What’s a piece of media (book, movie, song) that changed how you see the world?

I don’t listen to lyrics the way most people do. I’ve always tuned into the rhythm and the sound of a track. It might seem odd for someone who owned a DJ company for over twenty years, with multiple systems running constantly, but because of that style, I was rarely influenced by a song’s meaning.

But then there’s the exception.

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son,” sung by John Fogerty, is one of the few that broke through the filter. It completely stays with me.

The song brings home a harsh reality about modern conflict: the people with means, power, and political influence get us into wars, but their children rarely end up front and center. They find a way around serving.

It wasn’t always that way. At the founding of the United States, the leaders were front and center. Rich or poor, they were right there alongside the everyday guy—the farmer, the grocer, the shopkeeper. Even Alexander Hamilton fought, though he came from meager beginnings.

But “Fortunate Son” captures how that shifted. The point of the song is that the rich, powerful people who start the wars are no longer the ones fighting them. Their kids are the fortunate sons.