Album: Bayou Country (1969)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about how we crave what is forbidden. In Fortunate Son: My Life, My Music, John Fogerty asks, "Why is it that those things that are really bad for you - candy, ice cream, alcohol - taste so good? Why is it that the things that we can't have we want even more?"
  • A bootleg is an example of an item made more appealing because it is illicit. In the '60s, a bootleg was an illegal recording of a concert. These were often very low quality, but still coveted, as they were rare and unauthorized.
  • Tom Fogerty played the acoustic guitar on this track.

Comments: 1

  • Durwood Ball from Albuquerque, New Mexico"Bootleg howl" is incorrect. I'm pretty sure that the lyric "Bootleg holler," a place in the woods where the bootleggers conceal their still.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Rock Stars of Horror

Rock Stars of HorrorMusic Quiz

Rock Stars - especially those in the metal realm - are often enlisted for horror movies. See if you know can match the rocker to the role.

Frankie Valli

Frankie ValliSong Writing

An interview with Frankie Valli, who talks about why his songs - both solo and with The Four Seasons - have endured, and reflects on his time as Rusty Millio on The Sopranos.

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Kip Winger

Kip WingerSongwriter Interviews

The Winger frontman reveals the Led Zeppelin song he cribbed for "Seventeen," and explains how his passion for orchestra music informs his songwriting.

Stephen Christian of Anberlin

Stephen Christian of AnberlinSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist for Anberlin breaks down "Impossible" and covers some tracks from their 2012 album Vital.