Centerfield

In this song, baseball is a metaphor. The song is not really about baseball. This song is about John Fogerty's absense from and hopeful return to music. He spent much of the time from 1975 to 1985 in court and out of music. That was a dark period for him in which he did not write or perform songs. Finally, in 1985 after his cases were settled, he came up with Centerfield which was about him coming back into the rock and roll scene. Baseball was the backdrop because he is a huge baseball fan. And I am a huge Fogerty fan. When you factor in writing songs, voice, guitar playing, producing, etc., there is nobody who can compete with John Fogerty. Based on all those factors, he comes out on top. There might be a better guitar player, but that guitar player does not write better songs nor does he have a better voice. George Harrison had a great voice and played great guitar. But George Harrison did not write nearly as many top songs as John Fogerty. Clapton could play guitar but he couldn't sing like Fogerty and he couldn't write songs like Fogerty. Paul McCartney plays bass and he can't touch Fogerty instrumentally.

You know, I love baseball, I love John Fogerty, but I detest this song. Funny, ain't it?

lol. someone told me fogerty lives in Vincennes, IN. is this true? great song btw.

i love the opening few lines. reminds you that good times are ahead. people often say that spring training is a sign that winter is over and that warmer weather is on its way. when the good times finally arrive, its cause to celebrate.

"Well, beat the drum, and hold the phone The sun came out today"

baseball's theme song in my opinion.

This is a classic nostalgic look at the game of baseball. The reason I believe it is so popular is not so much for the catchy tune but because it reaches back in time to the pure art of baseball. It isn’t wonder to me that the video clip that is usually played with this song is solely pre 60’s baseball. This song tries & successfully rekindles the essence and purity of the game that is a cornerstone of the American culture.

Let's call it for what it really is. Today the game is lost to spoiled young men with idiotic, absurd paychecks. Contracts that dictate everything about their life and how & what position they are to play. Sure in the past you had the marquise players that made loads of money for their time BUT that was far and away the exception.

Truly, I want to thank John for this song because when I am in the stadium (which is rare now) and hear that song come on the loud speakers it allows me to forget, momentarily, the $100 + I spent to bring my son to a game to support my local franchise owner and their slaves and focus on the really important thing – the game itself!

This song pretty much describes my relationship with baseball right now. I've been playing since I was five (I'm almost sixteen) and pitching since I was eight, but my coaches this year haven't given me a chance on the mound and instead turned me into a backup corner outfielder. I finally just got fed up and quit and am now looking for either a new team I can pitch for or a pitching coach I can at least get lessons from.

I agree with the preceding comment. It wouldn't be the first time that John Fogerty has used a metaphor from his skillful songwriting arsenal eg. "Who'll Stop The Rain", "Change In The Weather" etc.

I like the way he uses a baseball bat-shaped guitar when he plays this song live.

I dunno. Rocky Mountain Way had baseball references but was a GREAT song By John Walsh about POLITICS! Similarly "Standing in the sTrke zone" by the forgotten "loverboy" of the Reagan Eighties was about nuclear war.

PS: I lUV that this song was used in "Bull Durham."

Props to my BFF Suzie Sarandon