Someday Never Comes

Background

"Someday Never Comes" b/w "Tearin' Up the Country" was the last single Creedence Clearwater Revival released and the swan song of the band. Both cuts were also released on the Mardi Gras album that came out in April 1972. Written by John Fogerty, "Someday Never Comes" peaked at #25 in the USA, #29 in Germany and #13 in the Netherlands. 

The country-rock song is about being left and not being able to learn much as kid. John Fogerty was divorcing at that time and he would tell his offspring that "someday, you'll understand," repeating the same line his divorcing parents gave to him.

John Fogerty described in his autobiography his original vision of the song: "When I get to the part that goes, “I’m here to tell you now each and every mother’s son / You better learn it fast and you better learn it young / ’Cause someday never comes,” there’s supposed to be fifteen Marshalls on eleven in the

background going r-r-r-r-r, just angry as hell. Then it should come down, down, down into the pathos of the chorus." (John Fogerty, Fortunate Son, 2015)

Equipment

John Fogerty played a Fender Telecaster on a track (Lars Bundesen). 

Collector's notes

The "Someday Never Comes" b/w "Tearin' up the Country" single was released with a similar cover sleeve in Germany. It was different from the one launched in Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Portugal and Sweden (Peter Koers, Green River: An Illustrated Discography, 1999).  

Live versions

Creedence Clearwater never performed "Someday Never Comes" live in concert. 

John Fogerty played the song live for the first time 41 years after writing it. It took place with a folk-rock group The Dawes (backed with the Sound City Players) in Austin, Texas, USA, on March 16, 2013.  Fogerty performed the song with The Dawes also on TV in The Late Show with David Letterman on May 22nd, 2013. Next day, Fogerty released a video about recording of the remake of the song with the folk-rock band on his official Youtube channel. 

In the movies and TV shows

"Someday Never Comes" was played during the closing credits of the Finnish television documentary Rockens Roll: Creedence Clearwater Revival  in 1994.

Critical reception

""Someday Never Comes" is the album's one reasonably satisfying song, a good tune marred by a boring, unimaginative arrangement." -Jon Landau, The Rolling Stone, May 25th, 1972. 

"Then I found myself in the midst of a song so overwhelming, so true and so unflinching  I started to cry and would have called John Fogerty to thank him if his number was listed. I played it again  and again and finally quit when I realized the song is stronger than I." -Creem, 1972. 

"Not too happy with the lead vocals on this somewhat disappointing song. Much as I admire the band, it sounds very dull and weak compared with their earlier work." -Melody Maker, June 17th, 1972. 

"Tear-jerking song about Fogerty watching his parents divorce - and how the son has fated to repeat the actions of the father." -Uncut, February 2012.  

Fans' views

"Is a classic ballad ... it touches me every time that I hear it ... I always wonder -- could it be autobiographical" 

"Is such a meaningful song ... and John's voice just makes it even more moving ... he has that "orgasmic" sort of voice that just carries the song."

"Not only about the father-son relationship but also a sad answer to the question whether the living Creedence members will play together again someday."

The 2013 remake

John Fogerty released a remake of the song on his duets album Wrote a Song for Everyone in May 2013. The version was recorded with a folk-rock group The Dawes. Fogerty also performed the song live with The Dawes a couple of times in spring 2013. 

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