It looks like a lovely family portrait of dutiful, clean-cut brothers right there. They scrub up OK – don’t they? – those handsome devils. The band did include two brothers, though: lead singer John Fogerty and his guitarist brother Tom Fogerty.
It’s a fitting photo for this tranquil song too, where we see Creedence drop their usual rocker intensity for a laid-back number – well, by their usual standards. But don’t let appearances deceive you, because there’s a lot going on here. That’s the quality of It’s Just a Thought.
Creedence fans regard this one as highly underrated, and I can see why. It just plain sounds good. The Hammond organ is a standout, and Stu Cook’s bass lines are subtle but effective rather than showy. I love the drumming from Doug “Cosmo” Clifford, giving it a restrained but enticing rhythmic pulse. As usual, John Fogerty’s gritty, raspy vocals carry real weight.
This contemplative song is about the pondering the passage of time and the difficulty in understanding its flow. The song also touches on the idea of personal value and self-worth “That the song up there is you / They can’t take it from you / If you don’t give it away. So seen as a message of empowerment and then takes a deviation in the last verse contemplating the consequences of bad ideas and the enduring nature of good ones. As aforementioned there’s a lot going behind this song. There’s beauty in its simplicity.
Although the band formed in 1959 and worked under different names, it wasn’t until 1968–69 that they really hit their stride and reached peak success. They produced 14 consecutive top-10 singles. That golden period was short-lived, lasting only a few years, and they broke up in 1972 while still riding the wave of their fame. So much for enjoying the spoils.
It’s Just a Thought comes from the group’s sixth studio album Pendulum. The album reached No. 5 in the US, No. 8 in the UK, and No. 1 in Australia.
It’s just a thought
But I’ve noticed somethin’ strange
Gettin’ harder to explain
All the years are passin’ by and by
Still I don’t know, what makes it go
Who said to wait and you’ll see?
It’s just a thought
But I wondered if you knew
That the song up there is you.
They can’t take it from you
If you don’t give it away;
Don’t give it away
Ooh it’s given away
It’s just a thought
But the word has come too late
That a bad idea will take
Just about a lifetime to explain
And don’t you see
Good one’s gonna be much longer;
Who’s gonna wait, just to see?
References:
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“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
That’s a damn fine song, that is. And yes, they are handsome devils. Looking at the thumbnail from the YouTube I had to wonder for a sec if someone slipped me something in my glass when I saw their eyes blinking and them coming at me in 3-D, lol.
You describe all the parts in the song aptly. It’s a beauty. I’d forgotten how early and relatively short their tenure was.
“Damn fine song,” it is, my friend — and I’m delighted you thought it a “beauty.” Too right!
I was curious how it would be received since it’s definitely not your typical Creedence song. I liked it on first listen, and with each one after that my estimation has only grown. I’d probably include it among my favourites of theirs.
When you mentioned their eyes blinking in 3D, I had no idea what you meant. I’m a bit slow, you see — but yeah, that’s a pretty neat detail, haha.
Haha yeah, that video effect was a neat one if not a little surprising. I’d agree it’s not your typical CCR song but I liked it right off the start, too. Thanks for sharing it, my friend.
Thank you for all you do, Matt! In case you have time… Sunshine Blogger Award – Reely Bernie It is my shout-out to your contributions!
Thanks so much for this Bernie. I’ll pin it to my lapel ‘in spirit’. So kind of you ol’ buddy.