Penthouse Pauper

Background

"Penthouse Pauper" is an album track on Bayou Country, the second album of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Thematically, this guitar-filled 12-bar blues can be regarded as a follow up to "The Working Man" of the previous album.

John Fogerty wrote much of the original material for Bayou Country in early June 1968 in his small apartment in El Cerrito in the Bay Area during the turmoil caused by the assassination of Robert Kennedy.  

Live versions

Creedence Clearwater never performed "Penthouse Pauper" on stage. It took 44 years for John Fogerty to add the song onto his set lists. The world premiere took place on the opening leg of the first Bayou Country album concert tour in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, on September 7th, 2012.

Concert goers enjoyed "Penthouse Pauper" also on the second Bayou Country album concert tour in the USA in fall 2013 and the tours in Europe and the USA next summer. Audios of most of the shows in autumn 2013 and summer 2014 were officially made available as downloadable files for a couple of months after the tour.

In the movies

"Penthouse Pauper" was heard in a B-film titled Fun Buns Contest (1975).

Critical reception

""Penthouse Pauper" is similar to "The Working Man," also on the first LP. The music and lyrics are good, but they've been heard before." -Ray Rezos, The Rolling Stone, March 1st, 1969.

"--- 'Penthouse Pauper' is another fantastic blues song, with one of the best vocal/guitar interplays I've ever heard: John really throttles his guitar after each line about his possible avatars ('now if I were a bricklayer, I wouldn't build just anything' and so on). For anybody complaining about how stale blues-rock got by that time, the song should be a perfect remedy: these call-and-answer passages truly put Page/Plant to shame, and don't forget they're performed by just one person, too. And Fogerty's guitar minimalism really shines through, as the necessary cathartic effect is reached by some extremely simple guitar phrases." -George Starostin.

"Another original that sounds like it could have been a cover is the Chicago blues-inspired “Penthouse Pauper.” John’s guitar playing is fantastic as he alternates firing off notes and bending them notes to his will. The song fades out and I am compelled to hit repeat it. This song could not have been too long. Considering I have never heard this song until this assignment, I can only summarize that there has been something wrong with if every single programmer at every single classic rock station I have ever listened to because everyone should know this Creedence song alongside all their other hits. If you don’t, consider your life incomplete." -Gordon S. Miller, The Blog Critics, October 1st, 2008.

"The real surprise, and true gem, of the whole collection [BAYOU COUNTRY] is “Penthouse Pauper”, an uncharacteristic twelve-bar blues on which both John’s voice and his Telecaster [Gibson ES-175?] are fit to strip wallpaper." Len, River Storm, March 1st, 2010. 

"---the highlight of this album is Penthouse Pauper, an undeniably groovy song where Fogerty really steals the show. His voice dominates all, with his distinct rasp overwhelming the backing band, only barely upstaging his bluesy wails on the guitar. Penthouse Pauper is truly innovative and wonderful song that I may even declare Creedence’s best." -The Stefan, Sputnik Music, December 12th, 2010.  

"--- a first-rate rocker with the angry undertow ---." -Thomas Erlewine, All Music.

Fans' views

"Illustrates some of John's finest guitar work. especially when he says, "If I were a guitar player, Lord I'd have to play the blues." And then he starts playing the blues with the guitar, possibly my favorite Creedence moment. And the lyrics are some of my favorites John ever wrote."

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