Searchlight

Background

"Searchlight" is an album track on Centerfield, the third solo LP of John Fogerty who was incognito for eight and a half years before the comeback in mid 80's. Like all the songs on the LP, this B-side opener was recorded at The Plant Studios in Sausalito, California, and engineered by Jeffrey "Norton" Norman and Mark Slagle. The album went #1 in the USA.

The members of Creedence Clearwater won the years long court battle over their life savings in spring 1983.  Burden lifted, and Fogerty felt he can write again. "Searchlight" describes the helplessness and anger of Fogerty's lengthy legal and financial turmoil.

The song came from a trip to Lake Havasu on the Arizona-California border. Driving down the highway, he saw a road sign: “Searchlight nine miles”. So he wrote that down in the book. "It was also one of those first-thing-in-the-morning inspirations. I remember playing it on guitar in my studio and going to that place where you concentrate and relax at the same time. I hit this swampy, mournful chord: 'Oh, the midnight / Need a searchlight'", recalled Fogerty in his autobiography (2015). 

Recording session

After watching the baseball All-Star game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on the second week of July 1984, Fogerty booked the Plant Studios in Sausalito and recorded "I Can't Help Myself", "The Old Man Down the Road", "Rock And Roll Girls", "Searchlight", "Zanz Kant Danz" and "I Saw It On T.V." by the end of August 1984 (the rest of the tracks for Centerfield were recorded in September same year).  Fogerty played all the instruments by himself. Because he worked from detailed demos (which he recorded at his studio in Albany before heading for The Plant Studios) and notes, recording was straightforward and painless for the most part (Scott Isler, interview with John Fogerty, Time, January 28th, 1985; Scott Isler, interview with John Fogerty, Musician (US), March 1985).

Trivia

In "Searchlight", Fogerty uses a couple of phrases from the lyrics of Jody Reynolds' ”Endless Sleep” which Fogerty recorded in 2007. 

Mo Ostin [president of Warner Bros] liked how Fogerty pronounced “soichlight”. 

John Fogerty was the horn section in the song. The studio crew set them all up and Fogerty played them. As he laid down the third horn, Norton said, “Man, this is awesome—you could hire out as a horn section!” (John Fogerty, Fortunate Son, 2015).  

Collector's notes

A CD single containing "Blueboy", "Bad Bad Boy" and "Searchlight" came out in Sweden (WB 9362439422 WO423CD) and Australia (WB 9362439422). Both had a cover sleeve (Peter Koers, CCR Fan Club Bulletin #47, February 1998). 

Live versions

John Fogerty has never played the song live in concerts. 

Critical reception

"Or is it "Soichla"? I always love it when he can make words sound totally different! Another song that sounds similar to "Run Through the Jungle" (except the saxophone), particularly the gloomy lyrics. The slightly slowed-down guitar break in the middle is masterful, but the ending is too prolonged." -Matt Loewen 

"Another song of John admitting his vulnerability. A good haunting rhythm keeps me hooked. I could do without the electronic drums though." -Glenn J. Wiener

“'Searchlight' is a more interesting track which blends classic blues and Bayou country along with some Motown elements all under a heavy rock vocal and drum beat." -Classic Rock Review, July 28th, 2015. 

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