Gloomy

Background

“Gloomy” is an album track off the eponymous debut LP of Creedence Clearwater Revival. The song was written by John C. Fogerty and recorded at Coast Recorders in San Francisco in winter 1968.

Production notes

Despite its downbeat title the song does have life, and is typical of Fogerty’s love of the “dark side of things” in his songs, and is also very typical of the band at that time, i.e. emerging commercial sensibilities being tempered by the Bay area’s more experimental tastes. For example the middle part of “Gloomy” features reversed playback of the lead guitar, some feedback from the amp and further high-speed reverse playback. The background noises before the first solo come from the wind-up toys of Fogerty's three-year-old son.

Equipment

John Fogerty used three-quarter-size Rickenbacker 325 guitars in the sessions for the first album. They had a Bigsby tremolo arm and a humbucker in each, the tremolos being switched out. One “Rick” was black, and the other sported a Fireglo finish. As for the amplifiers, his choice was the 100-watt Kustom K200.

Live versions

Creedence Clearwater played the song at "Deno & Carlo's" (later "Keystone Korner") in San Francisco each week as per February 2nd until April 28th 1968. It was the antepenultimate number of the set list.

John Fogerty hasn't played the song live during his solo era. 

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