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John Fogerty on the stories behind 5 of his turning-est, burning-est hits

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During the era of unprecedented growth and innovation in rock music, Creedence Clearwater Revival may very well have been the top singles band of the late ’60s and early ’70s. Born in the suburbs of El Cerrito, California, this group was led by vocalist John Fogerty, with his brother Tom on guitar, Stu Cook on bass, and Doug Clifford on drums. In just about 2 1/2 years, they churned out an astonishing amount of timeless hits, many of which are included in the 1976 compilation album “Chronicle,” which remains on the Billboard 200 chart today, more than four decades later.

In my opinion, the unique blend of sounds this band crafted, starting from their days as the Blue Velvets and later as the Golliwogs, was nothing short of extraordinary. It was a captivating fusion of blues, rock, psychedelia, and R&B that resonated deeply with listeners. At just a tender age in his early twenties, John Fogerty’s voice carried an uncanny mix of raw scratchiness and soulfulness, adding a sensual and gritty edge to our music. Yet, he also demonstrated remarkable commercial savvy as a producer and hook-master, infusing our tunes with catchy pop hooks that made them irresistible.

Despite the success of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s biggest hits, John Fogerty refrained from performing them for several decades due to a lengthy legal dispute with Fantasy Records over ownership rights to his songs. This long-standing conflict reached its height when Fantasy’s CEO, Saul Zaentz, accused Fogerty of self-plagiarism in his solo song “The Old Man Down the Road,” claiming it was too similar to CCR’s “Run Through the Jungle.” (Eventually, Fogerty prevailed; Zaentz passed away in 2014.)

John Fogerty, known for the popularity of his band Creedence Clearwater Revival, avoided playing their biggest hits for decades due to a protracted legal battle with Fantasy Records regarding song ownership rights. The disagreement culminated when Saul Zaentz, Fantasy’s CEO, accused Fogerty of self-plagiarism in his solo song “The Old Man Down the Road,” alleging that it resembled CCR’s “Run Through the Jungle.” (Fogerty eventually won the dispute; Zaentz passed away in 2014.)

Two years ago, Fogerty reclaimed ownership of his publishing, and now he’s releasing an album featuring Taylor Swift-style rerecorded versions of the band’s songs titled “Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years,” scheduled for release on August 22. Before taking the stage at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday evening, where he’ll be joined by his sons Shane and Tyler, Fogerty, aged 80, shared stories about five of his most iconic songs from the road.

‘Proud Mary’ (1969)

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Following the release of covers for “Susie Q” by Dale Hawkins and “I Put a Spell on You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins in 1968, Fogerty achieved his first hit as a songwriter with this groovy and energetic blend of country and soul music.

Proud Mary” struck me like a flash of divine inspiration around mid-1968, following my honorable discharge from the military. I was beyond thrilled – utterly ecstatic, in fact! This release from duty meant I could finally dedicate myself entirely to music. I retreated into my home, holding my Rickenbacker guitar, and began strumming some chords. The first lyrics that emerged were “Left a secure job in the city / Working tirelessly for the boss day and night.” These words encapsulated my feelings upon leaving the Army.

As for the meaning of this song, I must admit I wasn’t certain. When I looked to my recently started songbook, surprisingly, the very first entry was “Proud Mary.” I didn’t understand its significance at the time; I simply jotted it down because that’s what my new profession required. I’m pouring over this booklet now, trying to decipher the thoughts behind it.

Towards the base of the same page, the word “riverboat” caught my eye. Reflecting, I thought aloud, “Ah, this song appears to be about a riverboat called Proud Mary.” It struck me as peculiar – composing a tune centered around a boat. Yet, with that thought behind me, I found myself engrossed – completing the piece in an hour’s time. For the first time in my existence, I looked at the page and exclaimed, “My goodness, I’ve penned a classic.” The greatness of this song resonated within me, echoing the timeless masterpieces of artists like Hoagy Carmichael, Leiber & Stoller, or Lennon & McCartney. I felt it instinctively.

The narrator’s accent appears to be influenced by Howlin’ Wolf, who often spoke in such a manner. As a young boy, he greatly admired Howlin’ Wolf and absorbed his style of speech. When composing the song, these expressions felt natural to him.

Were any of the songs you remember from the late 1960s at No. 1 when “Proud Mary” by CCR reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100? If so, it might have been Otis Redding’s “Dock of the Bay.

“Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone.
No kidding. How cool.

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The Boss’ freshly released boxed collection has arranged 83 hitherto unplayed tracks across seven individual LPs, each featuring a unique sound and topic.

Have you ever come across or interacted with Sly Stone? While I never had the pleasure of meeting him personally, his music was a huge part of my life. I recall that he performed at Woodstock, and it was right after my set. I remember watching Janis Joplin’s performance and catching some of Sly Stone’s before we headed to our Holiday Inn – it must have been around 4 in the morning by then.

Ike and Tina Turner re-created “Proud Mary” to suit their style, making it feel like an entirely new tune. The very first time I listened to it, I was behind the wheel of my car – moments like that when you crank up the volume and exclaim, “Yes!

‘Lodi’ (1969)

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The tale of a struggling musician, filled with a distinctive twang, was initially found on the reverse side of the “Bad Moon Rising” single.

Growing up in El Cerrito, my parents cherished exploring beyond our town. We’d embark on journeys along San Pablo Avenue, without the convenience of a freeway at the time, crossing the Carquinez Bridge into Vallejo and venturing further north-central California. Destinations like Stockton, Tracy, Modesto were frequent stops, while I also became familiar with smaller towns such as Dixon and Davis. Lodi was another place my parents spoke of often, which I made a point to remember, thinking to myself, “This matters, John – hold on to this memory.

Over time, as I grew older, I often played on the University of California Berkeley campus with a motley crew of fellows – it was a sort of dance event for students. A man from Quicksilver Messenger Service, sporting an afro [David Freiberg], was part of this group, and his band performed a song that sounded like it included the word “Lodi.” I was disheartened, but once they finished their set, I approached him to ask about the tune. “What was that song you were playing? Was it called ‘Lodi’?” I inquired. He replied with a smile, “Oh, you mean ‘Codeine.'” This sent me into fits of laughter. Here I was, a farm boy daydreaming about Lodi, while he was the city slicker talking about narcotics.

In a roundabout way, exploring the Central Valley with my family meant a lot to me. At one point, I found myself motivated to compose a song set in an off-the-beaten-path location. I was around 23 years old at the time, yet I visualized someone much older, perhaps Merle Haggard as he grew older. There he is, stranded in this small town because he wandered in and can’t afford to leave.

‘Fortunate Son’ (1969)

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Swiftly embraced as a hymn by anti-Vietnam War protesters, Fogerty’s powerful protest song eventually found its place in the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.

The anthem for those against the Vietnam War, Fogerty’s poignant protest song, was ultimately inducted into the prestigious National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.

In 2014, you expressed dissatisfaction with your lead vocal. To this day, I can say I share your feelings. The basic tracks for “Down on the Corner” and “Fortunate Son” were laid down, and one afternoon, you went to Wally Heider’s studio to complete these songs. For “Down on the Corner,” you handled the maracas, the middle solo part, all the background vocals, then the lead. So, after singing at full volume for about an hour and a half, you had to return to finish “Fortunate Son.” You were giving it your all, doing your best, but later, you felt that some notes were slightly off – that you hadn’t quite nailed them. Ever since, I believe you’ve had reservations about that performance.

One perspective is that the roughness in your vocal delivery adds to the sense of urgency in the song. For instance, John Lennon of the Beatles would often scream repeatedly until his voice became raw before recording some takes. This slight imperfection might have contributed to its overall appeal, adding a certain pop charm to it. I can’t say for sure though.

Despite your request to avoid playing ‘Fortunate Son’ during his 2020 campaign, the song was played at President Trump’s recent military parade. I only caught a brief glimpse as I was trying to find the Yankees game and stumbled upon the parade instead. It appeared somewhat subdued compared to the lively Rose Bowl Parade on New Year’s morning, which left me surprised, as I thought such a choice might raise some concerns.

I pondered: Could it be intentional, perhaps a form of unconventional artistic expression? It seems plausible, but maybe they didn’t put much thought into it at all.

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The iconic rock song ‘Fortunate Son’ symbolizes the idea of class, which Trump has significantly altered during his tenure. He portrays himself as a disadvantaged figure despite his wealth, a contrast that was less pronounced during my time in the 60s – an era marked by unity among young people who believed in equality and mutual respect for all. Today’s climate may be different, but I’m glad to see people protesting, speaking out against injustice, and taking action instead of remaining passive observers.

In America today, there’s a significant divide among people. However, I remain optimistic. While you didn’t inquire about my feelings, allow me to share them. I believe everyone is growing weary of this polarization. The current approach isn’t yielding positive results. If we were to dismiss everyone with knowledge, science, education, manners, morality, ethics, and expel all immigrants – well, it seems we and most others would be included in that. This line of thought is far too negative. As Americans, we are not defined by such negativity; we are more than this divisive mentality.

‘Run Through the Jungle’ (1970)

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Preoccupied with concerns over the proliferation of firearms, Fogerty crafted one of his most haunting compositions for this psychedelic rock tune set in a swampy landscape.

How could I employ only rock ‘n’ roll instruments such as guitar, piano, a touch of percussion, and some reversed tape, to generate that eerie, rolling sensation?

In the same timeframe as Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, you were among the select few rock and pop artists who took on record production during that era. To me, it just felt like a natural progression. I recall an instance in a small shed Fantasy had constructed behind their warehouse, which served as our recording studio. One day, I was there with earphones on, at the microphone, struggling to make something happen that wasn’t happening. This was during the Golliwogs period, around 1965 or 1966. Feeling unproductive and realizing Phil Spector wouldn’t be dropping by to produce us, I decided then and there that I needed to learn the ropes of production myself.

Was there any link between “Run Through the Jungle” and “The Old Man Down the Road,” songs you were accused of self-plagiarism for by Saul Zaentz? Although both songs have a significant impact from blues music, which has profoundly influenced me, I had never considered them similar. I found the accusation absurd.

‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain’ (1970)

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Following the release of CCR’s “Pendulum” album, which features this beloved ballad that currently has over 2 billion streams on Spotify, Tom Fogerty decided to leave the band. The remaining three members parted ways less than two years after this event.

I deeply cherished my band, as it represented the pinnacle of my efforts; witnessing its gradual breakdown left me feeling helpless. To illustrate this, I’ll use an unusual analogy: We had finally reached our sunny day, but everyone seemed increasingly discontented. I was utterly puzzled by the situation – I didn’t know what to say or do that could possibly make things better.

Prior to that moment, my assumption was that the solution lay in composing additional songs, leading to greater success, which would magically solve all our issues. This was the mindset I held, even as I grappled with the difficult contract I had with Saul Zaentz. In my naivety, I believed if I could prove myself a brilliant songwriter and produce these records, perhaps he might develop some understanding and think, “John deserves better treatment because I want more of his songs.” Looking back on it now, it sounds incredibly naive.

Despite the agony you felt then, this song remains one of your most delightful ones. It’s akin to an unexpected explosion nearby – devastating in its impact but somehow, you find yourself holding onto the positive human sentiments it evokes. You might endure the pain, choosing instead to feel something profound rather than becoming indifferent.

Have you ever pondered about different interpretations of “Have You Ever Seen the Rain”? Any versions apart from yours that particularly resonate with you might be Willie Nelson’s, Johnny Cash’s, the Ramones’, or Rod Stewart’s, but my personal favorite is Bonnie Tyler’s.

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2025-07-03 13:32

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