Creedence Song

Background

"Creedence Song" is the third track of Revival, the eight solo album of John Fogerty with new material. It was also his first CD with previously unreleased songs since rejoining Fantasy Records in 2005. The song was written, arranged and produced by John Fogerty and recorded by Jim Scott, Seth Presant and Ryan Freeland at NRG Recording in North Hollywood. The album was released in October 2007. It reached #14 in the USA, #5 in Sweden and #6 in Norway.

Fogerty recalls how "Creedence Song" was born:  "I was sitting there with a guitar and kind of chunkin' away at some sort of rhythmic thing, trying to figure out some sort of lead riff. And at some point it just came out of my mouth, 'You can't go wrong if you play a little bit of that Creedence song.' And I thought to myself, well, what does that mean? --- So I played around with that line and that feel, and I began to invent a scenario where I'm not really talking about my true story, but that is likely true in many cases." (Don McLeese, Interview with John Fogerty, No Depression, November-December 2007).  

The roots of "Creedence Song" extend to mid-80's when the former label of John Fogerty sued him for plagiarizing himself.  After that, he was always afraid of playing something vaguely reminiscent of the Creedence era songs.  At Revival he finally managed to dismiss the gremlin on his shoulder. Fogerty went forward, completed the piece and named it "Creedence Song" (Art Thompson, Interview with John Fogerty, The Guitar Player, March 2008).   

After writing the songs for Revival, Fogerty and his band rehearsed them relentlessly and recorded the basic tracks in a 12-day session in spring 2007. It was the same process Fogerty used with Creedence Clearwater  (Harold Steinblatt, Interview with John Fogerty, The Guitar World, January 2008). 

Personnel

Vocals, guitar: John Fogerty

Guitar: Hunter Perrin

Bass: David Santos

Drums, percussion: Kenny Aronoff

Collector's notes

"Creedence Song" was also released as a promotional CDR single (PRO-FR-0222) in the USA in 2008.

Live versions

John Fogerty played "Creedence Song" for the first time in a regular concert on the opening leg of the Revival Tour at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York on November 2nd, 2007. He delivered the number live on stage regularly on the tour in North America but by the summer 2008 and 2009 tours in Europe the frequency of plays decreased.

To promote Revival, Fogerty and his band headed for Clinton Street Studios in Lower Manhattan, New York. They performed "Creedence Song", "Don't You Wish It Was True",  "Gunslinger", "Broken Down Cowboy", "Long Dark Night" and "Proud Mary". The studio concert was heard in David Dye's syndicated World Cafe show in the USA on October 26th, 2007. At that time, he also paid a visit to studios of radio Q104.3 in New York and performed "Creedence Song" live. 

"Creedence Song" was added to the set list in the PBS Soundstage TV concert Fogerty and the band recorded at WTTW Studios in Chicago on November 29th, 2007. It was aired in the USA on February 7th and 14th next year.  On February 21st, 2008, he also visited NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno and performed a medley of "Creedence Song" and "Proud Mary".

"Creedence Song" appears also on the John Fogerty concert DVD Comin' Down the Road filmed at Royal Albert Hall in London, UK, on June 24th, 2008. 

Critical reception

"--- in addition to the obvious comparisons that its title is meant to draw, Creedence Song is yet another in an increasingly long line of tunes that satisfyingly invoke his former band’s murky, swampy, blues-baked romps, such as Run through the Jungle." -John Metzger, The Music Box, September 25th, 2007. 

"'Creedence Song' is the most explicit of several examples of a man at peace with – and determined to extend – his legacy." -Gavin Martin, The Uncut, October 2nd, 2007.

"Revival is no rerun. It is Fogerty getting back to work — and finally acting on his own advice, in a song he's actually named after his old band: 'You can't go wrong if you play a little bit of that Creedence song.'" -David Fricke,The Rolling Stone, October 4th, 2007. 

"And yet, it’s easy to see why many will see Revival as a return to the past for Fogerty. After all, the debacle with Fantasy left him so disillusioned that he ran from his own iconic status, even though his sound never wavered. With the feud resolved, Fogerty is embracing his legend and making sure you never forget it. Everything from the title of the album to the third track (titled “Creedence Song”) to the familiar themes of social and political injustice serve as reminders of his immense influence. No, this isn’t a return to the past, but a celebration of it, and who could honestly say that Fogerty isn’t worthy of some self-induced praise and fanfare?" -Michael Franco, The Pop Matters, October 10th, 2007. 

"On this album which doesn't stray far from that winning CCR template of short, sharp swamp-rock and quasi-psychedelic songs, he even offers up an amusing, archetypal slice of CCR about how you can't go wrong in a band or at a jukebox if you play 'that Creedence song'" -Graham Reid, Elsewhere, October 19th, 2007. 

"Perhaps Fogerty's biggest mistake on the album is the self-congratulatory hook of "Creedence Song", where he proclaims, "You can't go wrong if you play a little bit of that Creedence song". No matter how right it is, it seems like an unnecessary pat on the back from the legend to himself, and ruins the otherwise fantastic southern-rock love song." -Chad Grischow, IGN, October 26th, 2007. 

"Following “Gunslinger” is “Creedence Song,” a key revelation in that tangled trilogy, and a strong affirmation that the old Fogerty is back. My only small grouse: it was the perfect opportunity for him to run through every recognizable CCR lick, instead of just a handful of references. Did the specter of Zaentz dissuade him?" -Charles Andrews, Audio Video Revolution, November 1st, 2007. 

"On John Fogerty’s new album Revival the ex-leader of Creedence Clearwater Revival acknowledges the brilliance of his past work rather than deny it. But the wry likes of “Creedence Song” notwithstanding, an air of self-consciousness pervades the album, which begs the question of whether Fogerty’s embrace of his past now overcompensates for that period he boycotted it over twenty-years ago?" -Doug Collette, The Glide, November 26th, 2007. 

"Creedence Song is a tour de force of blues guitar fury --- My favourite set of lyrics comes from "Creedence Song," the way that the words come out sound like he's pissed off at people only caring about his CCR songs/years! John's a fabulous singer, his gritty tenor outline all his lyrical ideas from start to finish. He still writes and plays like no time has passed in his career, giving his original fans (like myself) the wonderful oppurtunity to enjoy the past but live in the present." -Sloopy, Ultimate Guitar, June 23rd, 2008. 

"The third track is “Creedence Song” and an authentic return to that swamp rock sound Fogerty is well known for. The song contains so many of those patented Fogerty guitar fills you can’t stop your foot from tapping. With the down and bluesy swamp solo you can’t help but sing and dance right along." -Upon This Rawk, September 9th, 2008

"Then there is "Creedence Song," a track that can be seen as Fogerty's tribute to himself and his band. It’s a little out of character for a man who for decades tried to bury his CCR past. It can also be seen as bragging." -Charlie Ricci, Bloggerhythms, August 19th, 2009.  

"This is also true on "Creedence Song," which is far from self-aggrandizing -- it's wryly funny and crackling with musical allusions to CCR songs, some so sly they pass by without notice." -Thomas Erlewine, Allmusic. 

Fans' views

"Just what it says in the song, "you can't go wrong if you play a little bit of that Creedence song." Very Green River/Swamp River Days style."

"--- I really like this song. Very catchy with some cool references to earlier hits, both lyrically and musically. Great upbeat pop rock track."

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