These members played together since 1959, first as The Blue Velvets, then as The Golliwogs. Their musical style encompassed the roots rock, swamp rock, and blues rock genres. They played in a Southern rock style, despite their San Francisco Bay Area origin, with lyrics about bayous, catfish, the Mississippi River, and other popular elements of Southern United States iconography, as well as political and socially conscious lyrics about topics including the Vietnam War. The band performed at the 1969 Woodstock Festival in Upstate New York.
The group disbanded acrimoniously in late 1972 after four years of chart-topping success. Tom Fogerty had officially left the previous year, and his brother John was at odds with the remaining members over matters of business and artistic control, all of which resulted in subsequent lawsuits among the former bandmates. Fogerty's ongoing disagreements with Fantasy Records owner Saul Zaentz created further protracted court battles, and John Fogerty refused to perform with the two other surviving members at CCR's 1993 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Creedence Clearwater Revival's music is still a staple of US radio airplay; the band has sold 26 million albums in the United States alone. Rolling Stone ranked them 82nd on its Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list.
John Fogerty, Doug Clifford, and Stu Cook met at Portola Junior High School in El Cerrito, California. Calling themselves the Blue Velvets, the trio began playing instrumentals and "juke box standards", as well as backing Fogerty's older brother Tom at live gigs and in the recording studio. Tom soon joined the band, and in 1964 they signed with Fantasy Records, an independent jazz label in San Francisco that had released Cast Your Fate To The Wind, a national hit for jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi. The record's success was the subject of a National Educational Television special, which prompted budding songwriter John Fogerty to contact the label. For the band's first release, Fantasy co-owner Max Weiss renamed the group the Golliwogs (after the children's literary character, Golliwogg).
Bandmembers' roles and the instruments they played changed during this period. Stu Cook switched from piano to bass guitar and Tom Fogerty from lead vocals to rhythm guitar; John became the band's lead vocalist and primary songwriter. In Tom Fogerty's words: "I could sing, but John had a sound!".
Long As I Can See the Light
Creedence Clearwater Revival Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause I feel I've gotta move
Though I'm goin', goin'
I'll be comin' home soon
Long as I can see the light
Pack my bag and let's get moving
'Cause I'm bound to drift awhile
Though I'm gone, gone
You don't have to worry, no
Long as I can see the light
Guess I've got that old travelin' bone
'Cause this feeling won't leave me alone
But I won't, I won't
Be losin' my way, no, no
Long as I can see the light
Yeah
Yeah
Yeah
Oh yeah
Put a candle in the window
'Cause I feel I've gotta move
Though I'm goin', goin'
I'll be comin' home soon
Long as I can see the light
Long as I can see the light
Long as I can see the light
Long as I can see the light
Long as I can see the light
The lyrics to Creedence Clearwater Revival's song "Long As I Can See The Light" convey the feeling of restlessness and the desire to be on the move, while maintaining a sense of longing for home. The repetition of "Put a candle in the window / 'Cause I feel I've gotta move / Though I'm goin', goin' / I'll be comin' home soon / Long as I can see the light" reinforces the feeling of the singer's desire to travel, while also holding onto the hope of returning home.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of being lost or uncertain while on the road, as seen in the line "Guess I've got that old travelin' bone / 'Cause this feeling won't leave alone / But I won't, won't / Be losin' my way /Long as I can see the light." This suggests that even though the singer is on the move, they have a sense of direction or purpose, and as long as they can see their way forward, they will not be lost.
Overall, "Long As I Can See The Light" captures the dual sense of wanderlust and longing for home that many people experience. The repeated lines and simple yet evocative imagery create a powerful and relatable message that speaks to the human experience of restlessness and the desire to explore while still maintaining a sense of connection to one's roots.
Line by Line Meaning
Put a candle in the window
I feel like I need to leave, but I want you to know that you have my home and my heart to come back to. Please leave a candle in the window to guide me home when I return.
'Cause I feel I've gotta move
Something inside me is telling me that I need to leave and go on a journey. I'm not sure where it will take me, but I have to go.
Though I'm goin', goin'
I'm leaving and I don't know how long I'll be gone or what I'll find on my journey.
I'll be comin' home soon
Even though I'm leaving, I want you to know that I'll always come back. Home is where the heart is.
Long as I can see the light
As long as I have a guiding light to lead me home, I'll never be lost and I'll always find my way back to you.
Pack my bag and let's get moving
It's time to pack up and start this journey. I'm ready to experience new things and see where life takes me.
'Cause I'm bound to drift awhile
I know that I'll be drifting for a while, that's just the nature of the journey I'm taking. There's no telling where I'll end up or how long I'll be gone.
You don't have to worry
Even though I'm leaving, I don't want you to worry. I'll always come back.
Guess I've got that old travelin' bone
I have a strong desire to travel and see the world. This feeling has always been a part of me and I can't ignore it any longer.
'Cause this feeling won't leave alone
This desire to travel and explore won't go away. It's been with me for a long time and it's time for me to act on it.
But I won't, won't
Even though I'm traveling and experiencing new things, I won't lose my way or forget where I came from.
Be losin' my way
I won't get lost or forget my roots. I know where I come from and that will always be a part of me.
Yeah
An expression of affirmation or agreement.
Yeah
An expression of affirmation or agreement.
Yeah
An expression of affirmation or agreement.
Oh yeah
An expression of excitement or enthusiasm.
Long as I can see the light
This phrase is repeated throughout the song to emphasize the importance of having a guiding light to lead you home. As long as I have that light, I know I'll always find my way back to where I belong.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: John Cameron Fogerty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@joannemartinez6250
Was played for my sons funeral. It was the song he requested. He will always be 42.
@murphycormac3089
Hello Joanne 👋 how are you ?
@Opa_der_Kranke
My sincere condolences, parents are not supposed to bury their kids. I can feel your pain.
I wish you all the best. Best wishes from Hamburg, Germany.
@ec9919
Godspeed. ❤
@jeff7764
Sorry to hear this! You’re in our thoughts
@damirglavas7940
💔😓😥
@markdavis4994
One of CCR's most underrated songs and arguably their only one that could be considered a ballad. JC Fogerty's raspy vocals are at his best, his sax solo is incredible, and the overall arrangement is perfect. Simply CCR at their very best.
@RobertoZadik-en8zc
The voice of John Fogerty, the drums and the saxofone and this painful love Song. Absolute Masterpiece
@marlenelyles
Be lovin this love CCR ❤
@paulmartin2586
Anybody still listening to this ?
Fogerty's voice is pure magic