Lodi
Fogerty Lyrics


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Just about a year ago
I set out on the road
Seekin' my fame and fortune
Lookin' for a pot of gold
Thing got bad and things got worse
I guess you know the tune
Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again
Rode in on the Greyhound
I'll be walkin' out if I go
I was just passin' through
Must be seven months or more
Ran out of time and money
Looks like they took my friends
Oh Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again

A man from the magazine
Said I was on my way
Somewhere I lost connections
Ran out of songs to play
I came into town, a one night stand
Looks like my plans fell through
Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again

If I only had a dollar
For every song I've sung
Every time I had to play
While people sat there drunk
You know, I'd catch the next train
Back to where I live




Oh Lord, stuck in a Lodi again
Oh Lord, I'm stuck in a Lodi again

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to John Fogerty's "Lodi" detail the experience of a struggling musician who is down on his luck and finds himself stuck in the small town of Lodi, California. The song begins with the musician lamenting about his past year on the road, searching for fame and fortune but only finding bad luck and misfortune. The lyrics paint a picture of a man who is discouraged and disillusioned with the music industry, as he has lost connections and run out of songs to play.


The musician's frustration is palpable as he recounts the many times he has had to play for drunk audiences, wishing he could escape this life and return back to his home. However, the reality is that he is stuck in Lodi, a small town that only reminds him of his failed aspirations. The themes of loneliness, desperation, and disillusionment are powerfully conveyed in the song, and the repetition of the phrase "stuck in Lodi again" reinforces the sense of entrapment and hopelessness felt by the musician.


Overall, "Lodi" is a poignant reflection on the difficulties faced by struggling musicians who are trying to make it in the industry. The song captures the sense of despair felt by those who feel like they are trapped in a never-ending cycle of failure and disappointment, and serves as a reminder of the harsh realities of the music industry.


Line by Line Meaning

Just about a year ago
It was almost a year ago when I started my journey.


I set out on the road
I started traveling with big dreams and aspirations.


Seekin' my fame and fortune
My goal was to become well-known and wealthy.


Lookin' for a pot of gold
I was searching for a way to strike it rich and achieve success.


Thing got bad and things got worse
As I continued on my journey, things started going badly and it only got worse.


I guess you know the tune
I suppose you've heard of this happening before because it's a common story.


Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again
Here I am once again, trapped in Lodi and unable to get out.


Rode in on the Greyhound
I traveled by Greyhound bus to Lodi.


I'll be walkin' out if I go
If I leave Lodi, I'll have to walk because I don't have any money left for transportation.


I was just passin' through
Lodi was not my destination, I was just passing through.


Must be seven months or more
I have been stuck in Lodi for at least seven months now.


Ran out of time and money
I've expended all of my time and money, leaving me with nothing and no way to leave Lodi.


Looks like they took my friends
I used to have friends with me, but now they have abandoned me and left.


A man from the magazine
A representative from a magazine spoke to me and told me that I was on the right track to success.


Said I was on my way
The man told me that I was destined for fame and fortune.


Somewhere I lost connections
At some point, I lost important connections and things stopped going well for me.


Ran out of songs to play
I've run out of musical inspiration and ideas, leaving me with nothing to perform.


I came into town, a one night stand
I arrived in Lodi for a single, short-lived performance.


Looks like my plans fell through
My dreams and hopes for success have crumbled and left me with nothing but disappointment.


If I only had a dollar
I wish I had some money because I'm completely broke.


For every song I've sung
I've played and sung so many songs, it would be advantageous if I got paid a dollar for each one.


Every time I had to play
Anytime that I was required to give a performance, whether I wanted to or not.


While people sat there drunk
As I was singing, individuals would sit and drink heavily, showing little interest in my performance.


You know, I'd catch the next train
If it were possible, I would catch the next train and leave Lodi behind.


Back to where I live
I want to return to my old life that I have left behind.


Oh Lord, stuck in a Lodi again
My current situation continues leaving me trapped and unable to get myself out of it.




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: JOHN CAMERON FOGERTY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@jwr50

His music never gets old. I listened to it as a high school teenager, I listened to it as a Marine in Vietnam and I'm still listening 50+ years later.

@paulspears715

God bless you man!!

@PatrickWagz

Thank you for your service to our country.

@jwr50

@@PatrickWagz Thank you so much.

@jwr50

@@paulspears715 ❤️

@paulspears715

I've seen Mr. Fogerty in concert three times, '86, '97, '98. In '86 he was not singing CCR songs, but he did play "Centerfield" using his baseball bat guitar, someone from the audience threw a Red Sox hat on stage and he put it on(I live just south of Boston, the year the Sox lost to the Mets). In '97 we saw him again, and I was so excited cause he was singing CCR. After one of his very rare love songs, it was a little quiet, and I am told ( I was quite drunk) that I screamed out...Fortunate fucking Sonnnnn....and I guess he looked at his band, as if to say,what the hell, and they played it. Which they would have anyway ,I think. Anyway, it was a Sunday night concert and I had taken the next day off. I wore my contact lenses to the concert and went to sleep with them still in. Monday morning my phone rang, I fumbled to find the phone cause the lenses were dried onto my eyeballs and when I tried to say hello, I had no voice, lost it screaming the night before. The next year I was completely sober, maybe a joint, and it was a great concert. Sorry for the long post!

13 More Replies...

@razorback9926

It must be endlessly pleasurable for John to sing these songs with his children. No record company telling him what to do, just John and his family.

@Borella309

And it's endlessly pleasurable for the rest of the world as well - Thanks John and your kids, Loved it!

@sigogglin

Amen

@johnhualnam1081

Oh, are those 3 guys John's children, really...?!!! Thank you for enlightening me! 😋

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