Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son

Some folks are born
made to wave the flag,
Ooh, they're red, whit and blue.
And when the band plays "Hail to the chief",
they point the cannon right at you.
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.
Some folks are born
silver spoon in hand,
Lord don't they help themselves.
But when the tax man comes to the door,
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale.
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 inherit
star spangled eyes,
Ooh, they send you down to war.
And when you ask them,
"How much should we give?"
They only answer "More! More! More!"
It ain't me,
it ain't me.
I ain't no military 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 Fortunate Son.

Creedence Clearwater Revival is an American Rock band who plays a mix of swamp rock and rock and roll. Members of the band include Tom Fogerty, John Fogerty, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford. The band got split up in 1966 when John Fogerty and Doug Clifford got called to military service. After the service ended the band picked up again and they band started succeeding again. A lot of there songs revolved around protest and anti-war music about Vietnam. CCR’s use of poetic devices in their music includes alliteration, allusions, and rhyme. This is most notable in their song “Fortunate Son”

In the song “fortunate son” there are many examples of poetic devices. Alliteration is a good example that can be used. In the line where he says “Senators son, son” you can see alliteration. Another example is “some folks inherit star spangled eyes.” Here there is alliteration also. Another example is “Silver spoon in hand.” This is all the alliteration that is found, but there are also allusions and symbolism. The line “some folks are born with a silver spoon in hand” is talking about how some people are born into rich families, and there are the less fortunate who are forced to go off to war. Another example is “Some folks inherit star spangled eyes, Ooh, they send you down to war, lord.” This is talking about the opposite, it is saying how other people are born into poverty and forced to go to war by the rich, and they are not the “fortunate sons.”

Since the time this song has been created not much has changed in how things work. The poor are still the ones who are forced to go to war. The draft is not prevalent at the moment but there is talk of bringing it back. The sons and daughters of rich families don’t go to war, but they are the ones who control what happens.

When I took a look at the top 100 songs I was appalled at what I found. About half of the songs that I found on this list I have heard before. The majority of them are a disgrace to music. Out of the music that I found I tried to pick some songs that I had not heard. Three songs that I have never heard before are “Paparazzi” By Lady Gaga, “Run This Town” By Jay-Z, and “Throw it in the bag” By Fabolous. First I am going to take a look at the lyrics to “Run This Town.”

We are
Yeah I said it
We are
This is Roc Nation
Pledge your allegiance
Get y'all fatigues on
All black everything
Black cards, black cars
All black everything

You can call me C's r
In a dark Cigar
Please follow the lea-der
So Eric B. we are
Microphone fiend
It's the return of thee God
Peace God...
(Auh! Auh! )
And ain't nobody fresher
I'm in Mason
(Ah! )
Martin Margiela

This song is actually somewhat scary. A lot of people don’t notice it but this song has a lot of context to it. The first thing that this song has is some alliteration. This can be seen where he says “Martin Margiela.” It also has some rhymes in it, but no consistent rhyme scheme. What I find most interesting about this song is it’s lyrics. I watched the music video that goes along with this song and the entire thing has a dark feel to it. The first thing I noticed is when he says this is “This is Roc Nation.” He spells Roc without a K, which is an allusion to his record label “Roc-A-Fella.” Which is a blatant spin-off of Rockefeller. Following this line he says “pledge your allegiance.” He is saying show loyalty to Rockefeller. The second oddity I found in this song is where he says “I’m in Mason” Jay-Z is constantly being accused of putting occult symbols in his songs, and here he is almost saying “I am a Mason” which would mean “Freemason.” I find this very strange and scary that this is such a popular song and so many people have listened to it and not found this.

The next song I am going to take a look at is “Paparazzi”

I'm your biggest fan
I'll follow you until you love me
Papa-Paparazzi
Baby there's no other superstar
You know that I'll be your
Papa-Paparazzi

Promise I'll be kind
But I won't stop until that boy is mine
Baby you'll be famous
Chase you down until you love me
Papa-paparazzi

It can be seen in these verses that the song has no poetic devices, and an inconsistent rhyme scheme. By watching the music video I found that main method the song uses is it’s broken story, combined with it’s steady rhythm which produces a very catchy beat. The song itself is very repetitive, and the words “Papa-paparazzi” are repeated over and over again. This, combined with the music video blinds you away from the fact that the story has no meaning behind it, and the lyrics don’t go together in the slightest.


The third song that I am going to look at is “Throw it in the bag”

Un-huh un-huh un-huh
just throw it in the bag
Un-huh un-huh un-huh
Just throw it in the bag
Un-huh un-huh un-huh
just throw it in the bag
Un-huh un-huh un-huh
Just throw it in the bag

We still doing donuts and im half a dozen,
They call me crispy cream, My style is crispy clean
I drive some chicks on these crews, thats some crispy jeans
Ask how much?
Now what i look like?
Said i'm from Brooklyn, what it look like?
I get it cause i got it
I got it so i get it

This is yet another song that focuses on repetitive verses as its main line of “quality.” The song has really no lyrical value, the entire song is about stealing, hence the name “throw it in the bag.” The song doesn’t have a rhyme scheme, but still flows together nicely. The song repeats the line “just throw it in the bag” many times, and that mixed with its beat is the main attracting factor of the song. This is what appears to be prevalent in modern music. Most songs have absolutely no meaning, or a meaning so insignificant that it might as well not be there. Modern music appears to focus on sensationalistic ideas, mixed with catchy beats and repetitive verses to attract people to the song, and keep them listening. This is taking the music industry to a turn for the worst, as music slowly goes away from deep meaningful lyrics, and approaches pure uselessness.