Listen to the Song
Song DNA
Genre
Rock
Era
60s
Mood
Ominous Upbeat
Tempo
Fast
Key
Major
Texture
Full Band
Sound
Guitar-driven
Feel
Shuffle
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Green River (1969)
John Fogerty
Released in 1969 as the lead single for the album Green River, this track became one of CCR's most enduring hits, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It perfectly captures John Fogerty's ability to blend ominous, weather-beaten storytelling with the driving energy of Southern rock.
The song is a masterclass in 'Three Chords and the Truth' songwriting. Its distinctiveness comes from the rhythmic delivery of the I-V-IV-I progression; by placing the A (V) and G (IV) chords in rapid succession within a single bar, Fogerty creates a 'shufflin…
John Fogerty wrote the song after being inspired by a scene in the 1941 film 'The Devil and Daniel Webster.' He was particularly moved by a sequence featuring a devastating hurricane that wipes out crops. Fogerty intended the song to be about an impending apoc…
“The song contains one of the most famous mondegreens in rock history, where listeners hear 'There's a bathroom on the right' instead of 'There's a bad moon on the rise.'”
The song is a masterclass in 'Three Chords and the Truth' songwriting. Its distinctiveness comes from the rhythmic delivery of the I-V-IV-I progression; by placing the A (V) and G (IV) chords in rapid succession within a single bar, Fogerty creates a 'shuffling' harmonic rhythm that distinguishes it from more static I-IV-V blues. The use of exclusively major triads gives the song its upbeat, 'sunny' sound which famously contrasts with its apocalyptic lyrical content.
John Fogerty wrote the song after being inspired by a scene in the 1941 film 'The Devil and Daniel Webster.' He was particularly moved by a sequence featuring a devastating hurricane that wipes out crops. Fogerty intended the song to be about an impending apocalypse, contrasting the dark lyrical themes of disaster and doom with a bright, upbeat rockabilly rhythm.
Released in 1969 as the lead single for the album Green River, this track became one of CCR's most enduring hits, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It perfectly captures John Fogerty's ability to blend ominous, weather-beaten storytelling with the driving energy of Southern rock.
Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song.
Genre
Rock
Era
60s
Mood
Ominous Upbeat
Tempo
Fast
Key
Major
Texture
Full Band
Sound
Guitar-driven
Feel
Shuffle
10.9M
Plays
1.6M
Listeners
492K
Genius Views
7
Annotations
100%
Popularity
2:21
Duration
4/4
Time
From the album Green River
Harmony The song is a masterclass in 'Three Chords and the Truth' songwriting. Its distinctiveness comes from the rhythmic delivery of the I-V-IV-I progression; by placing the A (V) and G (IV) chords in rapid succession within a single bar, Fogerty creates a 'shuffling' harmonic rhythm that distinguishes it from more static I-IV-V blues. The use of exclusively major triads gives the song its upbeat, 'sunny' sound which famously contrasts with its apocalyptic lyrical content. Deep Analysis Available Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song. Request Full Analysis
No musician information available for this song yet.
Composition John Fogerty wrote the song after being inspired by a scene in the 1941 film 'The Devil and Daniel Webster.' He was particularly moved by a sequence featuring a devastating hurricane that wipes out crops. Fogerty intended the song to be about an impending apocalypse, contrasting the dark lyrical themes of disaster and doom with a bright, upbeat rockabilly rhythm. Inspiration: A scene involving a storm in the film 'The Devil and Daniel Webster' and the general sense of social and political unrest in the late 1960s. Recording Studio: Wally Heider Studios Producer: John Fogerty The song contains one of the most famous mondegreens in rock history, where listeners hear 'There's a bathroom on the right' instead of 'There's a bad moon on the rise.' John Fogerty eventually began singing the 'bathroom on the right' lyric during live performances as a joke for the audience. The song's upbeat tempo contrasts sharply with its lyrics about earthquakes, lightning, and 'rivers overflowing.'
Chord Sheet Chords Used Hide functions D I T A V D G IV P D I T G IV P A V D Progression by Section Chorus G IV P D I T A V D G IV P D I T Verse D I T A V D G IV P D I T Chord Fingerings D Standard A Standard G Standard D Standard G Standard A Standard Harmony Analysis The song is a masterclass in 'Three Chords and the Truth' songwriting. Its distinctiveness comes from the rhythmic delivery of the I-V-IV-I progression; by placing the A (V) and G (IV) chords in rapid succession within a single bar, Fogerty creates a 'shuffling' harmonic rhythm that distinguishes it from more static I-IV-V blues. The use of exclusively major triads gives the song its upbeat, 'sunny' sound which famously contrasts with its apocalyptic lyrical content. Find Tabs & Chords Songsterr Interactive tabs Ultimate Guitar Chords & tabs Cifra Club Chords
🎶 Similar Tracks Lodi Creedence Clearwater Revival Proud Mary Creedence Clearwater Revival Sweet Home Alabama Lynyrd Skynyrd For What It's Worth Buffalo Springfield Born to Be Wild Steppenwolf Free Bird Lynyrd Skynyrd 🎤 More by Creedence Clearwater Revival Fortunate Son 18.3M plays Have You Ever Seen the Rain 13.2M plays Bad Moon Rising 10.9M plays Proud Mary 5.2M plays Green River 4.9M plays Up Around the Bend 4.6M plays View all Creedence Clearwater Revival songs → Lyrics View Lyrics on Genius