"Fortunate Son" is a song by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released on the band's fourth studio album, Willy and the Poor Boys in October 1969. It was previously released as a single, together with "Down on the Corner", in September 1969.[4] It soon became a Vietnam anti-war movement anthem and an expressive symbol of the counterculture's opposition to U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War and solidarity with the soldiers fighting it.[5] The song has been featured extensively in pop culture depictions of the Vietnam War and the anti-war movement.[6]
| "Fortunate Son" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US single sleeve | ||||
| Single by Creedence Clearwater Revival | ||||
| from the album Willy and the Poor Boys | ||||
| A-side | "Down on the Corner" | |||
| Released | October 1969 | |||
| Recorded | 1969, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:21 | |||
| Label | Fantasy | |||
| Songwriter(s) | John Fogerty | |||
| Producer(s) | John Fogerty | |||
| Creedence Clearwater Revival singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Fortunate Son" on YouTube | ||||
The song reached number 14 on the United States charts on November 22, 1969, the week before Billboard changed its methodology on double-sided hits. The tracks combined to climb to number 9 the next week, on the way to peaking at number 3 three more weeks later, on 20 December 1969.[7] It won the RIAA Gold Disc award in December 1970.[8] Pitchfork Media placed it at number 17 on its list of "The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s".[9] Rolling Stone placed it at number 99 on its "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list in 2004 and 2010; it was moved down to number 227 in the 2020 edition. In 2013, the song was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Origin
The song, released during the peak period of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, is not explicit in its criticism of that war in particular, rather, it "speaks more to the unfairness of class than war itself," and the children of the wealthy being able to avoid the draft, according to its author, John Fogerty. "It's the old saying about rich men making war and poor men having to fight them."[10] In 2015, while on the television show The Voice, he also said:
The thoughts behind this song—it was a lot of anger. So it was the Vietnam War going on. ... Now I was drafted and they're making me fight, and no one has actually defined why. So this was all boiling inside of me and I sat down on the edge of my bed and out came "It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senator's son!" You know, it took about 20 minutes to write the song.[11]
According to his 2015 memoir, Fogerty was thinking about David Eisenhower, the grandson of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who married Julie Nixon after he escorted her at the International Debutante Ball, the daughter of then-President-elect Richard Nixon in 1968, when he wrote "Fortunate Son". Eisenhower spent three years in the military, most of it as an officer aboard the USS Albany in the Mediterranean Sea.[12]
"Fortunate Son" wasn't really inspired by any one event. Julie Nixon was dating David Eisenhower. 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. They seemed privileged and whether they liked it or not, these people were symbolic in the sense that they weren't being touched by what their parents were doing. They weren't being affected like the rest of us.[13]
Reception
Billboard said it has "the feel and flavor of [the group's] recent winner ['Green River']."[14] Upon the single release, Record World felt that it could be CCR's biggest hit to date.[15]
Ultimate Classic Rock critic Bryan Wawzenek rated the lyrics of "Fortunate Son" as Fogerty's greatest, saying "It’s not just Fogerty’s emotion, but the words that make this song great. 'Star-spangled eyes' is one of the best descriptive phrases in all of rock and roll, a uniquely American twist on rose-colored glasses."[16]
Interpretive legacy
The song has been widely used to protest against military actions as well as elitism in a broader sense in Western society, particularly in the United States; as an added consequence of its popularity, it has even been used in completely unrelated situations, such as to advertise blue jeans.[17] It was played at a campaign rally for Donald Trump. Fogerty found this to be confounding.[18] Fogerty later issued a cease and desist order, noting that Trump obtained a draft deferment.[19]
Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl, and Zac Brown attracted criticism when they performed the song together at the November 2014 Concert for Valor in Washington D.C. Fogerty, a military veteran, defended their song choice.[20]
Cover versions
The song has since been recorded or performed by many artists. It was initially embraced in the punk and hardcore community with versions by The Circle Jerks, Minutemen, DOA and Decry. Fogerty recorded a version of the song with Foo Fighters for his 2013 album Wrote a Song for Everyone.[21]
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band recorded the song for their 1986 album Like a Rock.[22]
Licensed uses
Literature
The song is quoted several times in the 2006 thriller novel by American writer Don Winslow, The Winter of Frankie Machine in which one of the characters is a "senator's son" referred to as the "Fortunate Son".
Video games
The song is used in the introduction sequence of the game Battlefield Vietnam, where it is among a list of in-game playable tracks. The song was also used during the E3 announcement trailer for Battlefield: Bad Company 2: Vietnam[23] and is also the main menu song for the game and plays mid-game in vehicle radios.
"Fortunate Son" was also included in the game Call of Duty: Black Ops at the start and ending of the level "S.O.G". Its use is an anachronism, as the level takes place during the Battle of Khe Sanh, a year before the song was released.
In Homefront, the song is played during the chapter "Golden Gate".
A cover of the song was released as DLC for Rock Band in 2007. The first appearance of the song came out before real instruments were integrated. The original version was made available to download on March 1, 2011, for use in Rock Band 3 PRO mode which takes advantage of the use of a real guitar / bass guitar, along with standard MIDI-compatible electronic drum kits in addition to vocals.[24][25] The master recording by CCR was made available as well in 2010. The song is also playable on basic controllers in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.
The song is also played in 2016's Mafia 3 but its use is an anachronism along with "Bad Moon Rising" as both songs were released in 1969 whereas Mafia 3 takes place in 1968.
The song is briefly played as both its original recording and a solo a cappella rendition, sung by Jessy Carolina, in BioShock Infinite.[26][27]
In 2014, the song was included in the enhanced re-release of Grand Theft Auto V for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC, as part of the playlist of the fictional in-game radio station Los Santos Rock Radio.
The song was used while destroying rigged voting machines in the Watch Dogs 2 mission, Power To The Sheeple.
The song's title is referenced in Team Fortress 2 as a cosmetic helmet called the "Fortunate Son", which can be equipped by the Scout class.[28]
Film and television
In 1987, the song was briefly used in the animated film Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night.
In the 1994 film Forrest Gump, "Fortunate Son" is played in the scene in which Forrest and Bubba arrive in a combat zone in South Vietnam aboard a U.S. Army helicopter.[29]
In the 2004 version of the film The Manchurian Candidate, a cover version of this song performed by Wyclef Jean is featured and is the opening track of the closing credits.[30]
In 2007, this song was used diegetically in Live Free or Die Hard and in the end credits.
In the 2009 American Dad episode "In Country...Club", "Fortunate Son" plays during a Vietnam War reenactment battle.
in 2010, the song was sung by Jeffster on the TV show Chuck.
In 2012 the song was used for the end credits of Peter Berg's film Battleship.
In 2014, this song was heard in the Top Gear Burma Special episode.
In 2015, the song was used in the TV series The Strain specifically during the episode "The Silver Angel".
In 2016, the song was included in the soundtrack album for the film Suicide Squad.[31]
In the 2016 film War Dogs, the song is used in the scene in which David, Efraim and Marlboro are saved by the U.S. military while being pursued by Iraqi gunmen.[32]
In the 2018 Family Guy episode "'Family Guy' Through the Years" (presented as a compilation of old episodes from the series' "60 year run", parodying anniversary specials), Glenn Quagmire, portrayed in a Vietnam veteran in 1973, experiences PTSD-like symptoms from the incessant use of the song and "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield as audible background music during the war.[33]
In 2019, the song was used in The Grand Tour episode "Seamen" when Clarkson, Hammond and May entered Vietnam.
A cover by Cat Power was used in a 2019 episode of the Netflix series The Punisher.[34]
Commercials
An edited version of the song was used in a Wrangler commercial because John Fogerty "long ago signed away legal control of his old recordings to Creedence's record label, Fantasy Records."[17][35] In this case, the advertiser eventually stopped using the song, as Fogerty related in a later interview:
Yes, the people that owned Fantasy Records also owned all my early songs, and they would do all kinds of stuff I really hated in a commercial way with my songs. ... Then one day somebody from the L.A. Times actually bothered to call me up and ask me how I felt, and I finally had a chance to talk about it. And I said I'm very much against my song being used to sell pants. ... So my position got stated very well in the newspaper, and lo and behold, Wrangler to their credit said, "Wow, even though we made our agreement with the publisher, the owner of the song, we can see now that John Fogerty really hates the idea", so they stopped doing it.[36]
Charts
Year-end charts
| Chart (1970) | Position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[43] | 93 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[44] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[45] | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
| Germany (BVMI)[46] | Gold | 250,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI)[47] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[48] | 4× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[49] | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[50] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Johnny Hallyday version (in French)
| "Fils de personne" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Johnny Hallyday | ||||
| from the album Flagrant Délit | ||||
| Language | French | |||
| English title | Son of no one | |||
| B-side | "Il faut boire à la source" | |||
| Released | September 22, 1971 | |||
| Recorded | 1970 | |||
| Studio | Olympic Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 2:48 | |||
| Label | Philips | |||
| Songwriter(s) | John Fogerty, Philippe Labro | |||
| Producer(s) | Lee Hallyday | |||
| Johnny Hallyday singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Fils de personne" (French TV, 1971) on YouTube | ||||
In September 1971, a French adaptation (titled "Fils de personne", meaning "Son of no one") was released by French rock singer Johnny Hallyday. "Fils de personne" was released as the second and final single off of Hallyday's 1971 studio album "Flagrant Délit" ("In the act"), released three months prior. The song peaked at number 4 in the French charts. The single was backed by "Il faut boire à la source" ("You have to drink from the source").
History
Fils de personne: harsh, harsh, vengeful rock, with lyrics by Philippe Labro, invectives the “sons of someone” of whom Johnny Hallyday stands out in each chorus, vociferating that he was not born of a “military” father, billionaire, civil servant”, implying that he owes his success to no one. French journalist Jean-William Thoury underlines that the adaptation of the song by the group Creedence Clearwater Revival does not betray the original idea “which seems to suit Johnny so well, a real “son of no one”.[51]
Y'en a qui naissent avec dans leur berceau
Les milliards de leur père
On leur apprend que tout peut s'acheter
Les affaires, oui, sont les affaires
Mais pas moiNon, pas moi
Je ne suis pas né milliardaire
Mais pas moi
Non, pas moi
Je suis le fils de personne
Some people are born with it in their cradle
Their father's billions
They are taught that everything can be bought
Business, yes, is business
But not me No, not me
I wasn't born a billionaire
But not me
No, not me
I'm nobody's son— French adaption by Philippe Labro (translated)
The title integrated the singer's repertoire from its creation[52] and from the show at the Palais des sports de Paris in the fall of 1971, was systematically played after I was born in the street (which opened the singing tour[53]). Depending on the tours, the sequence was maintained until the summer of 1974,[54] the singer deviating from this ritual only with rare exceptions.[55]
Personnel
Source:[56]
- Hugh McCracken, Mick Jones, Jerry Donahue, guitars
- Pat Donaldson, bass
- Tommy Brown, drums
- Gary Wright, piano, organ
- Bobby Keys, tenor saxophone
- Jim Price, trumpet
- Madeline Bell, Nanette Workman, Doris Troy, Liza Strike, backing vocals
- Chris Kimsey, Sound engineer
Charts
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| France (SNEP)[57] | 4 |
See also
References
External links
- Classic Tracks: Creedence Clearwater Revival "Fortunate Son"
- Library of Congress essay on the song's addition to the National Recording Registry.