Creedence Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son

“Fortunate Son” – Single by Creedence Clearwater Revival from the album Willy and the Poor Boys
B-side: “Down on the Corner”
Released: October 1969
Songwriter: John Fogerty
Charted No.14 in US

This is an antiestablishment song of defiance and blue-collar pride, both anti-Washington and against the Vietnam War. John Fogerty and Doug Clifford both enlisted in the Army Reserves in 1966 (to avoid being drafted and shipped to Vietnam) and were discharged in 1968 after serving their military commitments. “The song speaks more to the unfairness of class than war itself,” Fogerty said. “It’s the old saying about rich men making war and poor men having to fight them.”

In 2013, the song was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Lyrics

Some folks are born made to wave the flag
Ooh, they’re red, white and blue
And when the band plays “Hail to the chief”
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord
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

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Lord, don’t they help themselves, oh
But when the taxman comes to the door
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no millionaire’s son, no
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes
Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord
And when you ask them, “How much should we give?”
Ooh, they only answer “More! More! More!” yoh

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no military son, son
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, one

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no no no
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son, no no no

Craft Recordings

Director: Ben Fee
Producers: Ben Fee, Matt Day, Hillary Andujar, Courtney Andujar
Editor: Niles Howard @ Kid Sister
Camera: Ben Fee, Matt Boman
Colorist: Arianna Shiningstar @ Apache
Additional Camera: Gary Milton, Mike Garcia and Jonathan Franklin
Production Company: Scandinavia Pictures
Rep: Jen Herrera @ Las Bandas/Be Brave

Days away from home: 29
States traveled for shooting: 10
Countries: USA & Mexico
Miles traveled in car: 6,200
Number of lenses stolen: 2
Number of watermelon stolen: 1
Number of times CCR was heard playing in random establishments: 9
Number of crappy people we met: 0

Music video by Creedence Clearwater Revival performing Fortunate Son. © 2018 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.