Early in the evenin' just about supper time
Over by the courthouse they're starting to unwind
Four kids on the corner tryin' to bring you up
Willy picks a tune out and he blows it on the harp

Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willy and the Poor Boys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet

Rooster hits the washboard and people just got to smile
Blinky thumps the gut bass and solos for a while
Poor Boy twangs the rhythm out on his kalamazoo
And Willy goes into a dance and doubles on kazoo

Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willy and the Poor Boys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet

Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willy and the Poor Boys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet

You don't need a penny just to hang around
But if you've got a nickel, won't you lay your money down?
Over on the corner there's a happy noise
People come from all around to watch the magic boy

Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willy and the Poor Boys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet

Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willy and the Poor Boys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet

Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willy and the Poor Boys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet

Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willy and the Poor Boys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet


Lyrics submitted by 3ssence

Down on the Corner Lyrics as written by John Cameron Fogerty

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

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Down On The Corner song meanings
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41 Comments

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  • +4
    General Comment

    Don't know what's supposedly going on in the courthouse, but I don't think that matters. In small American towns the Courthouse is usally the center of the community. Often times an outdoor concert for social gathering takes place on the courthouse steps. If you live in a city of more than say... 30,000 this notion might seem upsurd, but in rural America this is commonplace.

    Like much of CCR this song exemplifies small town America and it's just local boys playing music over by the courthouse. A small crowd gathers and listens. That's all. It's not random lyrics... CCR is describing the scene and mood. Great song.

    defuncton July 11, 2006   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    have to agree with everyone elses love of the song anyone every thought about the lines "Over by the courthouse they're starting to unwind. Four kids on the corner trying to bring you up."? to me it always seemed like something just happened to someone in the courthouse wether they deserived it or not people are sad because of it and the band is trying to bring up peoples spirts. the whole song seems like they are trying to forget or to just get over what happened in the courthouse keep in mind all of the segregation and supreme court desisions that just happened when this song was writtin.

    jdog40on July 15, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I don't really know what this song's about, but I love CCR's random, crazy lyrics...this song and Lookin' Out My Backdoor are my favorite CCR songs. I love the opening to this song too.

    Reginaon December 30, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think Down On The Corner is a simple but groovy good-time-music-song. I guess the meaning of this song is just "going back to the musical roots", because CCR were often playing Skiffle music before the time they got successful. And you can match the fictional musicians in the songtext to the Creedence musicians (Willy=John Fogerty, Poorboy=Tom Fogerty, Blinky=Stu Cook, Rooster=Doug Clifford)

    groovybassiston March 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is my favorite CCR song of all time. :)

    SgtPepperLHCBon June 06, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    its a great song, i must agree

    nilnumon August 17, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    its a great song, i must agree

    nilnumon August 17, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    But what is it about? Is it just about a particular street musician group, nothing more?

    stoolhardyon December 28, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    THIS THE ABSOLUTE BEST CCR SONG aND ILL FIGHT YA IF YA THINK DIFFERENT

    SGT.PEPPERon April 18, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Creedence is fucking awesome.

    ghotistixon April 18, 2005   Link

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