John Fogerty penned “Bad Moon Rising,” “Who’ll Stop the Rain,” and “Lodi.” All three songs were recorded and released by Creedence Clearwater Revival, the California rock band Fogerty led with his brother Tom Fogerty, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford.
“Bad Moon Rising” appeared in 1969 and became one of CCR’s signature songs, pairing ominous lyrics with an unusually bright, fast melody. “Lodi,” also released in 1969, was its B-side and tells of a stranded musician looking back on a difficult career. “Who’ll Stop the Rain” followed on CCR’s 1970 album Cosmo’s Factory and was partly inspired by the atmosphere surrounding the Woodstock festival.
A common mix-up is naming Creedence Clearwater Revival as the songwriter. CCR performed the recordings, but Fogerty wrote these songs and supplied their lead vocals. Fogerty later became a successful solo artist, while the three tracks remained central to his legacy as one of rock’s most distinctive American songwriters.