The song's lyrics, filled with colorful, dream-like imagery, lead some to believe that it is about drugs. According to the drug theory, the "flying spoon" was a reference to a cocaine or heroin spoon, and the crazy animal images were an acid trip. Fogerty, however, has stated in interviews that the song was actually written for his then three-year-old son, Josh. Fogerty has also said that the allusion to a parade passing by was inspired by the Dr. Seuss book And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.[3]
The song begins and ends with the mention of Illinois, and locking the front door in a vain attempt to prevent his troubles there from following him home. Country singer Buck Owens is also mentioned in the song; country singer Buddy Alan, the son of Buck Owens, recorded a cover version of the song in 1971.
Reviewing the song, Cash Box stated "emphasing their early-rock gut appeal, CCR plunges into a rough-hewn bit of dance material that should sparkle."[4]Record World called it a "super-smash."[5]Billboard called it a "clever rhythm item."[6]
^Hibbert, Tom; Dawson, Jenny (1990). "Rock '70". In Ashley Brown (ed.). The Marshall Cavendish Illustrated History of Popular Music. Vol. 12 (Reference ed.). Freeport, New York: Marshall Cavendish. pp. 1342, 1343. ISBN1-85435-027-7.
^Betts, Stephen L. (May 25, 2017). "See Wade Bowen's Playful Creedence Clearwater Revival Cover". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 6, 2020. Wade Bowen's web series Garage Mahal continues with the Texas musician's informal acoustic take on Creedence Clearwater Revival's 1970 country-rocker "Lookin' Out My Back Door."
