Creedence Clearwater Revival – Lookin’ Out My Back Door

About The Song

“Lookin’ out My Back Door” is a song recorded by the American band Creedence Clearwater Revival. Written by the band’s lead singer, guitarist and songwriter John Fogerty, it is included on their fifth album Cosmo’s Factory (1970), and became their fifth and final number-two Billboard hit, held off the top by Diana Ross’s version of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”. It was their only Cash Box Top 100 number-one hit.

This song was partly written for John Fogerty’s son Josh, who at the time was three years old. Fogerty said: “I knew he would love it if he heard me on the radio singing – doot doot doo, lookin’ out my back door.” In the song lyrics there is a reference to a parade passing by which John says was inspired by a Dr. Seuss book that he read as a kid titled To Think (That) I Saw It On Mulberry Street.
The song’s lyrics, filled with colorful, dream-like imagery, lead some to believe that it is about drugs. According to the drug theory, the “flying spoon” was a reference to a cocaine or heroin spoon, and the crazy animal images were an acid trip. Fogerty, however, has stated in interviews that the song was actually written for his then three-year-old son, Josh. Fogerty has also said that the allusion to a parade passing by was inspired by the Dr. Seuss book And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.

The song begins and ends with the mention of Illinois, and locking the front door in a vain attempt to prevent his troubles there from following him home. Country singer Buck Owens is also mentioned in the song, and the music reflects some of the Bakersfield sound Owens made famous.
John Fogerty played a bit of dobro on this track. He’s seen holding the instrument on the cover of the 1969 album Green River, but “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” is the only time he played it on a Creedence song. In 1993, he bought a dobro at a vintage guitar show and set out to master the instrument, playing it for hours on end and using it on his 1997 solo album Blue Moon Swamp. He got some help along the way from Jerry Douglas, a preeminent dobro player who was part of Alison Krauss’ band Union Station.
Reviewing the song, Cash Box stated “emphasing their early-rock gut appeal, CCR plunges into a rough-hewn bit of dance material that should sparkle.” Record World called it a “super-smash.” Billboard called it a “clever rhythm item.”

Video

Lyrics

Just got home from Illinois, lock the front door, oh boy!
Got to sit down, take a rest on the porch
Imagination sets in, pretty soon I’m singin’
Doo, doo, doo, lookin’ out my back door
There’s a giant doin’ cartwheels, a statue wearin’ high heels
Look at all the happy creatures dancin’ on the lawn
Dinosaur Victrola, listenin’ to Buck Owens
Doo, doo, doo, lookin’ out my back door
Tambourines and elephants are playin’ in the band
Won’t you take a ride on the flyin’ spoon? Dood-n-doo-doo
Wonderous apparition provided by magician
Doo, doo, doo, lookin’ out my back door
Tambourines and elephants are playin’ in the band
Won’t you take a ride on the flyin’ spoon? Dood-n-doo-doo
Bother me tomorrow, today I’ll buy no sorrows
Doo, doo, doo, lookin’ out my back door
Forward troubles Illinois, lock the front door, oh boy!
Look at all the happy creatures dancin’ on the lawn
Bother me tomorrow, today I’ll buy no sorrows
Doo, doo, doo, lookin’ out my back door