This song is often believed to be about the Vietnam War,
as it referred to a jungle and was released in 1970.
John Fogerty said,
I think a lot of people thought that because of the times,
but I was talking about America and the proliferation of guns,
registered and otherwise. I’m a hunter and I’m not anti gun,
but I just thought that people were so gun happy
and there were so many guns uncontrolled
that it really was dangerous, and it’s even worse now,
but I don’t look back.
Former CCR executive
Saul Zentz claimed that the song The Old Man Down the road,
which Fogerty released as a solo artist,
was too similar to this song and even took him to court.
It was
perhaps the first time an artist was sued for plagiarizing himself.
Fogerty won that case,
but Zanz also sued him for his song Zanz Can’t Dance,
professing that it was an attack on him.
Zanz won that case, and Fogerty not only had to pay a fine,
but also had to change the song’s name.