In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Well, take me back down where cool water flows, y'all
Oh, let me remember things I love
Stoppin' at the log where catfish bite
Walkin' along the river road at night
Barefoot girls dancin' in the moonlight
I can hear the bullfrog callin' me, oh
Wonder if my rope's still hangin' to the tree
Love to kick my feet way down the shallow water
Shoo fly, dragon fly, get back to your mother
Pick up a flat rock, skip it across Green River
Well
Up at Cody's camp I spent my days, Lord
With flat car riders and cross-tie walkers
Old Cody Junior took me over
Said, "You're gonna find the world is smoldering
And if you get lost, come on home to Green River"
Well
Come on home
Oh, let me remember things I love
Stoppin' at the log where catfish bite
Walkin' along the river road at night
Barefoot girls dancin' in the moonlight
I can hear the bullfrog callin' me, oh
Wonder if my rope's still hangin' to the tree
Love to kick my feet way down the shallow water
Shoo fly, dragon fly, get back to your mother
Pick up a flat rock, skip it across Green River
Well
Up at Cody's camp I spent my days, Lord
With flat car riders and cross-tie walkers
Old Cody Junior took me over
Said, "You're gonna find the world is smoldering
And if you get lost, come on home to Green River"
Well
Come on home
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There was this campsite Fogerty and the others would go to every year in California called Putah Creek. It was run by a descendent of Buffalo Bill Cody, and they used to sell these drinks made with a syrup called "Green River". Fogerty wrote wrote the song about the camp which was like a vacation refuge to him, and then named it 'green river' cos it was more musical-sounding.
@shadowwiththeeyes Except it’s not a campsite. Putah Creek is a real creek in Winters, CA where he summered. The permanent building foundation of Cody’s camp still exists on the river side on the 100 block of Wolfskill St. (near 1st).
@shadowwiththeeyes Except it’s not a campsite. Putah Creek is a real creek in Winters, CA where he summered. The permanent building foundation of Cody’s camp still exists on the river side on the 100 block of Wolfskill St. (near 1st).
i couldn't believe that i didn't see any comments on the CCR's best song, then i realized i was on a website named songmeanings.net and probably no one know wat this song means...i don't either, but i'll take a stab at it...
i hav a feeling it's about a soldier who came back from war...but all the song implies is that it's about going back home after being away for a while...my reasons for saying it's about war is b/c Cody tells him that when he leaves Green River he's gonna find out "the world is smolderin"...i also think that might just mean the real world is hard, but that u can always go back home
CCR was not a southern rock band, they were all from California even though many of their popular songs are about life in the south on the bayou or on the river.
CCR is kickass, and it's amazing they were only around for four years.
i mean, if they would have stuck together longer, i think they would have passed all the greats in southern rock n roll, such as lynard skynard.
but, this is by far one of my favorite songs by CCR.
This is an awesome song, the guitar riff in the beginning is very swampy, and sets the scence of a River type setting.
Chrisb1 asked what a cross-tie walker is, it's a colorful description of a tramp or hobo, who when they aren't "flat-car riders" (hopping trains to travel across the countryside), they are "cross-tie walkers" walking on the rails waiting for a train.
This, too, is my favorite CCR song. I love the imagery of a barefoot girl dancing in the moonlight along a river road.
i think this is a pretty awesome song. my dad wanted to name my sister 'cody' in the 70's...but my mom wouldn't have it...then i came along and he got his wish...i'm pretty stoked about the name cody : )
Everytime they mention Green River on the weather report,gotta listen to it...
i love this song i love creedence what more can i say
welllll, bownownbowbownownow
green river!