CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL - LODI

Released: April 1969

Charts: US: #52 

"Lodi" is a song written by John Fogerty and performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival, recorded in March 1969 and released as the B-side to "Bad Moon Rising." The song is featured on the “Green River” album. In his memoir “Fortunate Son: My Life, My Music”, Fogerty explained that the inspiration for "Lodi" came from trips he took with his father around central California, which he found to be a warm and special place. 

Lodi is a city in California's Central Valley, approximately 30 miles south of Sacramento and 75 to 100 miles east of the San Francisco Bay Area. John Fogerty and his earlier band often played in small, "nowhere towns" similar to Lodi, which likely contributed to the song's theme of being stuck in a place with limited opportunities. 

"Lodi" tells the story of a down-on-his-luck musician stuck in the small town of Lodi, California, playing in local bars and unable to afford bus or train fare to leave. Even though had never visited Lodi before writing the song, John Fogerty chose the town because he thought it had "the coolest sounding name." The chorus, "Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again," captures the musician's sense of frustration and entrapment. The song has since become closely associated with the town, even being used as the theme for several local events in Lodi. Remarkably, Fogerty was just 23 when he wrote this song about an aging musician reflecting on his faded success.

"Lodi" reflects John Fogerty's experiences with his earlier band, The Golliwogs, before they became Creedence Clearwater Revival. During their early years, they struggled to find success, playing in small, out-of-the-way places with poor equipment and indifferent, often unappreciative audiences. The song captures the feeling of being stuck in these "bad old days," performing in towns where there seemed to be no future. Drummer Doug Clifford recalled a real show in Lodi, where the band played for just nine drunk locals who spent the entire night telling them to lower the volume, highlighting their frustration during this period.