. But even if you don’t care about the lyrics, “Fortunate Son” delivers a rock-n-roll feeling that can jumpstart the moment.

After delivering a couple verse/chorus combos, CCR downshift into an instrumental that begins with the bass guitar pulsating a single note along with sparse lead guitar and percussion. Halfway through the instrumental we feel the energy pick up as drummer Doug Clifford fires off a killer percussive transition. As the energy increases a second guitar part is added that is soaked with a fuzz effect making it sound a little like a rock-n-roll horn section. Finally, the band transitions out of the instrumental with a blistering snare roll and an iconic yell from John Fogerty that leads into the final verse and chorus.

Creedence Clearwater Revival disbanded in 1972 after producing some of the best rock-n-roll of all time. Despite not being together for over 50 years, the band’s music still stands as some of the most popular in the world. For me, “Fortunate Son” is CCRs best and most iconic song, but that is debatable given the extremely long list of great CCR tunes. If you’d like to listen to “Fortunate Son” or any of the band’s incredible discography, you can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and most other places music is streamed or sold. If you’d like to learn more about Creedence Clearwater Revival you can find information on Wikipedia or in the multiple books that have been written about them.

Ron Powers