Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater Revival (aka CCR ) was an American rock band of the late 1960s and early 1970s in Berkeley, California.

• 2.1 Studio albums
• 2.2 Live albums
• 2.3 Compilations (selection) 2.3.1 Creedence Clearwater Revival
• 2.3.2 The Golliwogs

• 2.4.1 Tommy Fogerty & the Blue Velvets
• 2.4.2 The Golliwogs
• 2.4.3 Creedence Clearwater Revival

Band History

Foundation - the early years

The band started out as The Blue Velvets, formed in early 1959 by John Fogerty, his brother Tom and his school friend Doug Clifford, in El Cerrito, California.

In an interview Doug Clifford explained that he in his former school met John Fogerty in the music room, where it was playing the piano. He became aware of the room because Fogerty heard there just the kind of music for which also Clifford interested, namely pieces of Fats Domino and Little Richard.

Shortly thereafter it came to the following conversational situation between the two: ( Clifford :) [ ... ] " I said He Said I said [' Do you wanna start a band? ' ' What do you play? ' ' I'm a drummer. ' ... ] " (" I said, ' Do you want to start a band ' He said, 'What do you play ?' I said. , I'm a drummer ') Clifford had at this time a snare drum and a bass drum. [ ... ] " He said ' Well, let's do that, but Actually I play guitar. . 'm Looking for a piano player ' " ( " He said ,' All right, let's do this, but I actually play guitar I'm looking for a piano player. . ' " )

After five months Stu Cook completed the trio. Initially played this piano and learned later to play bass guitar. They played together at school events and small festivals, with their repertoire consisted mainly of instrumental versions of the former hits. During this time they were already taking on some boards for the local orchestra music publisher, but were unsuccessful.

After high school graduation of all band members The Blue Velvets barely worked on a musical career. Tom, the older of the Fogerty brothers had been to supply their own family; Doug Clifford and Stu Cook went to college and John Fogerty for "Army Reserve".

When the four 1964 some demo recordings brought to the record company "Fantasy Records ", one was there attracted by the music of the Blue Velvets. The subsequently added vocal recordings came then as a record on the market.

However, the musicians were not thrilled when they found in the publication that the record company had renamed the band Golliwogs. First, the success was more limited, they released a few singles unnoticed. Nevertheless, the four musicians stood out even then with original compositions from the crowd of local music groups.

With the song Brown Eyed Girl, which was published in 1967, sparked John Fogerty 's brother Tom from a singer. This change meant again a musical awakening; with Walk on the Water was created soon after the first piece, that was not a love song. With Porterville another title was issued.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Breakthrough and fame

In December 1967 the group renamed itself Creedence Clearwater Revival. This name came from the first name ( Credence ) a fellow work colleagues of Tom Fogerty and a beer brand ( Clearwater ), which promoted, among others, purity. However, Clearwater was also the setting for the band to environmental protection. The "Revival " symbolizes the cohesion of the band, after a few (not always voluntary ) Name changes again allowed to nominate themselves. This explanation of the name, however, does not consider the so-called Christian Revival in the Creedence Clearwater Church of 1801. Such revivals occurred in the U.S. since the 18th century, notably during the Great Awakenings.

The first track they recorded under this name was Susie Q., a then eleven -year-old song by Dale Hawkins, they had been in the program since its inception. Then they took on I Put a Spell on You, Walk on the Water, Get down Woman, Gloomy and other pieces. The title The Working Man was already an early attempt to address the core of the "lower- class " mentality of the people.

The first album with the name Creedence Clearwater Revival was completed in early 1968 and released in June of the same year. The response to this plate was great; at the radio stations numerous listener requests were received. Thereafter, the plate was regularly in the radio broadcasts, and there was a veritable CCR - mania.

With the 1969 released album Bayou Country, the band took to the style they maintained well over the next few years. The band's music was now referred to as " Bayou Rock" or " Swamp Rock", as the lyrics and recurring issues with rural wisdom involved. Finally, it was assumed that Creedence Clearwater Revival had come from Louisiana, just Proud Mary, their second hit single confirmed this assumption. This myth evolved mainly through love John Fogerty to the south of the USA; his preferred music, blues and classic rock ' n ' roll came almost exclusively from there. And this style, seasoned with a unmistakable Country - impact, manifested itself on the following album Green River with the eponymous title track and the more hits and Lodi Bad Moon Rising. So the band had now finally found their musical influence.

Her performance in the same year as co -headliner of the Woodstock festival appeared neither in the film on the festival still on the original Woodstock album, as John Fogerty and the record company refused to release the rights to do so. Fogerty looked at the performance, which took place against three clock at night after a long performance by the Grateful Dead, as too poor to be published, since only a small part of the audience was still awake and the band had reportedly struggling with technical difficulties.

With the hit Fortunate Son on the album Willy and the Poor Boys ( November 1969 ) Creedence Clearwater Revival for the first time was political. It was a song full of bitterness and indignation, contempt and rebellion, a song for radicals and conservatives alike. Object of contempt was the callous rich man who rolls his power for his own purposes. Cross-references to the simmering at the time the Vietnam War come to mind. The text lines: "It is not me, it is not me. I am no senator 's son. It is not me, it is not me. I am no fortunate one. " Probably refer to the fact that wealthier and more influential citizens had opportunities to evade military service. Down On the Corner was the biggest hit from this LP, the lesser-known title Do not Look Now (It Is not You or Me ) has been heavily attacked by officials.

At the time of publication of Cosmo 's Factory, the fifth LP to Creedence Clearwater Revival was at the height of her career. Hits from this period are Lookin ' Out My Back Door, Up Around the Bend and Who'll Stop the Rain. Meanwhile, the band played regularly to a large audience throughout the world, every single sold millions of copies and each of their five previous LPs had sales of over a million on. Even predatory pressures were on the market.

The four musicians continued strongly for civil rights, and gave numerous benefit concerts. Without making this known, they supplied the Indians of the besieged Alcatraz Island with food and equipment.

Published in December 1970 LP Pendulum was ordered before the release date over a million copies. The album contained with Hey Tonight the only number - one hit for CCR in Germany. Years later, however, it became clear that John Fogerty now degraded his bandmates on Pendulum to extras; the main contributions to the plate came from him. Maybe even because Fogerty sang never confident than on this album. However, the group association was no longer tenable; Tom Fogerty retired in February 1971 in order to try a solo career.

In the published in April 1972 album Mardi Gras each of the remaining three musicians presented his own compositions. The plate should according to democratic principles arise within the band, but became so only to a stylistic mess.

From the well-established money of their hits, however CCR saw hardly anything, because the contracts that time included only the cost of the tours and hotel expenses plus catering. This gag - agreements were also allocated by the other band members John Fogerty what the disintegration of the band is still accelerated. Even in the 80s John Fogerty had to contend with these contracts, as these even forbidden him his own songs to sing in public. Only much later relented, the publisher, and both were reconciled at a concert.

Resolution

In July 1972, Creedence Clearwater Revival eventually disbanded. Stu Cook and Doug Clifford later founded with other musicians the formation Creedence Clearwater Revisited at which they received the old hits alive. John Fogerty was after the separation in different projects and with a solo career, initially only moderately successful - worth mentioning here is mainly his musical excursion into the traditional country music, which he under the covert name The Blue Ridge Rangers, and the album of the same name in 1973 undertook. In 1975 he published on his second solo album, the song Rockin ' All Over the World, that song, that was two years later made ​​world famous by Status Quo. In 1985 he had with the album Centerfield and the singles Rock and Roll Girls and The Old Man Down the Road again commercial success. Later the album Blue Moon Swamp ( 1997) and Revival ( 2007) also found a lot of attention. Rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty died on September 6, 1990 at age 48.

In 1993 the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Discography

Studio albums

• Creedence Clearwater Revival (June 1968)
• Bayou Country ( January 1969 )
• Green River ( August 1969 )
• Willy and the Poor Boys ( November 1969 )
• Cosmo 's Factory (July 1970)
• Pendulum ( December 1970 )
• Mardi Gras ( April 1972 )

Live albums

• Live in Europe (1973 )
• The Royal Albert Hall Concert ( 1970 recording, publication 1980)
• The Concert ( Recorded at the Oakland Coliseum January 31, 1970. Publication 1980)

Compilations (selection)

Creedence Clearwater Revival

• Spirit Orgaszmus of Jeronimo and Creedence Clearwater Revival (split LP on pink vinyl, 1970)
• Creedence Gold ( 1972)
• More Creedence Gold ( 1973)
• Chronicle - The 20 Greatest Hits (1976 )
• Chronicle Volume Two - Twenty Great CCR Classics ( 1986)

The Golliwogs

• The Golliwogs (1975 )

Singles

Tommy Fogerty & the Blue Velvets

• Come On Baby / Oh My Love ( October 1961 )
• Have You Ever Been Lonely / Bonita ( November 1961 )
• Now You're Not Mine / Yes You Did (June 1962)

The Golliwogs

• Do not Tell Me No Lies / Little Girl ( Does Your Mama Know) ( November 1964 )
• You Came Walking / Where You Been ( April 1965 )
• You Can not Be True / You Got Nothin ' on Me (July 1965)
• Brown Eyed Girl / You Better Be Careful ( November 1965 )
• Fight Fire / Fragile Child (May 1966)
• Walking on the Water / You Better Get It Before It Gets You ( September 1966 )
• Porterville / Call It Pretending ( November 1967 )

Creedence Clearwater Revival

• Porterville / Call It Pretending (1968 )
• Suzie Q, Part I & II (June 1968)
• I Put a Spell on You / Walk on the Water ( October 1968 )
• Proud Mary / Born on the Bayou ( January 1969 )
• Bad Moon Rising / Lodi ( April 1969)
• Green River / Commotion (July 1969)
• Down on the Corner / Fortunate Son ( October 1969 )
• Travelin 'Band / Who'll Stop the Rain ( January 1970 )
• Up Around the Bend / Run Through the Jungle ( April 1970 )
• Lookin 'out My Back Door / Long as I Can See the Light (July 1970)
• Hey Tonight / Have You Ever Seen the Rain ( January 1971 )
• Sweet Hitch-Hiker / Door to Door (July 1971)
• Someday Never Comes / Tearin 'up the Country ( March 1972 )
• Molina / Sailor's Lament (1972 )
• I Heard It Through the Grapevine / Porterville (1970 )

In the English-speaking world, the A and B sides were each reversed in some singles; in the U.S. 7 titles could also place a B - or double -A- side in the charts.