

The lyrics discuss a gathering or event which the band are attending, which is just around the corner. The track begins with a high-pitched and jangling riff played by John, which sets the scene for the rest of this vibrant and positive song. Whilst a lot of the output of CCR features lyrics suited to their blues-inspired sound, this 1970 single from Cosmo’s Factory is undeniably upbeat. It’s obvious that the titular green river made a profound impression on young John Fogerty, and, thankfully, this sumptuous song allowed him to share it with the world. The pulsing riffs at the heart of the piece help give the track a vigor which stops it from becoming just another Southern Rock song about a river in Louisiana. This sound has a raw edge which exquisitely compliments the harshness of John’s vocals. Green River is a rousing roots rock track which is overflowing with jangling guitar. The lyrics of the song describe the scene of John’s idyllic childhood memory, referencing specific memories such as a rope hanging from a tree and girls dancing barefoot in the moonlight. Humorously, the title itself is thought to come from the name of a lime flavored soft drink. In fact, the song was inspired by Putah Creek in California, a place where the Fogerty family visited many times during John’s childhood. Like a lot of the band’s oeuvre, the track makes reference to iconic parts of Southern American culture, and you can really imagine yourself chilling alongside the bayou in New Orleans when listening to the track. Taken from the album of the same name, Green River was released in 1969 and is one of those wonderfully evocative Creedence Clearwater Revival songs that manages to take the listener to another place and time.
Ccr songs list free#
As such, Lookin’ Out My Back Door is free of complicated and slick production effects and is simply one of those good, old-fashioned sounding Creedence Clearwater Revival songs. Sonically, the track seems to be a tribute to the “Bakersfield sound” a sub-genre of country music, utilized by bands like Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, and the Grateful Dead, which strips the genre back to basics. In fact, Fogerty wrote the song to please his three-year-old son, thinking that he would enjoy hearing his dad singing about animals and other fun things on the radio. You might assume, as is so often the way with rock stars, that the song was about – or inspired by – drugs, but this could not be further from the truth. The lyrics of the song tell a bizarre story, which seems to be about a circus – complete with elephants and other creatures parading across John’s backyard. Tom’s strumming forms the bulk of the song’s instrumental whilst John’s guitar magnificently creaks and strains in the background. The track features a gorgeous interplay between Tom Fogerty’s rhythm guitar and John’s lead instrument. CCR hold the record for having the most number of singles reach number two on the Billboard Hot 100 without ever scoring a number one, and this track became the last of the band’s songs to reach this impressive peak. Released in 1970 from Cosmo’s Factory, Lookin’ Out My Back Door is a relaxed romp of a Southern rock track. This list will examine ten of the best Creedence Clearwater Revival songs released by the band across their short and tumultuous career. Over the years the band recorded some genre-defining tracks which are still listened to and loved today. Cook and Clifford formed Creedence Clearwater Revisited in ’95 but have recently ruled out ever reuniting with John Fogerty. Tragically, Tom Fogerty passed away in 1990, not having properly made up with his brother. The album did not sell as well as its predecessors and this, along with tensions between each other and their record label, led to the band splitting up in October 1972.Įach member of the band went on to do their own thing, though none reached the heights of their success as a group.

This led to the band’s final album Mardi Gras, released in spring 1972. The next year, John announced he wanted the band to be more democratic, with each member writing and performing their own material. The band enjoyed a monumentally successful year, releasing three more albums in 1969, however, all was not well behind the scenes, with John Fogerty’s control of the group’s artistic direction and business affairs causing tension with his bandmates.Īfter the release of 1970’s Pendulum, Tom decided to leave the band, feeling he could no longer work with his brother. The band’s second album Bayou Country(1969) spawned many popular and successful singles, reaching the top five on both sides of the Atlantic.
