John Fogerty is Seventy today. Fitting really, at least for me personally, as I've just finished a three week slog writing a review of Creedence's hits compilation. He's a great songwriter obviously but also a very interesting lyricist and a quite specific personality.
The Creedence story is a very sad one despite the success they achieved. As I commented a couple of week's back, in some ways it's an American tragedy. The story of a band whose history, poor luck and judgement ripped their personal relationships apart, and the wounds that were left for the three surviving members are clearly not yet healed.
As for the record itself. I promised a post script and here's a hurried one. Over half is undeniably great and will last as long as these things do, right pretty much towards the very top of the tree. Some of it of course is less resonant and dates less well. As Creedence were very much hit-makers I might as well make my own Top Twenty from the selections on here. Subjective, as these things must always be of course but generally I think I've separated wheat from chaff:
1. Born on the Bayou
2. Who'll Stop The Rain
3. Bad Moon Rising
4. Have You Ever Seen The Rain
5. Green River
6. Proud Mary
7. Long As I Can See The Light
8. Fortunate Son
9. Lookin' Out My Back Door
10. Lodi
11. Up Around The Bend
12. Down On The Corner
13. Travelin' Band
14. Suzie Q
15. Commotion
16. Good Golly Miss Molly
17. Keep On Chooglin'
18. Sweet Hitch Hiker
19. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
20. Hey Tonight
Personally, I'd ditch the bottom five and possibly six and replace them, Firstly with Run Through The Jungle, one of the best things they ever did, but also with Ramble Tamble (the opener of Cosmo's Factory), Sinister Purpose, Walking On The Water, Someday Never Comes, I Put A Spell On You and Don't Look Now. For three weeks this music had me under its spell. Happy Birthday John!
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