John Fogerty finds it pretty funny that President Trump doesn’t seem to get the irony of playing “Fortunate Son” at his political events.
In a new interview with Vulture, Fogerty was asked what he thinks his most misunderstood song is. His answer was “Fortunate Son,” which, he explained, is often assumed to be something it’s not by “people who seem to be conservative, right-wing, and probably Republican or some other ‘ism’ in that category. And most notably by Mr. Trump.”
Back in 2020, Fogerty issued a cease and desist requesting that President Trump stop using “Fortunate Son.”
“He is using my words and my voice to portray a message that I do not endorse,” Fogerty said on social media then. “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.”
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But as recently as June of this year when Trump hosted a military parade in Washington D.C., the song was being played.
“It’s happened before where people thought it was a patriotic ditty to wave the flag and all that, not really understanding the cynicism and absolute defiance I had in the song,” Fogerty continued to Vulture. “I mean, even if you don’t hear the rest of it, you should at least hear, ‘It ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son.’ But if you don’t, then I guess you’re able to see the song in a different way. How can I say this? I can’t imagine using that song as a political rallying theme, particularly when you seem to be the person who I’m screaming about in the song on all three counts. It’s hilarious to me.”
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