(Theme From) Rude Awakening #2

Background

"(Theme From) Rude Awakening #2" is the closing track of Pendulum, the sixth long-player of Creedence Clearwater Revival. 

The song starts with a haunting instrumental part which transforms into an experimental cacophony in the middle. According to the recollections of John Fogerty, the song was a filler and meant to serve as a parody of "Revolution #9" of the Beatles.

Let the music journalist Roy Carr describe what happened (The New Musical Express, December 1970): "Undoubtedly their most adventurous track to date. Opening quietly with some tasty ne-classical acoustic guitar figures the number --- rapidly developes into some gargantuan space overture which proceeds to run the entire gauntlet of electronic effects both man-made and oscillatad and acts as a somewhat out-of-character finale." 

In an interview he gave to The Disc And Music Echo on December 12th, 1970, Doug Clifford described the song as "an electronic symphony --- with headphones it rips your brain out." 

Trivia

"Rude Awakening #2" was used as an intro for a science quiz in the Netherlands years ago (K.S. Meekma). 

Live versions

Creedence Clearwater never performed the song live in concert. Neither has John Fogerty done it during his solo years.   

Critical reception

"The instrumental "Rude Awakening No. 2" closes the album with something as far from their earlier style as "Pagan Baby" is close to it. Creedence's attempt at a collage is not only not very good, but wholly unnecessary." -Jon Landau, The Rolling Stone, February 4th, 1971.

"His [John Fogerty's] ambition results in a stumble -- "Rude Awakening 2" portentously teeters on the verge of prog-rock, something CCR just can't pull off --". -Thomas Erlewine, All Music.  

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