Bootleg

Background

“Bootleg” is an album track on Bayou Country, the second long-player released by Creedence Clearwater Revival and the first album built loosely around the theme of the mythical South. The song is a classic story of how something seems better if it's illegal. 

Recording session

“Bootleg” was recorded at RCA Studios in Los Angeles in October 1968, where the band played the song live in studio. John Fogerty used a Gibson ES-175 in the session, with the tuning D-to-D. Tom Fogerty played a Fender Kingman. After the session, John overdubbed the same part on acoustic, with John dueting Tom. “Bootleg” is one of the few Creedence Clearwater cuts featuring Tom on acoustic guitar which was usually played by John (Interview with John Fogerty in Audio magazine, January 1998).

According to engineer Russ Gary,  the first time Tom played acoustic was on "Have You Ever Seen the Rain". Before that it was electric (E-mail correspondence with Russ Gary by Jim Tusing, 2015). 

Note: even at this stage younger Fogerty’s attention to detail, and need to get it perfect in his own eyes, did not spare his elder brother’s sensitivities, himself an accomplished rhythm guitarist; and, as on most of their tracks the rhythm guitar will have been his sole contribution.

Alternate take

An alternate take of the song was released as a bonus track on the 40th Anniversary CD Edition of Bayou Country in 2008.  

Promo film

A promo film of “Bootleg” was shot in 1969. It featured the band playing as playback on the board of a paddle steamer called “Princess”. The film was released commercially on a bonus DVD of the Creedence Clearwater Singles Collection in November 2009 together with four other promo films the band launched.

Collector's notes

A 7" single "Bootleg", coupled with "Good Golly Miss Molly" (America 17010), was released in France in April 1969. It had a photo sleeve. (Peter Koers, Green River: An Illustrated Discography, 1999).   

Live versions

Creedence Clearwater performed “Bootleg” in several concerts in 1969. However, it's likely that the quartet performed the song earlier on their  weekly gig's at “Deno & Carlo's” in 1968. Stu Cook recalled in 1994 that most of the material on Bayou Country was tried out on the audience at this San Francisco club before hitting the studio. 

The band also played “Bootleg” at “Woodstock Pop Festival” in August 1969 but the film and the tape of the version are still collecting dust in the vaults. The concert at “Fillmore West” in San Francisco on March 14th, 1969, was taped as well and the “Bootleg” song from there is available at the online archive of the Fillmore venues owner Bill Graham (Wolfgang's Vault). 

John Fogerty added “Bootleg” to his concert repertoire on the “Deja Vu All Over Again Tour” in 2004-2005. The premiere took place on the opening leg of the tour in Biloxi, Mississippi, USA, on November 6th, 2004. An explosive live version delivered in Camden, New Jersey, on July 15th, 2005, was added to the John Fogerty Long Road Home  compilation album that came out in autumn 2005.  

"Bootleg" appears on one of his three concert DVDs: The Long Road Home filmed at “Wiltern Theatre” in Los Angeles on September 15th, 2005.  

Fogerty delivered “Bootleg” quite regularly in his concerts until summer 2008. In subsequent years 2009-2011, he only played the song once: in São Paulo, Brazil, on May 8th, 2011.

The number was also heard in John Fogerty's Soundstage TV concert which was recorded at WTTW Studios in Chicago on November 29th, 2007, and broadcast on the PBS network in the USA on February 7th and 14th, 2008.  

“Bootleg” made a return to the programming in the Bayou Country album concerts in Canada in fall 2012 and in the USA in fall next year. Recordings of the most of the autumn 2013  gigs were officially made available as files. 

In the movies

Bootleg appears in Peter Segal's film The Longest Yard which came to cinemas in 2005.

Critical reception

"--- a good, short number which explains how something often becomes more attractive when it is illegal. Again, the lyrics are good. But even here, Fogerty uses the same riff as on "Keep On Chooglin." A few more fresh ideas would be helpful." -Ray Rezos, The Rolling Stone, March 1st, 1969.

"Out of these short songs, 'Bootleg' is the most lightweight, but it still chuggles (choogles?) along to a nice squeaky riff and I have nothing against it in particular; the acoustic rhythm playing is excellent and the way it interacts with John's lead lines is extremely memorable. I don't get the lyrics, though - maybe I'm not too smart, but I still don't understand if it's some kind of social commentary or some kind of an absolute imperative." -George Starostin.

"--- a minor masterpiece, thanks to its tough acoustic foundation, sterling guitar work, and clever story." -Thomas Erlewine, All Music.

Fans' views

"Bootleg is classic Creedence in catchy tune, beat, classic Fogerty phrasing (Hawda, reference to Suzy, cherry pie and illegal 'water') It sounds even better live and should have been a hit. The guitar chord run is epic."

 "I love the acoustic guitar at the first, and then in the middle ... just an excellent tune, with great rhythm and fun lyrics."

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