Wrote A Song for Everyone: A Deep Dive Retrospective of Creedence Clearwater Revival
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In the winter of 1986, approaching my sixteenth birthday, I was undergoing a lot of change. I was in my final semester at an all-boys school I’d been attending for five years, was hanging out with some new friends, Mark and Doug, and had my first girlfriend, Eleanor. I was also shifting my music habits, listening to some classic rock with Mark and Doug and suddenly appreciating it for the first time as I was growing a little tired of the new wave music I’d been heavily absorbed with for the past two years.
The Playlist
Ninety-Nine and A Half (Won’t Do)
Porterville
Walking on the Water
Born on the Bayou
Penthouse Pauper
Wrote A Song for Everyone
Sinister Purpose
It Came Out of the Sky
Feelin’ Blue
Effigy
Ramble Tamble
Pagan Baby
Chameleon
(Wish I Could) Hideaway
It’s Just A Thought
Need Someone to Hold
Door to Door
One evening we were watching the movie, The Big Chill (1983), on the VCR at Mark’s house. Considered a landmark film for the maturing baby boom generation, the film was full of music from the 1960s. There is something about hearing music in shows, when it’s done right it can make a song appeal more than a straight audio introduction, and when I heard “Bad Moon Rising” in the movie, it caught my attention. Moments like that furthered my interest in the music of the ‘60s, leading to a two-year span in which I listened to almost nothing else but classic rock. After buying the compilation, Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits, one of my favourite acts from that era was Creedence Clearwater Revival.
CCR is an unusual presence in my list of favourite bands. I’ve never cared for southern rock and its variants of blues rock, swamp rock, and country rock. But there was something about the passion, catchiness, and force of CCR’s music that developed an appeal for me that went far beyond any reservations I had about their originating sounds. But admittedly, as I’m sure is the case for many others, I’ve not delved as much beyond that impressive list of hits produced by the band, so we’re going to take the deep dive approach to this playlist and get into some album tracks.
“Ninety-Nine and A Half (Won’t Do)”; “Porterville”; “Walking on the Water” \ Creedence Clearwater Revival (1968)
The band came together in El Cerrito, California on the east side of San Francisco Bay. High school friends John Fogerty (guitar), Doug Clifford (drums), and Stuart Cook (bass) formed an instrumental band, The Blue Velvets, that at times backed Fogerty’s older brother, Tom, at performances. Tom soon joined the band and they became known as Tom Fogerty and the Blue Velvets, releasing a single, “Bonita,” as their local success grew.
L to R: Doug Clifford, Tom Fogerty, Stu Cook, and Tom Fogerty
The quartet signed with local jazz label, Fantasy Records, which was better known for issuing music by the likes of Dave Brubeck and Vince Guaraldi, and more recently comedian Lenny Bruce, than rock ‘n’ roll acts. Tom stepped back to just guitar and let John take the lead on vocals, and they changed their name to The Golliwogs (after a children’s book character) to link them more strongly to the British Invasion sound. The band released a series of singles from 1964 to 1967, with the last few via Scorpio Records. John and Doug were drafted into the army in 1966, a formative experience that shaped John’s approach to his song writing.
Saul Zaentz, an employee of Fantasy Records, bought the label in 1967 with the help of some partners. He encouraged The Golliwogs to change their name, which they gladly did, along with an offer to record a full album. Creedence was taken from the name of a friend of Tom’s (adding an extra ‘e’ to emphasize the commitment aspect of a ‘creed’) along with the promo tag, ‘clear water,’ from a west coast brewer, Olympia. The unusual, three name title for the band certainly set them apart and reinforced the southern-country feel of the band’s emerging sound, despite the band’s Bay area origins.
The first single released as CCR was a song John had written while in the army and that had already been released as The Golliwogs, “Porterville.” It was a re-recording for the album but failed to catch chart attention. However, the next release, a cover of the 1957 rockabilly song by Dale Hawkins, “Susie Q,” brought the band a top twenty hit in both the US and Canada. And though it didn’t chart as highly, the band’s cover of the 1956 Screaming Jay Hawkins tune, “I Put A Spell on You,” also brought the band attention. The self-titled debut LP didn’t make the top forty, but CCR was on the map.
Creedence Clearwater Revival was a superb, consistent album. Released in May 1968, it was a throwback to the rock of the early ‘60s, the kind the early Beatles and Stones had made when covering the many great American blues tracks of the 1950s. CCR had a harder rock edge, led by John’s raspy, passionate vocals, that married it in spirit to the psychedelic rock that was the essence of their San Francisco scene. “Porterville” and “Ninety-Nine and A Half (Won’t Do)” gave notice of the band’s strong pop sensibilities, while “Walking on the Water” captured the depth and skill of the act, now together four years, that had led to their consummate cover songs propelling the band’s early success.
“Born on the Bayou”; “Penthouse Pauper” \ Bayou Country (1969)
“Born on the Bayou” is one of my favourite CCR songs. Its wonderful, swampy, psychedelic groove kicked off the band’s second album and revealed their deeper shift into the southern rock sounds and imagery. It was the B-side to the album’s single, “Proud Mary,” which pushed CCR to international success by reaching the top ten in the US and UK.
Released in January, Bayou Country would be the first of three albums issued by CCR in 1969. Thanks to the success of “Proud Mary,” the album reached the top ten in the US. It featured another ‘50s cover, this time of Little Richard’s 1958 song, “Good Golly, Miss Molly.” The smooth, strumming, pop style of “Proud Mary” belied the grittier, southern-psychedelic feel of the rest of the album, as deep blues riffs carried tunes like “Penthouse Pauper.” It was similar to Canadian act, Steppenwolf, who was enjoying breakout success with a similar sound during the same time.
“Wrote A Song for Everyone”; “Sinister Purpose” \ Green River (1969)
The band toured and recorded constantly, building their repertoire and profile, and was rewarded with their first #1 single when “Bad Moon Rising” reached that point in the UK singles chart (it reached #2 in the US). It was the first single from the third LP, Green River, issued in August – the same month the band appeared at the Woodstock festival. “Bad Moon Rising,” like “Proud Mary,” brought the band success with a simpler, more accessible brand of southern rock, pushing the pop melodies to the fore and keeping the arrangements clean. It was an effective formula, but again the album, their first to reach #1 in the US, revealed so much more.
Featuring other great tracks such as, “Lodi,” the B-side to “Bad Moon Rising,” and additional singles, “Green River” and “Commotion,” the band displayed many appealing approaches. Ranging from psychedelic guitars to catchy strummers, the songs were filled with hooks and beats that set heads bobbing and toes tapping. But then there were the likes of “Wrote A Song for Everyone,” which slowed it down to a heady, blues groove; or “Sinister Purpose,” a funky, rockin’ tune; or the gospel tinged cover of the 1957 track by Nappy Brown, “The Night Time is the Right Time.” CCR had appeal to fans of a variety of rock styles.
Part of the band’s amazing year of 1969 was two appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, first in March and again in November.
“It Came Out of the Sky”; “Feelin’ Blue”; “Effigy” \ Willy and the Poor Boys (1969)
CCR concluded an impossibly busy and successful 1969 with the release in November of their third top ten LP (US) that year, Willy and the Poor Boys. Led by the double A-side single, “Down on the Corner”/“Fortunate Son”, they were another pair of consummate CCR tracks, evolving their sound into ever more sophisticated, catchy, and driving rock arrangements. “Fortunate Son,” with its unbridled energy, became one of the many rallying songs of the anti-Vietnam movement.
The album featured another cover, this time of the classic southern blues and folk song, “Midnight Special.” The depth of quality of the album were revealed by the trio of songs selected for this playlist. “It Came Out of the Sky” was the second track, picking up on the catchy feel of the opener, “Down on the Corner,” but shifting from funk into a driving, ‘50s rock ‘n’ roll energy. “Feelin’ Blue” revealed their ability to build a soulful groove into their swampy sound. “Effigy” closed the album and was a beautiful, drawn out track that featured the harmonies from the Fogerty brothers along with a jangly guitar solo.
“Ramble Tamble” \ Cosmo’s Factory (1970)
If 1969 had been remarkably successful for the band, it was incredible that they upped their game in 1970, kicking off the new decade with another run of impressive victories. It started with another double A-side single in January, “Travelin’ Band”/“Who’ll Stop the Rain,” which reached the top ten in the US and UK. Peaking at #2, it was the band’s fourth single to reach that point in the US, denying them the ever-elusive #1 spot in their homeland.
Another top ten, double A-side single followed in April, “Up Around the Bend”/“Run Through the Jungle,” before the album, Cosmo’s Factory, was released in July and included the first two singles along with yet another double A-side release concurrent to the LP, “Lookin’ Out My Back Door”/“Long As I Can See the Light.” Featuring those six outstanding singles tracks, the album marched to #1 in the US and UK as well as many other countries. It placed Cosmo’s Factory among the all-time upper echelon of rock albums.
On top of the singles were four covers, including an amazing, extended jam version (over eleven minutes) of the recently established Motown classic, “I Heard it Through the Grapevine.” The song had been given heady exposure thanks to versions in 1967 by Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight and the Pips, and CCR did it justice with their own, bluesy rendition. A shorter version would be issued as a single in 1976 to promote the Chronicle compilation that I would buy ten years after that.
The many singles and covers from Cosmo’s Factory leave few remaining tracks with which to select a deep dive song for this playlist. “Ramble Tamble” was the album’s lead track, an interesting choice for that spot given its seven-minute duration, lengthy instrumental passages, and frequent tempo changes. After pulsing along at a rapid clip, it dove into a rocking, laid back feel before escalating into an extended jam leading to a return to the quick passages that had opened the song. It was a good example of the band’s dexterity, confidence, and creativity. The tune’s variety were comparable to CCR contemporaries as wide ranging as Johnny Cash, Neil Young, and Led Zeppelin.
“Pagan Baby”; “Chameleon”; “(Wish I Could) Hideaway”; “It’s Just A Thought” \ Pendulum (1970)
In December 1970, CCR issued their fifth album, Pendulum, just thirty-one months since their debut release. A double A-side (of course) was released from it, “Have You Ever Seen the Rain”/“Hey Tonight,” garnering the band their fifth consecutive top ten single in the US. Just cracking the top forty in the UK, interest in the band seemed to be waning there, though the single still hit the top ten across Europe. Pendulum similarly continued their string of top ten albums in the US (their fifth), and the second consecutive in the UK.
“Have You Ever Seen the Rain” and “Hey Tonight” evidenced the band’s evolution, writing more sophisticated arrangements that held to their southern rock sound and pop hooks, while mixing in overlapping guitar work and John’s smooth, plaintive delivery that brought more emotional resonance to the likes of “Have You Ever Seen the Rain.”
“Pagan Baby” was another long tune to kick-off an album. It was tighter than “Ramble Tamble,” riding on a repeating guitar riff that delivered a hypnotic feel. “Chameleon,” the album’s third track, brought in sax to give it a greater soul element than the typical CCR sound. “(Wish I Could) Hideaway” and “It’s Just A Thought” were two slower tracks that exemplified the band’s evolving skill with emotive, bluesy, elegiac songs. Both tunes featured heavy use of the Hammond organ – a feature throughout the album – that further expanded the band’s sonic boundaries. This new sound was also an influence from Booker T and the MGs, who they had been recently jamming. Pendulum was the first and only CCR album to not include a cover song.
“Need Someone to Hold”; “Door to Door” \ Mardi Gras (1972)
Following the recording of Pendulum, Tom Fogerty announced his departure from CCR. Further tension arose when Stu Cook and Doug Clifford pushed more for their long sought increased input to the band’s song writing. John responded by suggesting each sing on only their own songs, which was a greater shift in responsibilities than was desired from the rhythm section. With John not backing down, they proceeded to take this approach for the recording of their next LP, Mardi Gras. The result was John only writing three of the ten songs on the LP. Cook contributed three and Clifford two, while the pair combined on another to which they each took lead vocal duties. The album included a cover of the Gene Pitney song, “Hello Mary Lou,” sung by John.
CCR as a trio: Stu Cook, John Fogerty, and Doug Clifford (at bottom)
The first output from the new trio in July 1971 was the single, “Sweet Hitch-Hiker,” a song from John that continued the band’s run of top ten hits in the US while also reaching the top forty in the UK. It was another ripping rock tune in the classic CCR mold.
In April 1972, the album was released. It included “Sweet Hitch-Hiker” along with the album’s next single, “Someday Never Comes,” which was issued in May. Another track from John, it was country-tinged with a slow start and quick chorus, and while it was about the lessons imparted from parent to child, it captured the morose state of the band. Perhaps in lacking the political fire or catchy brilliance of the band’s usual fare, it only reached #25 in the US chart, ending their string of six consecutive top tens.
The album was not treated well by critics, and rightly so. Once you got beyond the two singles, the LP lacked the band’s typical consistency and quality. Melodies lacked the catchiness that had come to be the band’s trademark, and with the variety of vocalists – no two consecutive songs were delivered by the same singer – the album lurched around in tone and feel. “Need Someone to Hold” was written by Cook and Clifford and sung by Clifford, and offered a reasonable, mid-tempo country-rock song. “Door to Door” had been the B-side to “Sweet Hitch-Hiker” and was written and sung by Stu Cook. It featured a jaunty rhythm consistent with much of the chart rock being produced in the early 1970s, and probably would have been received better if offered by a band with a lesser profile than CCR.
Mardi Gras didn’t chart in the UK, the first not to do so since their debut. It reached #12 in the US, the lowest peak for a CCR album also since their first. These results were indicative of the much lower sales achieved by the album compared to their past releases. In this light, the differences among the remaining trio expanded into their finances as they took issue with the contract with Fantasy Records. The label had done well off the band, not having another act anywhere as close to successful, though Saul Zaentz used the label’s funds to pursue a successful film production career, backing several Oscar winning films over the following twenty-five years. The band, like so many of their era, didn’t see the same extent of the proceeds as the label and wanted more.
After the tour for Mardi Gras, CCR decided to disband, making the announcement in October 1972. Other than some brief reunions and light solo success, CCR has remained the primary legacy of the Fogerty brothers, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford.
The remarkable aspect of CCR’s story was the short duration of their career, and thus the startling speed, volume, and heights of their success. While the quartet originally came together in 1964, meaning they were together for just eight years, their CCR output occurred over only four years. In that time five of their seven LPs reached the US top ten, with two #1s, and nine singles out of fourteen reached the US top ten. The many double A-side singles resulting in an additional seven songs receiving high amounts of airplay and chart attention. And though they never achieved a #1 spot in the US – incredibly, five peaked at #2 – they did score a #1 in the UK with “Bad Moon Rising.” In Cosmo’s Factory, they also contributed one of the greatest LPs in rock history, though Green River and Willy and the Poor Boys easily contend also.
CCR was not an especially ground-breaking band, but their ability to distill the traditional sounds of southern blues, country, rockabilly and folk with the emergent sounds of pop and psychedelic rock made them a leading practitioner of one of the most dominant sounds in rock over the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. As their sole song writer, John Fogerty deserves an elevated status as one of the top writers in rock history.
Thanks to the many compilation releases from Fantasy Records over the years and their appearance in films such as The Big Chill, CCR’s legacy has sustained. Creedence Gold and the two Chronicle volumes have resulted in further chart success for the band in the 1970s and into the 1990s. It has revealed that, despite working in the sound of their times, the quality of their library has stood the test of time; and as this deep dive playlist reveals, they had a wealth of riches to offer, making their mark in one of the deepest periods of quality rock history.
