Rising Tides: Unpacking the Hidden Foreboding in ‘Bad Moon Rising’

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising”, written by John Fogerty, is an atmospheric rock single released on April 16, 1969, as the lead single from their album Green River, released four months later
. Clocking in at just 2 minutes and 21 seconds, the song juxtaposes a buoyant, rollicking melody with ominous lyrics forecasting disaster

Despite—or perhaps because of—this contrast, “Bad Moon Rising” soared on the charts. In the U.S., it peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 on June 28, 1969, held back from #1 only by Henry Mancini’s “Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet.” Across the Atlantic, it ruled the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in September 1969
. It became CCR’s second gold single and has since been covered by over 20 artists in genres ranging from folk to reggae

Rolling Stone placed “Bad Moon Rising” at #364 in their 2010 list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”—a testament to its enduring influence

𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 – 𝐁𝐚𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠

Movie Inspiration: John Fogerty penned the song while watching the 1941 film The Devil and Daniel Webster, particularly moved by a hurricane scene where only the farm of a man who made a deal with the devil remains standing

Cheerful Doom: Fogerty himself described the bizarre contrast between the song’s upbeat melody and its apocalyptic lyrics:

“You got this song with all these hurricanes and blowing and raging ruin…and it’s ‘I see a bad moon rising.’ It’s a happy-sounding tune, right?”

CCR’s Run in 1969: That year alone—1969—saw CCR release three studio albums: Bayou Country, Green River, and Willy and the Poor Boys. Green River, featuring “Bad Moon Rising,” became one of their most successful releases

Video