This was a song on their second album Bayou Country which peaked at #7 in 1969. Cool song and cool guitar lick by John Fogerty. The song is about things that are forbidden…only makes you want them more. Fogerty said: “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?”
This song was not one of their big hits but a great song all the same. The band made a video for the song with them playing on a yacht and fans coming aboard.
From Songfacts
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.
Bootleg
Bootleg, bootleg,
Bootleg, howl.
Bootleg, bootleg,
Bootleg, howl.
Take you a glass of water
Make it against the law.
See how good the water tastes
When you can’t have any at all.
Bootleg, bootleg,
Bootleg, howl.
Bootleg, bootleg,
Bootleg, howl.
Findin’ a natural woman,
Like honey to a bee.
But you don’t buzz the flower.
When you know the honey’s free.
Bootleg, bootleg,
Bootleg, howl.
Bootleg, bootleg,
Bootleg, howl.
Suzy maybe give you some cherry pie,
But lord, that ain’t no fun.
Better you grab it when she ain’t lookin’
‘Cause you know you’d rather have it on the run.
Bootleg, bootleg,
Bootleg, howl.
Bootleg, bootleg,
Bootleg, howl.
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Basically a one-chord song — that completely works!
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Sometimes simple is better…and Fogerty did that better than almost anyone.
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Also that voice. He could sing the phone book and it would just fine
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don’t know that one. Not one of their best but still,pretty cool guitars
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Yea it’s hard picking one that hasn’t been played to death…I thought it was a clever way to write a song.
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I love this song, it is so freaking cool. How awesome would it have been to be partying on that yacht?
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I know…party with Creedence…I’m down for that.
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The song is insightful and downright subversive when you include the video. Look at the symbolism in the video: at first everyone is dancing out in the open, then imagine dancing became illegal. It looks like everyone is leaving, like obedient sheep. Then that last shot at the end, where everyone is still dancing but out of sight inside the ship. I love it! This would be a good one to dance to.
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Sorry Lisa…I missed it last night.
It does fit all of that really well. I loved the way he went about writing the song. Like you mentioned…it said so much. When I first heard it I thought…wow this one is a gem that never gets played. The video made it that much better.
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No worries, just wanted to make sure it got through to you.
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copy and pasting my comment and hoping it comes through for you: The song is insightful and downright subversive when you include the video. Look at the symbolism in the video: at first everyone is dancing out in the open, then imagine dancing became illegal. It looks like everyone is leaving, like obedient sheep. Then that last shot at the end, where everyone is still dancing but out of sight inside the ship. I love it! This would be a good one to dance to.
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