Kid Rock released several studio albums from 1988 that mostly went unnoticed before his 1998 record 'Devil Without a Cause', released with Atlantic Records, sold 11 million albums behind the hits, "Bawitdaba","Cowboy," and "Only God Knows Why". In 2000, he released The History of Rock which was a compilation of remixed and remastered versions of songs from his previous albums as well as the hit single, "American Bad Ass". In 2001, he released the follow up, Cocky. After a slow start, his country-flavored hit "Picture" with Sheryl Crow resurrected the album and it went gold as a single and pushed the album's sales to more than 5 million. It was followed by 2003's self-titled release, which failed to chart a major hit. In 2006 he released Live Trucker , a live album. In 2007 Kid Rock released Rock N Roll Jesus, which produced a hit in "All Summer Long." It was his first worldwide smash hit, charting #1 in eight countries across Europe and Australia. Rock N Roll Jesus would go on to sell 5 million albums worldwide including being certified triple platinum in the US.
He has sold 22 million albums to date in the United States, which currently ranks him as the 99th best selling music artist of all time in the U.S.
Fortunate Son
Kid Rock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh, they're red, white and blue
And when the band plays hail to the chief
Ooh, they point the cannon at You, Lord
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no senators son, son
It ain't me, it ain't me
Yeah, some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Lord, don't they help themselves, oh
But when the tax man comes to the door
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no millionaires son, no
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no
Some folks inherit star spangled eyes
Ooh, they send You down to war, Lord
And when you ask them, how much should we give?
Ooh, they only answer more, more, more, yoh
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no military son, son
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, one
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no, no, no
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate son, no, no, no
Kid Rock's rendition of "Fortunate Son" is a cover of the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic that was originally released in 1969. The lyrics deal with the class divide and the privileges that come with being born into certain families. The opening lines "Some folks are born, made to wave the flag, Ooh, they're red, white and blue" paint a picture of people who are born into a privileged position, who have the resources and support to feel patriotic and show their love for their country. These people are often associated with the elite, the senators, and politicians who have the power to shape the country's policies.
When the song talks about the cannon being pointed at someone, it could be a reference to the military and war culture that often recruits from poorer communities while the rich can avoid service. It speaks of the hypocrisy of powerful people who send others to fight in wars, without themselves having to face the same consequences. The pre-chorus, "It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senators son, son. It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate one, no," highlights the disparity in opportunities and resources, reiterating that the wealthy have had things handed to them on a silver platter, while the working-class fight and struggle for it.
Overall, Kid Rock's version of "Fortunate Son" is a criticism of inequality and highlights how individuals don't have the same starting point. The song's message is still relevant today in a world that is increasingly divided.
Line by Line Meaning
Some folks are born, made to wave the flag
Some people are born with a patriotic spirit instilled in them
Ooh, they're red, white and blue
Their patriotism runs deep like the colors of the American flag
And when the band plays hail to the chief
When the national anthem is played in honor of the president
Ooh, they point the cannon at You, Lord
They are willing to go to war and fight for their country's leaders, even if it means sacrificing their own lives
It ain't me, it ain't me
I am not one of those people
I ain't no senators son, son
I was not born into a powerful political family
It ain't me, it ain't me
I am not one of the lucky ones
I ain't no fortunate one, no
I am not privileged, and I have to work hard for my success
Yeah, some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Some people are privileged from the moment they are born
Lord, don't they help themselves, oh
They take advantage of their wealth and opportunities to get ahead
But when the tax man comes to the door
But when it's time to pay their fair share of taxes
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes
Their extravagant spending habits leave them broke and in debt
Some folks inherit star spangled eyes
Some people are born with a sense of duty to their country
Ooh, they send You down to war, Lord
Their leaders are quick to send them to battle, despite the risks to their lives
And when you ask them, how much should we give?
And when soldiers ask how much they will be paid for their sacrifice
Ooh, they only answer more, more, more, yoh
Their leaders are only interested in getting more resources, regardless of the human cost
It ain't me, it ain't me
I am not one of those soldiers
I ain't no military son, son
I was not born into a family of soldiers
It ain't me, it ain't me
I am not one of the lucky ones
I ain't no fortunate one, one
I am not privileged, and I have to work hard for my success
It ain't me, it ain't me
I am not one of the lucky ones
I ain't no fortunate one, no, no, no
I am not privileged, and I do not have an advantage in life
It ain't me, it ain't me
I am not one of the lucky ones
I ain't no fortunate son, no, no, no
I am not born into a family of wealth or power
Contributed by Carter G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JL. C.
Man. What a solid performance.
Yavor Mravov
Rikishi on the drums , killing it
Nothingtoseehete
He did it for the Rock (music).
TIMxisxHERE
I don't mind missing a line, just singing this tune is already hard enough... props to Kid for actually reaching all those notes and keeping it up.
Devil's Offspring
I almost hate to admit it, but the guy sounds really good singing this! :)
FelisDestructicus
I didn't come here expecting to like this video, but goddayum, that was an awesome cover!
thegreatgatsby
Why sing it if you can't even get the lyrics right?
What a disgrace to CCR
Sam Sv
Muito bom, curti!
Deus abençoe!
Victoria blues
Awesome atmosphere !!!!
G style PL/DE
Respect for All war veterans!!