Fortunate Son

Song Name: Fortunate Son

Year of Release: 1969

Written By: John Fogerty

Performed By: Creedence Clearwater Revival

Key Lyrics: “It ain’t me, it ain’t me/I ain’t no senator’s son/It ain’t me, it ain’t me/I ain’t no fortunate one.”

“It ain’t me, it ain’t me/I ain’t no millionaire’s son/It ain’t me, it ain’t me/I ain’t no fortunate one.”

“Some folks are born, made to wave the flag/Ooh, they’re red, white, and blue.”

“Some folks inherit star-spangled eyes/Ooh, they send you down to war.”

Description: Fortunate Son was released as a single and then on the album Willy and the Poor Boys in 1969. 

Lead singer John Fogerty also stated that he was thinking about Dwight Eisenhower’s grandson and Richard Nixon’s son-in-law, David Eisenhower. David served 3 years as an officer aboard the USS Albany in the Mediterranean and never saw combat, something Fogerty attributed to nepotism as he was the grandson of a general AND a president. In Fogerty’s words, “You'd hear about the son of this senator or that congressman who was given a deferment from the military or a choice position in the military.”

Why It Was Important: It is perhaps one of the most famous songs of the era. In modern times, the song has remained a staple of protest culture. The US Army Band Downrage performed it at the 250th anniversary parade of the US Army. Some speculate that it was done to protest Donald Trump’s scheduling of the parade on his birthday despite him never serving. Trump also received a cease and desist order from Fogerty for playing the song at one of his rallies, with the latter noting that Trump received a draft deferment. On the flip side, Fogerty, himself a veteran, defended the performance of the song at the 2014 Concert for Valor in Washington DC by Bruce Springsteen, Zac Brown, and Dave Grohl.

Recordings

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son (Live At The Royal Albert Hall) (live performance)

Fortunate Son (studio version)