What does Bad Moon Rising mean?

Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bad Moon Rising Meaning

Album cover for Bad Moon Rising album cover

Song Released: 1969


Bad Moon Rising Lyrics

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

Chorus:
Dont go around tonight,
Well, its bound to take your life,
Theres a bad moon on the rise.

I hear hurricanes...

  1. anonymous
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    Oct 17th 2020 !⃝

    i had a dream 9/25/20 and on the side of van read Credence Clearwater Revival. I looked up words and saw Bad Moon Rising. I believe song today is prophetic giving us warning as to what is coming to the world. We have seen the effects of race wars, deaths in street, lack of law and order, climate change, earthquakes, tornadoes, just to name a few. A warning of Jesus Christ return back to earth. If you dont know Him ask Him to cleanse hearts and receive Him as Lord and Savior. I dont know when He is returning to claim His world back but He is. Aren't you tired of living in hell on earth. Jesus is returning please consider where you will live eternity. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son (Jesus) that whoever believes shall have eternal life.

  2. anonymous
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    Oct 10th 2017 !⃝

    It's about current times. As in Donald Trump is our president.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  3. anonymous
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    Nov 23rd 2016 !⃝

    It's about when Lord JesusChrist comes back . And the message above , who am I , I say you are the devil, as the devil is the only One who was cast out of heaven .

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  4. anonymous
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    Nov 23rd 2016 !⃝

    It's about when Lord JesusChrist comes back . And the message above , who am I , I say you are the devil, as the devil is the only Oregon was cast out of heaven .

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  5. anonymous
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    May 25th 2016 !⃝

    My interpretation is that John Fogarty's a genius songwriter. He must get a great kick out of people from all walks of life, whether they know anything or not, whether we can even understand what they're saying or not, still pontificating & debating about his songs after 40 years. Thanks, Mr. Fogarty!

  6. kooljohn176
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    Mar 19th 2016 !⃝

    John Fogerty with C.C.R basically sang a song about the time when a lot of people talked about going to the moon in 1969. Their talk were with religious and political point of views in suspicion of each other. If going up there it would cause a unholy rise of Omens[blood moons] where according to The Holy Men of the old who then believed and now still believe that the moon is God's domain and nobody should ever try to Set foot on it's surface to succeed as lunatics. Because then we the people will be programmed to inherit the road of civil unrest for wars of Apocalyptic porportions that possibly could come back to us on Earth one day.

  7. anonymous
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    Mar 14th 2016 !⃝

    Why do people think every song John wrote is about the war. Read his book

  8. anonymous
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    Oct 31st 2015 !⃝

    IT MEANS...ITS TIME TO AWAKEN HUMANITY..FOR LEGEND SAYS..I WAZ CAST DOWN FROM THE HEAVENS BECAUSE I 'REBELLED' AGAINST GOD..BECAUSE I WAS FEARLESS ENOUGH TO STAND UP AGAINST ALL THAT WHICH I DO NOT BELIEVE ALL THAT I FEEL IS WRONG OR UNJUST IN MT HEART..YES..FOR THAT I AM GUILTY..I ROSE UP TO STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR HUMANITY. TO BELIEVE IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR YOUR KIND TO DO AND BE GREAT THINGS..TO HAVE POWER TO SPEAK AND THW PATIENCE TO LISTEN...TO UNDERSTAND THE FEELING AND EMOTION IN LEARNING HOW TO GIVE..ONLY BECAUSE YOU SO OFTEN HAD TO TAKE...TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADAPT AND TO CHANGE..ONLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE STRENGTHENED YOURSELF THROUGH EXPERIENCE. I AM TRUTH EVEN WHEN I LIE...I AM YOUR GUILT AND STILL THE ONE TRUE ALIBY..I WATCH YOU IN DARKNESS YET I'M THE ONLY TRUE LIGHT..
    IAM THE SUPER BLOOD MOON
    I AM LEGiiON
    FOR..I ..HAVE..MANY NAMES..
    WHO AM I
    ?¿?

  9. anonymous
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    Aug 28th 2014 !⃝

    This is an explanation of A Bad Moon on the Rise explained to me years ago. It was coined when a bad outcome was expected. Some of the words for this song was reputed to have been taken from a conversation between 2 US (?) soldiers in the Vietnam war just before a big battle. The objective of this particular battle was to counter attack the enemy to take a hill, but the odds, (terrain and conditions) were overwhelming and against them and the soldiers knew it. Being in a tropical climate, the weather was forecasted to be bad, torrential rain, lightning, winds, etc, making the going difficult. The casualties were numerous and had previously been high. They also knew that there would be more casulaties in the upcoming battle. 'Rivers overflowing', related to rivers of blood. The voices of rage and ruin may have attributed to either the objection of the soldiers recognition of the futility of the battle, or to the opposition to the war by the civilian population back at home. (Often the soldiers fought for an objective at great cost of life and injury, only to concede that piece of real estate to the enemy days later).

    I hear hurricanes ablowin'
    I know the end is comin' soon
    I fear rivers overflowin'
    I hear the voice of rage and ruin

    In addition, a soldiers kit, i.e. his personal effects and service equipment, is costantly checked by himself and his NCO's. When a soldier is preparing to march/fight, he is asked to get his things or kit together. To take an eye for an eye was basically to attack and kill for revenge of their comrades, hence the words:

    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

  10. anonymous
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    May 16th 2012 !⃝

    To anonymous: KKK beginnings were in either Illinois or Indiana, so do you consider that "southern"?

  11. anonymous
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    Apr 15th 2011 !⃝

    Civil rights stuff. Blacks having crosses burned in their front yard, that kind of "fun" southern stuff. Definitely a southern song.

  12. bonjovifan1994
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    Jun 20th 2010 !⃝

    This song is about bad things to come in the future, specifically, the end of the world. When someone says "There is a bad moon on the rise" they are basically saying "something bad's gonna happen"

  13. REMareback
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    Jan 4th 2009 !⃝

    This is a song about bad times coming, it describes the end in many ways, 'hurricanes a blowing' and 'one eye is taken for an eye' as well as 'hope you are quite prepared to die.'

    It was released late 1969 when Nixon had just been elected President, so can be seen as a response to that.

    Also the line there's a bad moon on the rise is often misheard as there's a bathroom on the right.


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