The Night Time Is The Right Time

Background

"The Night Time Is the Right Time" is the closing track of the Green River album. The Creedence Clearwater Revival interpretation of this rhythm 'n' blues number is based on the version Ray Charles delivers on his 1960 live LP Ray Charles In Person which Fogerty regards as all-time greatest live album. John Fogerty has played "The Night Time" since the Blue Velvets and The Golliwogs days (John Fogerty on his Twitter page, November 2011). 

Recording session

The song was recorded at Wally Heider's Studio on June 26th, 1969. As always at that time, it's sung by John Fogerty. According to Stu Cook , the entire band delivered the backing vocals (The Worldwide CCR Fan Club bulletin #46, June 1997).

Live versions

The first documented Creedence Clearwater concert with "The Night Time Is The Right Time" in the set list is Woodstock Pop Festival in mid August 1969. The band played the song regularly in 1969-1970. It also appears on The Concert album recorded live at Oakland Coliseum on January 31st 1970. There's also a playback performance of the song: that took place in the Music Scene TV show on December 1st, 1969. 

During his solo career, John Fogerty added "The Night Time" to his set list on the Deja Vu All Over Again Tour concerts in North America and Europe in 2004-2005.  The premiere took place in Biloxi on November 6th, 2004. In 2007-2012, the song was a regular number in his concerts though in 2012 it was heard less often. 

John Fogerty played "The Night Time" in the PBS Live By Request TV show in 2009. On the radio, the live version of the song was heard in a John Fogerty concert broadcast live by Italian radio from Lucca on July 26th 2009.   

Additionally, John Fogerty performed "The Night Time Is The Right Time" live the premiere Green River album concert at Beacon Theatre in New York on November 18th, 2011. The show was broadcast live by Sirius XM radio. Concert goers heard the song also on the Australian tour in the following spring.

Critical reception

"And the closing 'The Night Time Is The Right Time' (the only cover, and a stupid one at that) mostly consists of the same line being repeated over and over and over until it makes you sick. The sparkling guitar solo doesn't help either. What might be suitable for a mediocre live show hardly works as a suitable album closer - a strange, almost self-deprecating move, to finish off such a brilliant album on such a dumb note." -George Starostin. 

Fans' views

"John's version of this outdoes the famous Ray Charles cut, full of emotion."

"Is an easy song to learn and it's fun to sing along."

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