John Fogerty on the Most Misunderstood Tune of His Occupation

Superlatives

A Vulture sequence wherein artists resolve the suitable and worst of their hang careers.

“‘Proud Mary’ appears worship it’s been spherical since Christopher Columbus came from Europe and chanced on a particular culture.”
Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: David Fenton/Getty Photos)

Two years ago, John Fogerty achieved something that he view might perchance be now now not doable in his lifetime. He purchased the bulk possession of his Creedence Clearwater Revival catalogue — and rattling, what a catalogue — a victory that had eluded him for over 5 decades of his profession. But we’re now now not here to give his primitive represent label a Viking burial on the Green River for its sins. Instead, what better solution to celebrate every Fogerty’s new professional freedom and entry into the octogenarian birthday membership than by releasing Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years, out on August 22, which finds our forefather of flannel rerecording versions of his stone-chilly classics.

This reclamation of an album has every seemingly hit that Fogerty wrote for his band (“Harmful Moon Rising,” “Up Around the Bend,” those two songs about the rain), many of which he believes enjoy already change into requirements within the American songbook. Or even there’s something extra eternal at play. “‘Proud Mary’ appears worship it’s been spherical since Christopher Columbus came from Europe and chanced on a particular culture,” Fogerty tells me. “I’m very bowled over that I wrote it, because it sounds worship it’s been here with out end.”

“Proud Mary” has primitive so effectively all these years. It used to be the predominant primarily good tune I wrote, and it used to be honest a shrimp of a shock even for me. I had been tune as early as I’m able to also moreover have in mind, doubtlessly earlier than I might perchance stroll. Below my mother’s tutelage and mentoring, she gave me honest a shrimp teens’s represent of two songs, “Oh! Susanna” and “Camptown Races.” At some level, she informed me that Stephen Foster used to be the songwriter. That used to be a bombshell match in my life, because I never concerned myself with the songwriter. I used to have in mind from that moment on that Stephen Foster realized all forms of tidbits about our nation and wrote wide songs worship “Swanee River” and wasn’t from the South — he used to be from Pittsburgh. It used to be extra or much less worship me in some solutions. Also, he used to be The United States’s first professional songwriter, that means he primarily decided he used to be going to are attempting to impact a dwelling doing it. He used to be a beacon for me. As I went along, my references had been paunchy of Americana and the American South. It wasn’t by construct; it used to be good something I used to be attracted to.

I obtained my honorable discharge from the Navy. I chanced on it sitting on the steps of my condo within the summertime of 1968. This used to be a fateful day in my life. I had a band and used to be seeking to impress a musical profession, but the Navy dictated how I might perchance watch, and I didn’t wish to wear a wig to appear at worship my pals. Getting an honorable discharge on the peak of the Vietnam Battle used to be a blessing, as a long way as I used to be troubled. In this articulate of exhilaration and coarse happiness, I ran within the dwelling and picked up my guitar, started strumming some chords, and the following thing , I had written “Proud Mary.” What this represents to me is easy: Within the again burner of my brain used to be, You primarily obtained to connect that now, John, or you’re going to be compelled economically to catch a job and repair something else. You’re going to cessation up being an auto mechanic. I went to the jam I felt the most overjoyed and wrote about what I knew. Don’t attempt to jot down what you don’t be taught about, because you primarily catch off beam doing that. Even now that the perimeters are honest a shrimp primitive worship a wide flannel shirt, “Proud Mary” has been spherical a whereas, and everyone’s very mindful of it. It sounds good worship a couple of of the assorted songs that I primarily worship, worship “Mature Rockin’ Chair” or “Over the Rainbow.”

I would articulate “Fortunate Son.” That’s misunderstood by a little percentage of of us — of us that appear to be conservative, factual-hover, and presumably Republican or some varied “ism” in that class. And most particularly by Mr. Trump. It’s occurred earlier than where of us view it used to be a patriotic ditty to wave the flag and all that, now now not primarily understanding the cynicism and absolute defiance I had within the tune. I imply, even whereas you happen to don’t hear the comfort of it, you mustn’t lower than hear, “It ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son.” But whereas you happen to don’t, then I wager you’re in a establish to view the tune in a particular arrangement. How can I articulate this? I’m able to’t imagine the utilization of that tune as a political rallying theme, in particular whereas you happen to appear to be the particular person that I’m screaming about within the tune on all three counts. It’s hilarious to me. Maybe I’m the one which misunderstands it, who knows?

One other tune I wrote about a definite time in my life used to be “Secure You Ever Considered the Rain.” Moderately quite a lot of of us aren’t conscious of the backstory. This used to be, moderately actually, a tune about Creedence Clearwater Revival breaking up. I might perchance view it dissolving factual in front of my eyes. In a primarily short amount of time we, as a band, had long past from entire unknowns to the No. 1 band on this planet. We had all this adulation and implied monetary benefits, regardless that a mode of those implications didn’t advance appropriate — we had been hugely cheated. Aloof, all of us felt worship we had been millionaires and on top of the sector. But there used to be so primary sadness within the band. The fellas had been unhappy. I used to be overjoyed about what used to be coming to pass as a long way as my profession, and I used to be vindicated about my steering and what I used to be doing. I’ll snatch credit rating for it: We had within the ruin figured out the puzzle of seeking to impress it within the tune industry, and we had been having success after success after success.

However the assorted fellas had been decidedly now now not overjoyed and complaining. Remarkable later in my life, I used to be told by of us that know me effectively — similar to my indispensable other, Julie — “Effectively, they had been jealous.” That never took place to me in such a succinct arrangement. I good didn’t know why they had been unhappy. If I’m able to also moreover be an armchair psychiatrist, they saw what I used to be doing and decided that they can even moreover attach that. They figured now used to be the time to connect that with out staring on the amount of work and view that also went into it. They desired to catch the the same accolades and notoriety. I surely used to be unwilling to let that happen, because I’d been with these of us for bigger than ten years, and I had never considered anybody advance shut to doing what I used to be doing with songwriting. There’s a definite consciousness about that, surely as soon as my declare developed into the weapon it used to be in my band.

But factual there on the cessation, the band known as a astronomical assembly, and I acquiesced. It used to be said to me very clearly: If we don’t catch to connect these items, we’re going to spoil up. I didn’t need that consequence, so I caved. All factual, everyone can attach all these items now. That’s stunning, we’ll continue in that arrangement. We had a astronomical coming-out press occasion after this assembly, and the assorted fellas had been exuberantly telling the sector how they had been going to jot down all these songs, insist them, and impact up their hang musical parts. We had been beginning to represent Pendulum all the absolute best arrangement thru that time, and that’s as soon as I wrote “Secure You Ever Considered the Rain.” Ensuing from I might perchance view, as we had been within the studio supposedly writing songs together, no person had any extra musical solutions than they’d had when we did our first album. Nothing used to be happening. So I had to trot again to my primitive job, which used to be increasing with songs for that album. This tune used to be on the total the utilization of the metaphor of a transparent, blue, sunny, gorgeous, and warm day, and but rain is falling out of the sky from someplace and wrecking the total thing. That’s exactly what used to be happening in my band.

“Suzie Q” nails it rather primary for my abilities. I used to be sailing with the gear I had at hand, that means the particular amplifier and guitar. My model isn’t “technically tough,” especially later having lived thru the period of Eddie Van Halen, who’s one in every of my idols, and the astronomical-hair tune of classical prog rock. Of us obtained primary extra advanced and rapid. “Suzie Q” isn’t that, but as a long way because the utilization of emotion and the tones my gear used to be in a establish to plot, that used to be a legitimate template for what I used to be in a establish to connect on the time. Many guitar players aren’t singers — or now now not lower than don’t insist professionally — so that they build all of their heart into how they play guitar. I trace that, because I protect in thoughts myself a guitar participant first earlier than a vocalist or songwriter. You trot to one other jam, that’s all I’m able to claim. Once quickly the tune might perchance be over, and I felt worship I had traveled all the absolute best arrangement thru the room and wakened. An very good solo needs with a view to take your attention and snatch you on a trail. You don’t catch drained or bored of it. After which when it’s over, you’re feeling exhilarated.

I wish to positive something up about the Grateful Ineffective. The total match used to be getting later and later, so as a consequence of the accumulation of lateness, Creedence went on at two within the morning. I veteran to chat about that in a extra gripe-y arrangement, I inform, but the Ineffective are an iconic and beautiful community of guys. I tended to need extra self-discipline in my band and be extra on cue, extra or much less worship the younger James Brown I saw as a teenager. The Ineffective had a fully varied calling, they usually’ve zillions of followers that admire their arrangement of being. What I have in mind most positively is we played our hearts out at Woodstock. Moderately quite a lot of things went tainted, but I kept that depth up. At one level, I might perchance fully view good a couple of feet in front of the stage, since the lighting skills wasn’t very good in those days. I might perchance view all these of us muddy and asleep, which me. They’d been thru loads, and then they’d been thru the Grateful Ineffective. So I would comic epic, “They build half 1,000,000 of us to sleep.” That’s doubtlessly honest a shrimp harsh. So I suppose regret to them.

But anyway, that’s what I saw: These of us had been asleep. I went to the mic aggravated because here I am striking all my vitality into it. I said something worship, “We’re enjoying our hearts out here, we hope you revel in what we’re doing.” And arrangement out within the darkness, some man used to be flicking his lighter and I heard him articulate, “Don’t dismay about it, John. We’re with you.” I actually might perchance hear this man from the stage. It used to be so soundless. Even supposing all those of us had been there, they had been asleep. So varied than loud night breathing, there wasn’t a murmur going along. My direction used to be targeted but again on account of him. I used to be on the total enjoying for the one awake particular person that used to be on the market taking note of me.

I wrote a tune a couple of years ago known as “Weeping within the Promised Land.” I wrote down the title in my shrimp notebook I’ve kept since 1967. I will deserve to enjoy written it bigger than 30 years ago. Early within the pandemic, I attempted to represent a model of “Weeping within the Promised Land” — it had a couple of biblical references, but the tune used to be incomplete. Then the lockdown took place for several extra months. I used to be looking out at a mode of television, as all of us did when we had been stuck in our properties and unable to trot anyplace. I used to be rather fearful. It used to be very unsettling to enjoy this unknown thing. This used to be all new to me, and I didn’t know where it used to be going to cessation up. You dismay for your loved ones members. It used to be also a political region where our authorities used to be askew, now now not lower than in my look, and had even much less of a deal with on it than I did. It didn’t watch worship it used to be going to flip out effectively.

Because the times passed, those words found out the front of my eyes looking out on the politicians on my television. It hit me with a kick again, because that’s the absolute best arrangement I wrote it down within the e book all those years ago. It sounded very uncomfortable and forlorn. I used to be surely in that temper, and it gave the affect worship the total nation used to be, if now now not the total world. So I jam about seeking to jot down that tune. I agonized over it for months getting the words factual. Lastly, I recorded it on the cessation of 2020 and released it on … January 6, 2021. Yes, that well-known January 6. I have in mind pondering, Wow, who’s going to view my tune with all this happening? I’ve considered varied writers worship Irving Berlin articulate, I’ve obtained this shrimp tune I wrote, and it good never hit the charts. I know what that means now, because I smooth feel it’s one in every of my finest songs. I’m so proud of it. Once I catch to the pearly gates or whatever, and somebody asks me to represent myself in 5 tune titles, it’d be one in every of them.

She made a production out of it. She took the words actually and did an association that used to be very dramatic — beginning with the slower phase, severely paying homage to primitive Black non secular tune or self-discipline hollers. Then she goes uptown and gets primarily sassy, unstoppable, and undeniable. I first heard the quilt as soon as I used to be in my automobile. It used to be black start air sometime within the frigid weather. I used to be overjoyed. It lit me up. I’d been keen on Tina for a really long time. I primarily had conducted a couple of of the sooner Ike and Tina Turner songs, in particular “It’s Gonna Work Out Comely.” I had considered her on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand and used to be primarily pulling for her to spoil thru. So it all came together taking note of her singing “Proud Mary.” I used to be so overjoyed about it. It good gave the affect worship a attach-new tune. Via the years, it’s extra or much less perceived that arrangement. Diversified of us enjoy tried to quilt the tune, but Tina’s model has a particular standpoint, and of us comprise it individually from my model.

That is a fancy one to acknowledge on account of my historical past and nonexistent communication with Fantasy Info. For example, I as soon as went to view Twilight Zone: The Film with my family and shrimp teens. We had been sitting there ready to ogle this movie, and with out notice the gap chords to Creedence’s “Stupid night time Particular” came on. I had two emotions instantly. Quantity one, that used to be my patented sound. It used to be the sound that made the hair on the again of my neck stand up as soon as I first plugged in a tuned-down Les Paul guitar in a store to view if I ought to purchase one. I checked out the salesperson and said, “I’ll snatch it.” Quantity two used to be, useless to claim, I didn’t know the rest about this. Fantasy Info used to be the utilization of my tune, now now not telling me, and now now not paying me anyplace shut to what would’ve been stunning.

So it used to be a jumble of emotions sitting there at nighttime and looking out on the scene trot on. Correct form after that, I hear Dan Aykroyd articulate something worship, “You could to view something primarily provoking?” Then he turns the total lights off. I used to be fearful. I’ll frequently have in mind that needle fall. That used to be one in every of the very harsh realities that has now advance to pass. I hang the songs, or now now not lower than the bulk stake in my hang songs globally.

I attach worship a legitimate flannel. It’s my accepted color. Sentimental vivid, there’s a image of me again as soon as I used to be a teenager with my G200 guitar. I’m in a studio and carrying a blue flannel shirt that used to be one in every of many again within the day. My indispensable other, Julie, at some level decided to reproduce these shirts and primarily offer them for sale. The major shirt she produced used to be a duplicate of the one I’m carrying in that photograph. That one smooth sticks out to me with a mode of warm and fuzzy emotions. Silly passable, about ten years ago, I have in mind having this temporary even handed, I ought to advance up with a watch. Maybe I’ll wear Timberland cowboy boots and veteran blue denims. I used to be being primarily stupid, because after a few days the judge become spherical and went, John, you’ve been carrying a flannel shirt for over 50 years, that’s your watch, you dummy. Isn’t that a uncommon conversation to enjoy with your self? I wager I used to be seeking to settle out solutions to be queer, or outstanding, or noticed in some uncommon arrangement. And I had already achieved that a really long time ago. It used to be good my hang farmer-boy behavior. It’s who I am and I’m proud of it.