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Bad Moon Rising Lyrics

I see the bad moon arising
I see trouble on the way
I see earthquakes and lightning
I see bad times today

Don't go around tonight
Well, it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise

I hear hurricanes a-blowing
I know the end is coming soon
I fear rivers over flowing
I hear the voice of rage and ruin

Don't go around tonight
Well, it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise
All right!

Hope you got your things together
Hope you are quite prepared to die
Looks like we're in for nasty weather
One eye is taken for an eye

Don't go around tonight
Well, it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise

Don't go around tonight
Well, it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise
Song Info
Copyright
Lyrics © Concord Music Publishing Llc
Writer
John C. Fogerty
Duration
2:21
Producer
John Fogerty
Release date
Apr 01, 1969
Sentiment
Positive
Submitted by
3ssence On Jun 24, 2001
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63 Meanings

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Cover art for Bad Moon Rising lyrics by Creedence Clearwater Revival

This is about John Fogerty's personal battle with werewolfism. He fears a full or "bad" moon rising because he doesnt want to hurt people as a werewolf

The clinical term, my good man, is Lycanthropy. And I believe you are correct in your interpretation. . .lol.

Not Valid

@Uncle Jemimah that is fucking hilarious.

Cover art for Bad Moon Rising lyrics by Creedence Clearwater Revival

its true that this songs lyrics were inspired by a movie called The Devil And Daniel Webster, in which a hurricane wipes out most of a town. This is where John Fogerty got the idea for the line "I feel the hurricane blowin', I hope you're quite prepared to die. - The lyrics also describing events that indicate a coming apocalypse

Cover art for Bad Moon Rising lyrics by Creedence Clearwater Revival

I thought this song was about racism and the violence against blacks in the South.
"Don't go around tonight Well it's bound to take your life There's a bad moon on the rise." They would warn blacks not to leave their homes at night in order to avoid gangs of whites. These confrontations would almost certainly lead to death or injury, and night was the most dangerous time for blacks.

"I hear the voice of rage and ruin" Hearing the white gangs express rage at rallies, or even as they encountered blacks on the street. The ruin could refer to bombings and arson on black establishments.

"One eye is taken for an eye" A white gang killed a black person, so a black gang would kill a white person, and it would go back and forth...

Just how I saw it.

Cover art for Bad Moon Rising lyrics by Creedence Clearwater Revival

I've read that this song was reaction to Richard Nixon's election in 1968. Clearly, he did not expect great things of Nixon.

He's a musician. The vast majority of musicians are poorly educated; come from shit families; party hard; were not raised with God or any higher power (so they think they are the center of their universe and everyone else's); and due to their busy schedules probably do not even follow the news. If a musician is liberal it's an oddity. Most are self-centered, loose, creative types who are led by the nose by those who impress them....the idiotic superficial Hollywood types.

Not Valid

isn't liberal

Not Valid

ILUVU I'm a brazilian musician and I dont agree with you opinion about musicians... For example: I've never studied english and never been in a country wich speaks englins.. By the way Do speak portuguese?

Cover art for Bad Moon Rising lyrics by Creedence Clearwater Revival

This is directly from Bad Moon Rising by Hank Bordowitz. Page 59. It is a quote from John Fogerty

"Bad Moon Rising is obviously an homage to the early Sun recordings." "The imagery ca,e frp, a 1941 movie, The Devil and Daniel Webster, about a senator that makes a deal with the Devil.... There's one great scene where there's a huge storm, and the neighbor's corn crop was completely knocked down. But next door, the Devil and Daniel Webster are standing side by side, looking out hte barn door. You can see Daniel Webster's corn still standing tall in a straight row six feet high. The contrast represented a very strong image to me. I took it in a biblical sense, meaning hurricanes and lightening."

Cover art for Bad Moon Rising lyrics by Creedence Clearwater Revival

this song definitely sounds like it could be describing the vietnam war. i believe i have seen it in a couple music lists from that era.

Cover art for Bad Moon Rising lyrics by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Re: "When I heard this song on the radio when I was a kid, I always thought he was saying a bathroom on the right". You are not the first to think you hear JCFogerty sing "a bathroom on the right". Actually JCFogerty sometimes sing "a bathroom on the right" when he preform the song live.

@DjUve This is a genius interpretation, thanks .... even if a loooooong time ago!

Cover art for Bad Moon Rising lyrics by Creedence Clearwater Revival

i've heard this song is about vietnam.

a bad moon rising is a full moon. in vietnam a full moon is light for the NVA/vc to see you. and then kill you

"Don't go around tonight Well it's bound to take your life"

Cover art for Bad Moon Rising lyrics by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Your all wrong, Badd Moon Rising is a song about how righteous and kick-ass Creedence Clearwater is. The line "Bad Moon on The Rise", when translated in Gaelic, means "John Fogerty is My Hero".

Cover art for Bad Moon Rising lyrics by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Definitely a political antic towards Vietnam.

Agree completely.