The Old Man Down the Road

Zoo Freaks, get ready for some swamp rock vibes as we spin "The Old Man Down the Road" from John Fogerty’s 1985 comeback album Centerfield! This track, which hit number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and held the top spot on the Top Rock Tracks chart for three weeks, marked Fogerty’s biggest solo success. The song’s gritty, bluesy energy captures a Faustian tale of a devilish figure, with lyrics like “He got a suitcase covered with rattlesnake hide” painting a vivid picture. Fogerty revealed in a 1997 Goldmine interview that the song was a metaphor for his legal battles with Fantasy Records’ Saul Zaentz, who he felt embodied that menacing “old man.” Fogerty wrote the song in Albany, New York, on a Washburn Falcon guitar, initially titling it “Somewhere Down the Road” before refining it into the classic we know today.

The song sparked a bizarre legal saga when Zaentz sued Fogerty, claiming “The Old Man Down the Road” plagiarized “Run Through the Jungle,” a 1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival song Fogerty wrote, whose rights Zaentz owned. In a historic case, Fogerty took his guitar to the witness stand, demonstrating that the songs were distinct despite sharing his signature swamp rock style. He won the lawsuit, and in 1993, the U.S. Supreme Court set a precedent in Fogerty v. Fantasy, Inc., awarding Fogerty $1.3 million in attorney fees without needing to prove Zaentz’s suit was frivolous. Fogerty shared his triumph on the radio show Soundcheck, recalling the cathartic moment he first heard the song on the radio while driving from El Cerrito to Berkeley: “I was overjoyed, and I said, ‘Take that you old man!’” The song’s video, directed by Mick Haggerty, also gained traction on MTV, featuring a single-camera illusion of a guitar cord winding through various scenes, with Fogerty appearing as multiple characters, including the titular old man.

Another tidbit Zoo Freaks will love: the Centerfield album, including “The Old Man Down the Road,” was a one-man show, with Fogerty playing every instrument thanks to overdubbing. Recorded at The Plant Studios in Sausalito, California, in 1984, Fogerty used a unique Tele-type guitar by Philip Kubicki, blending Telecaster and Rickenbacker tones, to craft the song’s iconic sound. A 2019 Facebook post from Fogerty’s official page celebrated the song’s release anniversary, noting its December 1984 debut as the lead single that signaled his return after a nearly decade-long hiatus. Fans on Reddit have also praised the track’s raw energy, with one user in a 2025 r/80smusic post calling it a “quintessential rocker” that felt like “Creedence in the ’80s.”

John Fogerty’s journey to rock stardom began in Berkeley, California, where he was born on May 28, 1945. Growing up in El Cerrito, the third of five boys, Fogerty was steeped in music from a young age. His mother, Lucile, a second-grade teacher, and his father, Galen, a Linotype operator, nurtured his early interest. Fogerty attended Catholic school in Berkeley before forming a band with his brother Tom and friends Doug Clifford and Stu Cook in the late 1950s. Initially called The Blue Velvets, they played covers and honed their craft. By 1964, they signed with Fantasy Records as The Golliwogs, but it wasn’t until 1968, renamed Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR), that they hit it big. CCR’s swamp rock sound, driven by Fogerty’s songwriting and vocals on hits like “Proud Mary” and “Bad Moon Rising,” made them legends, though they never scored a Billboard number-one despite nine top-10 hits. After CCR’s 1972 breakup, Fogerty’s solo career kicked off with 1973’s The Blue Ridge Rangers, where he again played all instruments, covering country hits like “Jambalaya.” Legal disputes with Fantasy sidelined him for years, but Centerfield in 1985 cemented his comeback.

Zoo Freaks can keep up with Fogerty through his official channels: his website at johnfogerty.com, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Fans also gather on dedicated spaces like the Creedence Clearwater Revival/John Fogerty Fan Group on Facebook, where enthusiasts share memories and updates. Another great spot is Electric Bayou, a fan site packed with detailed discographies and stories about Fogerty and CCR. Whether you’re grooving to “The Old Man Down the Road” or diving into Fogerty’s legacy, the Zoo Crew knows this swamp rock hero’s music keeps the good times rolling!