Fortunate Son — Now and Then
A Reason To Smile
If ever a weekend needed a double reason to smile, it’s this one. What a week!
So, here we go with Smile No. 1 — we’ve received firsthand reports from protests across the country, and it seems those who were a part of the HandsOff! gatherings had a momentous experience, wherever they were. Perhaps it had something to do with a common bond, or a community of like-minded souls. But from what I’ve seen and heard, it was a great opportunity to express yourselves, and did you!
Millions gathered in all 50 states, several territories, Canada, Mexico, and Europe to protest Donald Trump and Elon Musk. From Anchorage, Alaska, to San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Berlin, Germany, people joined an estimated 1,400 protests organized by the pro-democracy group Hands Off! Organizers called the “mass mobilization” a response to the “hostile takeover” of American rights and freedoms.
And that brings me to our second smile — to celebrate this massive community of resisters, I looked back to one of my favorite protest songs, “Fortunate Son,” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. And no, the irony of the title did not escape me.
I had the good fortune to sit down with CCR founder John Fogerty a few years back. Fogerty, who wrote “Fortunate Son” in 1969, said the anti-Vietnam War anthem was very personal for him.
“I was an angry young man who had served in the military and had kind of seen the situation from that side of it,” Fogerty told me. “It did seem like all these ‘old people’ who were running the government, were not serious about it. Like, the soldiers were just sort of pawns, you know, just numbers. That really angered me. I mean, obviously ‘Fortunate Son’ is one of the most angry songs I’ve ever written.”
An official video for the song was released in 2018 to celebrate Creedence Clearwater Revival’s 50th anniversary. The updated take makes the song as applicable today as it was 56 years ago. “I had no idea that it would still be relevant and resonate all these years later, in other words, that we could have a similar situation,” Fogerty said.
During Trump’s second run for the White House, his campaign played “Fortunate Son” at some of his rallies. Fogerty put an immediate stop to that by issuing a cease and desist order.
“I object to the President using my song, ‘Fortunate Son’ in any way for his campaign. He is using my words and my voice to portray a message that I do not endorse,” Fogerty posted on social media.
“I wrote this song because, as a veteran, I was disgusted that some people were allowed to be excluded from serving our country because they had access to political and financial privilege. I also wrote about wealthy people not paying their fair share of taxes. Mr. Trump is a prime example of both of these issues.”
I hope you enjoy this rock classic from another era of protest. And congratulations to those who made their voices heard this weekend in protest of the current “fortunate son.”
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Stay Steady,
Dan
Where ARE the protest songs nowadays? Are today's "stars" afraid of the Mad Mango? Thank goodness the ordinary people were out protesting today. As a '60's survivor, I feel these times are more tumultuous than then, and the American people should be losing their minds. Today reaffirmed my faith in the American people. Stay United, stay Strong! I ain't no fortunate son, no, no.
Maybe with the way things are going lately, you should have chosen Bad Moon Rising. By the way, a few years ago I saw your interviews with John Fogerty and it was great. Highly recommended. These old guys are still going strong. Fogerty (79) years is still doing concerts and Dylan (84) is on his Rough and Rowdy tour.