John Fogerty on the Most Misunderstood Song of His Occupation

Superlatives

A Vulture sequence wherein artists settle the finest and worst of their be pleased careers.

“‘Proud Mary’ appears to be like to be prefer it’s been spherical since Christopher Columbus got right here from Europe and located a varied culture.”
Checklist-Illustration: Vulture; Checklist: David Fenton/Getty Photographs)

Two years ago, John Fogerty executed one thing that he realizing would possibly perchance well well well be very unlikely in his lifetime. He purchased the majority ownership of his Creedence Clearwater Revival catalogue — and damn, what a catalogue — a victory that had eluded him for over five a long time of his profession. But we’re now not right here to present his outmoded story ticket a Viking burial on the Inexperienced River for its sins. As an replacement, what better reach to celebrate every Fogerty’s original professional freedom and entry into the octogenarian birthday club than by releasing Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years, out on August 22, which finds our forefather of flannel rerecording variations of his stone-cold classics.

This reclamation of an album has every imaginable hit that Fogerty wrote for his band (“Unsuitable Moon Rising,” “Up Spherical the Bend,” these two songs in regards to the rain), a large range of which he believes own already become requirements in the American songbook. Or most likely there’s one thing extra eternal at play. “‘Proud Mary’ appears to be like to be prefer it’s been spherical since Christopher Columbus got right here from Europe and located a varied culture,” Fogerty tells me. “I’m very bowled over that I wrote it, since it appears to be like as if it’s been right here with no destroy in sight.”

“Proud Mary” has frail so smartly all these years. It became the first in actuality factual tune I wrote, and it became a chunk a shock even for me. I had been by music as early as I will defend in mind, doubtlessly sooner than I would possibly perchance well well well bound. Below my mother’s tutelage and mentoring, she gave me a chunk youngsters’s story of two songs, “Oh! Susanna” and “Camptown Races.” At some level, she told me that Stephen Foster became the songwriter. That became a bombshell event in my lifestyles, because I by no plot concerned myself with the songwriter. I became aware from that second on that Stephen Foster realized every procure of tidbits about our country and wrote monumental songs like “Swanee River” and wasn’t from the South — he became from Pittsburgh. It became extra or less like me in loads of ways. Additionally, he became The US’s first professional songwriter, which plot he in actuality decided he became going to take a to find at and plot a living doing it. He became a beacon for me. As I went alongside, my references had been tubby of Americana and the American South. It wasn’t by procure; it became sparkling one thing I became attracted to.

I obtained my honorable discharge from the Navy. I found it sitting on the steps of my dwelling in the summer of 1968. This became a fateful day in my lifestyles. I had a band and became searching to own a musical profession, but the Navy dictated how I would possibly perchance well well well to find, and I didn’t opt to position on a wig to to find like my company. Getting an honorable discharge on the peak of the Vietnam Battle became a blessing, as a ways as I became concerned. On this pronounce of exhilaration and impolite happiness, I ran in the condo and picked up my guitar, started strumming some chords, and the next thing you appreciate, I had written “Proud Mary.” What this represents to me is easy: In the support burner of my brain became, You in actuality obtained to cease this now, John, or you’re going to be compelled economically to procure a job and cease one thing else. You’re going to discontinuance up being an auto mechanic. I went to the role I felt essentially the most overjoyed and wrote about what I knew. Don’t strive to jot down what you don’t know about, because you in actuality procure off goal doing that. Even now that the perimeters are a chunk frail like a monumental flannel shirt, “Proud Mary” has been spherical a whereas, and everyone’s very familiar with it. It sounds sparkling like a pair of of the opposite songs that I in actuality admire, like “Old Rockin’ Chair” or “Over the Rainbow.”

I would inform “Fortunate Son.” That’s misunderstood by a limited percentage of folks — these who seem to be conservative, excellent-soar, and presumably Republican or one other “ism” in that class. And most particularly by Mr. Trump. It’s came about sooner than where folks realizing it became a patriotic ditty to wave the flag and all that, now not in actuality working out the cynicism and absolute defiance I had in the tune. I imply, even must you don’t hear the the leisure of it, you have to always on the least hear, “It ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son.” But must you don’t, then I bet you’re ready to to find the tune in a varied reach. How can I inform this? I will’t think in regards to the exhaust of that tune as a political rallying theme, particularly whereas you seem to be the particular particular person that I’m screaming about in the tune on all three counts. It’s hilarious to me. Perchance I’m the one who misunderstands it, who knows?

One other tune I wrote a pair of definite time in my lifestyles became “Possess You Ever Seen the Rain.” A quantity of folks aren’t attentive to the backstory. This became, barely actually, a tune about Creedence Clearwater Revival breaking up. I would possibly perchance well well well opinion it dissolving excellent in entrance of my eyes. In a really rapid period of time we, as a band, had gone from total unknowns to the No. 1 band in the area. We had all this adulation and implied financial advantages, even supposing a great deal of these implications didn’t come correct — we had been massively cheated. Serene, all of us felt like we had been millionaires and on high of the area. Yet there became so essential sadness in the band. The fellas had been depressing. I became joyful about what became coming to creep as a ways as my profession, and I became vindicated about my steering and what I became doing. I’ll take credit rating for it: We had in the destroy figured out the puzzle of searching to own it in the music enterprise, and we had been having success after success after success.

But the opposite fellas had been decidedly now not joyful and complaining. Worthy later in my lifestyles, I became urged by these who know me smartly — equivalent to my essential other, Julie — “Smartly, they had been jealous.” That by no plot came about to me in this kind of succinct reach. I sparkling didn’t know why they had been miserable. If I would possibly perchance well even be an armchair psychiatrist, they seen what I became doing and decided that they would possibly perchance well well perchance also cease that. They figured now became the time to cease that with out staring on the amount of work and realizing that also went into it. They wished to procure the an analogous accolades and notoriety. I absolutely became unwilling to let that happen, because I’d been with these folks for bigger than ten years, and I had by no plot considered any individual come discontinuance to doing what I became doing with songwriting. There’s a definite awareness about that, absolutely once my recount developed into the weapon it became in my band.

But excellent there on the discontinuance, the band called a astronomical meeting, and I acquiesced. It became said to me very clearly: If we don’t procure to cease these items, we’re going to atomize up. I didn’t opt that consequence, so I caved. All excellent, everyone can cease all these items now. That’s dazzling, we’ll continue in that reach. We had a astronomical coming-out press birthday party after this meeting, and the opposite fellas had been exuberantly telling the area how they had been going to jot down all these songs, relate them, and own up their be pleased musical substances. We had been starting up to story Pendulum all the scheme thru that time, and that’s when I wrote “Possess You Ever Seen the Rain.” Resulting from I would possibly perchance well well well opinion, as we had been in the studio supposedly writing songs collectively, no person had any extra musical solutions than they’d had when we did our first album. Nothing became happening. So I had to return to my outmoded job, which became coming up with songs for that album. This tune became most incessantly the exhaust of the metaphor of a transparent, blue, sunny, supreme, and heat day, and but rain is falling out of the sky from someplace and wrecking your total thing. That’s exactly what became occurring in my band.

“Suzie Q” nails it magnificent smartly for my abilities. I became crusing with the instruments I had at hand, which plot the particular amplifier and guitar. My model isn’t “technically demanding,” especially later having lived thru the technology of Eddie Van Halen, who’s one of my idols, and the astronomical-hair music of classical prog rock. People obtained essential extra tough and like a flash. “Suzie Q” isn’t that, but as a ways as the exhaust of emotion and the tones my instruments became ready to procure, that became a factual template for what I became ready to cease on the time. Many guitar gamers aren’t singers — or on the least don’t relate professionally — in bid that they put all of their heart into how they play guitar. I realize that, because I consider myself a guitar player first sooner than a vocalist or songwriter. You creep to one other role, that’s all I will inform. Typically the tune would possibly perchance well well well be over, and I felt like I had traveled all around the room and wakened. A factual solo own so that you can grab your attention and take you on a ride. You don’t procure drained or bored of it. And then when it’s over, you feel exhilarated.

I have to decided one thing up in regards to the Grateful Dull. Your total event became getting later and later, so this capability that of the accumulation of lateness, Creedence went on at two in the morning. I feeble to talk about that in a extra gripe-y reach, I issue, but the Dull are an iconic and supreme community of fellows. I tended to opt extra discipline in my band and be extra on cue, extra or less just like the young James Brown I seen as a kid. The Dull had a really varied calling, and in bid that they own zillions of followers that love their reach of being. What I defend in mind most positively is we performed our hearts out at Woodstock. A quantity of things went inappropriate, but I kept that intensity up. At one level, I would possibly perchance well well well easiest opinion sparkling a pair of toes in entrance of the stage, for the reason that lights technology wasn’t very factual in as of late. I would possibly perchance well well well opinion all these folks muddy and asleep, which stricken me. They’d been thru loads, and then they’d been thru the Grateful Dull. So I would silly yarn, “They put half of one million folks to sleep.” That’s doubtlessly a chunk harsh. So I enlighten regret to them.

But anyway, that’s what I seen: These folks had been asleep. I went to the mic frustrated because right here I’m placing all my vitality into it. I said one thing like, “We’re taking half in our hearts out right here, we hope you be pleased what we’re doing.” And reach out in the darkness, some man became flicking his lighter and I heard him inform, “Don’t fear about it, John. We’re with you.” I actually would possibly perchance well well well hear this man from the stage. It became so level-headed. Even supposing all these folks had been there, they had been asleep. So rather than loud night breathing, there wasn’t a murmur going alongside. My direction became focused again this capability that of him. I became most incessantly taking half in for the one awake particular person that became obtainable listening to me.

I wrote a tune a pair of years ago called “Weeping in the Promised Land.” I wrote down the title in my dinky pocket guide I’ve kept since 1967. I have to own written it bigger than 30 years ago. Early in the pandemic, I attempted to story a model of “Weeping in the Promised Land” — it had a pair of biblical references, but the tune became incomplete. Then the lockdown came about for several extra months. I became searching at a great deal of tv, as all of us did when we had been caught in our homes and unable to head anyplace. I became magnificent vexed. It became very unsettling to own this unknown thing. This became all original to me, and I didn’t know where it became going to discontinuance up. You effort on your loved ones contributors. It became also a political pronounce of affairs where our executive became askew, on the least individually, and had even less of a address on it than I did. It didn’t to find prefer it became going to flip out smartly.

As the days handed, these words got right here all around the entrance of my eyes searching on the politicians on my tv. It hit me with a relax, because that’s the reach I wrote it down in the guide all these years ago. It sounded very miserable and forlorn. I became undoubtedly in that temper, and it gave the affect like your total country became, if now not your total world. So I space about searching to jot down that tune. I agonized over it for months getting the words excellent. Lastly, I recorded it on the discontinuance of 2020 and released it on … January 6, 2021. Sure, that infamous January 6. I defend in mind thinking, Wow, who’s going to appear my tune with all this occurring? I’ve considered other writers like Irving Berlin inform, I’ve obtained this dinky tune I wrote, and it sparkling by no plot hit the charts. I know what which plot now, because I aloof feel it’s one of my finest songs. I’m so proud of it. When I procure to the pearly gates or no topic, and any individual asks me to portray myself in five tune titles, this would well well well be one of them.

She made a production out of it. She took the words actually and did an affiliation that became very dramatic — starting up with the slower portion, a chunk paying homage to outmoded Sad spiritual music or topic hollers. Then she goes uptown and will get in actuality sassy, unstoppable, and undeniable. I first heard the quilt when I became in my automobile. It became murky outside one day in the iciness. I became happy. It lit me up. I’d been a fan of Tina for a really long time. I in actuality had performed a pair of of the sooner Ike and Tina Turner songs, particularly “It’s Gonna Work Out Graceful.” I had considered her on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand and became in actuality pulling for her to atomize thru. So all of it got right here collectively listening to her singing “Proud Mary.” I became so joyful about it. It sparkling gave the affect like a ticket-original tune. By the years, it’s extra or less perceived that reach. Different folks own tried to duvet the tune, but Tina’s model has a varied standpoint, and folks mediate of it individually from my model.

Here’s a tough one to answer to this capability that of my history and nonexistent communication with Delusion Records. To illustrate, I once went to to find Twilight Zone: The Movie with my family and dinky youngsters. We had been sitting there ready to sign this movie, and unexpectedly the gap chords to Creedence’s “Center of the night Particular” got right here on. I had two emotions straight away. #1, that became my patented sound. It became the sound that made the hair on the support of my neck arise when I first plugged in a tuned-down Les Paul guitar in a retailer to to find if I must purchase one. I looked on the salesman and said, “I’ll take it.” Number two became, for optimistic, I didn’t know anything about this. Delusion Records became the exhaust of my music, now not telling me, and now not paying me anyplace advance what would’ve been sparkling.

So it became a jumble of emotions sitting there at nighttime and searching on the scene creep on. Compatible after that, I hear Dan Aykroyd inform one thing like, “You would possibly perchance have to to find one thing in actuality upsetting?” Then he turns your total lights off. I became vexed. I’ll repeatedly defend in mind that needle fall. That became one of the very harsh realities that has now come to creep. I be pleased the songs, or on the least the majority stake in my be pleased songs globally.

I cease admire a factual flannel. It’s my licensed shade. Sentimental vivid, there’s a portray of me support when I became a kid with my G200 guitar. I’m in a studio and wearing a blue flannel shirt that became one of many support in the day. My essential other, Julie, at some level decided to breed these shirts and in actuality offer them in the marketplace. The indispensable shirt she produced became a reproduction of the one I’m wearing in that portray. That one aloof stands out to me with a great deal of heat and fuzzy emotions. Humorous enough, about ten years ago, I defend in mind having this brief regarded as, I must present you with a to find. Perchance I’ll put on Timberland cowboy boots and aged blue jeans. I became being in actuality tiresome, because after a pair of days the mirror grew to become spherical and went, John, you’ve been wearing a flannel shirt for over 50 years, that’s your to find, you dummy. Isn’t that a unique conversation to own with yourself? I bet I became searching to determine be strange, or outstanding, or seen in some unique reach. And I had already performed that a really long time ago. It became sparkling my be pleased farmer-boy habit. It’s who I’m and I’m proud of it.