# In 1971, John Fogerty wrote the song he wants to be remembered for. Eerily it began to mirror his life

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1971-john-fogerty-wrote-the-song-he-wants-to-be-remembered-for-eerily-it-began-to-mirror-his-life/
- Published: 2026-10-29T22:23:30+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-30T00:03:24+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/in-1971-john-fogerty-wrote-the-song-he-wants-to-be-remembered-for-eerily-it-began-to-mirror-his-life/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Fogerty wrote the song amid Creedence’s growing unhappiness.
- It reached number eight in the US and number two in the UK.
- His daughter’s birth gave him a hopeful connection to it.

## Summary

John Fogerty wrote “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” as Creedence Clearwater Revival’s success was giving way to internal unhappiness. The song’s image of rain falling in sunshine came to represent the band’s impending break-up, while also capturing a broader sense that the optimism of the 1960s was fading.

Released in January 1971, the song reached number eight in the US and number two in the UK. Fogerty later said its metaphor reflected the band’s condition; years afterwards, the birth of his daughter Kelsy in 2001 gave him a more hopeful association with it. He came to regard the song as his defining anthem and thought of her when he performed it.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.