As the hippy-trippy 60s were moving into the wide-open 70s, any song lyrics with an ounce of imagination were rumored to be about or influenced by drugs. That was true of this catchy little tune from Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Since they burst on the national scene with their cover of “Susie Q” in 1968, the band dominated the top 40, scoring 6 consecutive Top 10 smashes. “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” made it 7 (and more would follow before the streak (and the band) came to an abrupt end in 1972). The tune came at the peak of the band’s popularity, off their Cosmo’s Factory, an LP that yielded no less than 6 singles. “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” made it all the way to #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1970.
It’s wild and wacky lyrics about a lawn filled with giants doing cartwheels, a statue wearing high heels, elephants, a flying spoon, and more convinced many that Creedence songwriter & lead vocalist, John Fogerty, must be high on something.
Actually, there’s more Dr. Suess than LSD inspiring the tune’s whimsical backyard parade. Fogerty wrote the song for his 3-year-old son, Josh. Seems Josh had really taken to Dr. Seuss’ book about an equally silly parade, To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. Fogerty had read it to his son so many times, that he finally decided to see if he could get that same spirit into one of his tunes.
So, that’s the real story. Just don’t ask us about Donovan’s “Mellow Yellow,” okay?
