Lodi

by

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Album: Green River

Released: 1969

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This is a reflection on John Fogerty's days with The Golliwogs, an early version of Creedence Clearwater Revival. They had to struggle for success, playing wherever they could with dilapidated equipment and an often indifferent audience. He did not want a return to the Bad Old Days. (thanks, Brad Wind - Miami, FL)

Lodi is a city in California located in the central valley, about 30 miles south of Sacramento and 75 or 100 miles east of San Francisco/Oakland. Fogerty and his earlier band often performed in "nowhere towns" like Lodi.

Fogerty sometimes covered this at concerts after he became a solo artist. (thanks, Brett - Edmonton, Canada, for above 2)

Drummer Doug Clifford claimed the band played a show in Lodi: "There were 9 people in there, they were all locals, they were all drunk and all they did all night was tell us to turn it down."

Al Wilson recorded this. His version was issued on Soul City Records in America and on Liberty Records in the United Kingdom. It was played extensively in the few underground "Northern Soul" clubs of England during the late 1960s and early 70s, getting its first exposure at the famous Twisted Wheel Club Allnighters in Manchester, England. (thanks, Gra - stafford, England)

In a radio interview, John Fogerty said when he was young his parents took him and his brother to camp at Lodi lake (called Smith lake then) and they hated camping there. So later on they wrote a song about Lodi using their old hated for the place. (thanks, george - stockton, CA

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Creedence Clearwater Revival Artistfacts
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Comments (23):

Here's a down-on-your-luck song that many people can relate to, sort of a one-step-forward-two-steps-back kind of tale. You're stuck in some out-of-the-way town that no one's ever heard of...again! Okay, so it's not the first time you've been here. Yes, those fabulous lyrics, 'things got bad and things got worse, I guess you know the tune', meaning just about everyone's been there at some point in their own life. Once in awhile, during different travels with my husband, when we happen to drive through any random one-road country town with seemingly nothing going on, this song pops into my head.

- Camille, Toronto, OH

Lodi is also a really small town in Ohio

- matt, lodi, OH

The song is basically about the fear that Fogerty's fame could suddenly vanish, leaving him stuck in a small town with no way out.

- Nikolai, Los Angeles, CA

There's also a Lodi in Wisconsin, maybe 25-30 miles north of Madison, the state capital.

- Patrick, Lake Mills, WI

IM from this Lodi(: Lodi Lake is pretty boring and the camping isnt very funn:P oh well hahahahahahahahahahaha. Lodi is a VERY small town, we got to high school; Lodi High(: and Tokay>:P hahahaha GREAT SONG!!!!!

- Cierra, Lodi, CA

Five years ago I think when me and my mother was listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival's Lodi. My mother thought John Fogerty was singing Oh Lord I'm Stepping on an old diaphragm. Me and my mother started laughing!!!!. I really like the song Lodi a lot & it brings back memories!!!!.

- Jessica, Abrams, WI

lodi is where i grew up

- malina, lodi, CA

Please people! Don't refer to my beloved Central Valley's Town's and Cities as "Nowhere Town's"! It's a bit insultive, as we have a very rich heritage of peoples, cultures, and history. I live in "Tracy", which isn't all that far from Lodi and they could've very well named it "Trapped In Tracy Again". As they may have very well played in one of our old run down bars of that era just as easily....The point of the song is; just as soon as you think everythings going well for you, something happens and you hit the skids. And find yourself in random small town dives trying to irk out a living. Sometimes to no avail!

- Nicholaus, Tracy, CA

One of my favorite early CCR tunes. This is from the "Green River" album. I like the lines "If I only had a dollar for every song I've sung.Everytime I had to play while people sat there drunk". You can only imagine. Them in their early days. Trying to get somewhere,trying to make it. Playing little clubs and the patrons could care less.

- wayne, Salem, VA

John Fogerty admitted he had never been to Lodi, CA. He just thought it was a cool name for a small town. There is also a Lodi, NJ, Lodi, MO and Lodi, Italy.

- Doc, Chapel Hill, NC

I like this song only because it sounds country.

- Briar, Hazard, KY

I nver understood this song because I thought he was singing "Oh lord, stalking Lodi again" and I thought Lodi was like the name of some girl he was stalking...peculiar I know

- nady, adelaide, Australia

Everyone has gone through or is in one of the small towns like in the song. I think it would be pretty awesome to live in one of those. One of my favorite songs

- Wayne, Las Vegas, NV

Sounds very country but still good

- Martin Sheen, Lima, ND

great song but alot different than any eagles songs so you cant compare it to that.

- DeReK, S-town, ME

This song is one of my all-time favorite CCR songs. It tells a story about the city of Lodi, California. I really enjoy listening to the song.

- Paul, Warren, MI

The guitar in this song is incredible, so many moods and that presence just carrying the song along. Fogerty is the best artist to come out of the Bay Area.

- david, South SF, CA

And there's also an italian song from the '40 that talk about Lodi, it's call "La bella Gigogin" and the line about Lodi is the first one: "Andava a piedi da Lodi a Milano, per trovare la bella Gigogin" that means more or less: "He was going from Lodi to Milan on his feet to meet the gorgeus Gigogin".

- Guido, Milano, Italy

Lodi is also a little town in the north of Italy, about 30 km far from Milan. Us town is often named after italians one. And - yes - you can say that also the italian Lodi is a "nowhere town", though its cheese (a sort of parmisan) is quite famous and tasteful.
Guido, Milano

- Guido, Milano, Italy

this song sounds depressing and it sounds like any part in someones life when they're having a rough part. This song is really great

- John, Kalamazoo, KY

I do alot of camping in the delta outside of Sockton, Lodi, and Sacramento. So this is a cool song, great to kick back, fish and have a cold one!

- PHIL, San Jose, CA

Great Song, much better than any wimpy ballads the Eagles did in the 1970's.

- charles, augusta,, GA

The Tesla version is pretty good as well. My favorite part is "things got bad, things got worse, I guess you kmow the tune." Way too cool.

- Ben, San Antonio, TX

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