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Rating: I was about ten or eleven years old when I discovered how to operate my father's turntable. Until then, my timid forays into pop and rock music had been limited to a few "dubbings" of Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Phil Collins cassettes.
I constantly had a thirst for exploration, for discovering new things, and those vinyl records with strange covers piqued my curiosity quite a bit: the cows on Atom Heart Mother, those medieval drawings on "Lizard" by King Crimson, and that dollar-shaped record "E Pluribus Funk" by Grand Funk Railroad... what kind of eccentric people would create such covers? The first time I managed to start the needle on a vinyl, it was a record from the collection "The Great History of Rock" dedicated to the Rolling Stones, and the riff of Satisfaction seemed to me the coolest thing I had ever heard. Good times, what a beautiful experience it was to discover rock music! A passion that has never left me and is still an integral part of my life.
One day my father came home from work and saw me tinkering with his vinyl records and said: listen to this one (he put on "Proud Mary") this is true American rock! mmm... Creedence Clearwater Revival... live in Europe!? The record featured a highway with interchanges and flyovers (which I later discovered was not the cover available commercially... could I have a rare copy????). It's needless to summarize the importance of Creedence in the history of rock, from Woodstock to being representatives of southern rock in the world, and the extreme popularity of their singles is undeniable: heard and reheard everywhere, on the radio, on TV, in cinemas, and reinterpreted multiple times in all possible versions.
"Live in Europe" was released when the band had already definitely disbanded, and they had tried to continue despite the significant defection of Tom Fogerty (guitarist and main composer) as a trio with a lackluster album (Mardi Gras 1972) and a new tour. But the response was not the best, the audience seemed to lose interest in that somewhat outdated music, shifting attention towards new musical trends. It was the early 70s, the most prolific and avant-garde period of rock and roll. The musical quality, even without the guitarist, is at excellent levels, and the songs sound lively and engaging, "Up Around the Bend," "Hey Tonight," and "Keep on Chooling" sound better than in the studio. This live can't be compared to the much more renowned rock live albums of those years (Live at Fillmore East by Allman, Made in Japan by Deep Purple, or Alive by Kiss); it's missing some important tracks, but it should be considered as a great archaeological relic of the band and its last moments of life, played admirably and highlighted by an extremely engaging performance. The testimony of a dignified end, a demonstration of professionalism and consistency until the end.
After the breakup, John Fogerty will continue playing Creedence's hits for another forty years as a solo artist (the mortgage doesn't pay itself), while the others, except for poor Tom who died in '90, pursued different paths, except for a brief period under the moniker "Creedence Clearwater Revisited." Anyway... dear old Creedence, how much more great albeit not too original music you could have still produced... and to think that today, with all these "Revival" bands that are so trendy, considered as geniuses (Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes...bah!), you had already figured it out back then... And while the whole world was bleach-dyeing their clothes and tripping on acid, you with your flannel shirts and cowboy hats were still playing indestructible and anachronistic rock and roll... pioneers!
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 Born on the Bayou (05:04)
Now, when I was just a little boy,
Standin' to my Daddy's knee,
My poppa said,Son, don't let the man get you
Do what he done to me.
'Cause he'll get you,
'Cause he'll get you now, now.
And I can remember the fourth of July,
Runnin' through the backwood, bare.
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin',
Chasin' down a hoodoo there.
Chasin' down a hoodoo there.
CHORUS:
Born On The Bayou;
Born On The Bayou;
Born On The Bayou.
Wish I was back on the Bayou.
Rollin' with some Cajun Queen.
Wishin' I were a fast freight train,
Just a chooglin' on down to New Orleans.
CHORUS
Do it, do it, do it, do it. Oh, Lord.
Oh get back boy.
I can remember the fourth of July,
Runnin' through the backwood bare.
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin',
Chasin' down a hoodoo there.
Chasin' down a hoodoo there.
CHORUS
All right! Do, do, do, do.
Mmmmmmm, oh.
03 It Came Out of the Sky (03:24)
Oh, It Came Out Of The Sky, landed just a little south of Moline.
Jody fell out of his tractor, couldn't b'lieve what he seen.
Laid on the ground a-shakin', fearin' for his life.
Then he ran all the way to town screamin' "It Came Out Of The Sky."
Well, a crowd gathered 'round and a scientist said it was marsh gas.
Spiro came and made a speech about raising the Mars tax.
The Vatican said, "Woe, the Lord has come".
Hollywood rushed out an epic film.
and Ronnie the popular said it was a communist plot.
Oh, the newspapers came and made Jody a national hero.
Walter and Eric said they'd put him on a network T.V. show.
The White House said, "Put the thing in the Blue Room".
The Vatican said, "No, it belongs to Rome."
And Jody said, "It's mine and you can have it for seventeen million."
Oh, It Came Out Of The Sky, landed just a little south of Moline.
Jody fell out of his tractor, couldn't b'lieve what he seen.
Laid on the ground a shakin', fearin' for his life.
Then he ran all the way to town screamin' "It Came Out Of The Sky."
Oh!
04 Travelin' Band (02:07)
Seven Thirty Seven comin' out of the sky.
Oh! Won't you take me down to Memphis on a midnight ride,
I wanna move.
CHORUS:
Playin' in a Travelin' Band. Yeah!
Well, I'm flyin' 'cross the land, try'in' to get a hand,
Playin' in a Travelin' Band.
Take me to the hotel, Baggage gone, oh, well.
Come on, come on, won't you get me to my room,
I wanna move.
CHORUS
Listen to the radio, Talkin' 'bout the last show.
Someone got excited, Had to call the State Militia,
Wanna move.
CHORUS
Oh! WOW!
Here we come again on a Saturday night
Oh with your fussin' and a fightin'
Won't you get me to the rhyme,
I wanna move.
CHORUS
Oh! WOW!
Oh! I'm playin' in a Travelin' Band;
Playin' in a Travelin' Band.
Won't you get me, take me hand
Well, I'm playin' in a Travelin' Band,
Well, I'm flyin' 'cross the land.
Tryin' to get a hand,
Playin' in a Travelin' Band, OH! WOW!
Hey!
05 Fortunate Son (02:29)
Some folks are born made to wave the flag
ooh, they're red, white and blue
And when the band plays "Hail To The Chief"
oh, they point the cannon at you, Lord
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no senator's son
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no
Some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Lord, don't they help themselves, oh
But when the taxman come to the door
Lord, the house look a like a rummage sale, yes
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no millionaire's son
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no
Yeah, some folks inherit star spangled eyes
ooh, they send you down to war, Lord
And when you ask them, how much should we give
oh, they only answer, more, more, more, yoh
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no military son
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no no no
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate son, no no no
06 Commotion (02:27)
Traffic in the city turns my head around.
No, no, no, no, no.
Backed up on the freeway, backed up in the church,
Ev'rywhere you look there's a frown, frown.
CHORUS:
Com, commotion,
Git, git, git, gone.
Com, commotion,
Git, git, git, gone.
People keep atalkin', they don't say a word.
Jaw, jaw, jaw, jaw, jaw.
Talk up in the White House, talk up to your door,
So much goin' on I just can't hear.
CHORUS
Hurryin' to get there so you save some time.
Run, run, run, run, run.
Rushin' to the treadmill, rushin' to get home,
Worry 'bout the time you save, save.
CHORUS
07 Lodi (03:20)
Just about a year ago, I set out on the road,
Seekin' my fame and fortune, lookin' for a pot of gold.
Things got bad, and things got worse, I guess you will know the tune.
Oh ! Lord, Stuck in Lodi again.
Rode in on the Greyhound, I'll be walkin' out if I go.
I was just passin' through, must be seven months or more.
Ran out of time and money, looks like they took my friends.
Oh ! Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again.
The man from the magazine said I was on my way.
Somewhere I lost connections, ran out of songs to play.
I came into town, a one night stand, looks like my plans fell through
Oh ! Lord, Stuck in Lodi again.
Mmmm...
If I only had a dollar, for ev'ry song I've sung.
And ev'ry time I've had to play while people sat there drunk.
You know, I'd catch the next train back to where I live.
Oh ! Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again.
Oh ! Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again.
08 Bad Moon Rising (02:11)
I see a bad moon rising
I see trouble on the way
I see earthquakes and lightning
I see bad times today
Don't go around tonight
Oh it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise
I hear hurricanes a-blowin'
I know the end is comin' soon
I feel rivers overflowin'
I hear the voice of rage and ruin
Don't go around tonight
Oh it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise
Hope you got your things together
Hope you are quite prepared to die
Looks like we're in for nasty weather
One eye is taken for an eye
Well
Don't go round tonight
Oh it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise
Don't come around tonight
Oh it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise
09 Proud Mary (02:51)
Left a good job in the city,
Workin' for The Man ev'ry night and day,
And I never lost one minute of sleepin',
Worryin' 'bout the way things might have been.
Big wheel keep on turnin',
Proud Mary keep on burnin',
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis,
Pumped a lot of 'tane down in New Orleans,
But I never saw the good side of the city,
'Til I hitched a ride on a river boat queen.
Big wheel keep on turnin',
Proud Mary keep on burnin',
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
If you come down to the river,
Bet you gonna find some people who live.
You don't have to worry 'cause you have no money,
People on the river are happy to give.
Big wheel keep on turnin',
Proud Mary keep on burnin',
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
10 Up Around the Bend (02:42)
There's a place up ahead and I'm goin' just as fast as my feet can fly
Come away, come away if you're goin', leave the sinkin' ship behind.
CHORUS:
Come on the risin' wind, we're goin' up around the bend.
Ooh!
Bring a song and a smile for the banjo, better get while the gettin's good,
Hitch a ride to the end of the highway where the neons turn to wood.
CHORUS
Oooh!
You can ponder perpetual motion, fix your mind on a crystal day,
Always time for a good conversation, there's an ear for what you say.
CHORUS
Yeah!
Oooh!
Catch a ride to the end of the highway and we'll meet by the big red tree,
There's a place up ahead and I'm goin', come along, come along with me.
CHORUS
Yeah!
Do do doo do...
11 Hey Tonight (02:26)
Hey, Tonight,
Gonna be tonight,
Don't you know I'm flyin'
Tonight, tonight.
Hey, c'mon,
Gonna chase tomorrow
Tonight, tonight.
Gonna get it to the rafters,
Watch me now.
Jody's gonna get religion
All night long.
Hey, c'mon,
Gonna hear the sun
Tonight, tonight.
Gonna get it to the rafters,
Watch me now.
Jody's gonna get religion
All night long.
Aaaah!
Hey, Tonight,
Gonna be tonight,
Don't you know I'm flyin'
Tonight, tonight.
Tonight, tonight.
12 Keep on Chooglin' (12:52)
CHORUS:
Keep on Chooglin'
Keep on Chooglin'
Keep on Chooglin'
Chooglin',
Chooglin'.
Maybe you don't understand it.
But if you're a natural man,
You got to ball and have a good time
And that's what I call Chooglin'.
Here comes Mary lookin' for Harry,
She gonna choogle tonight.
Here comes Louie, works in the sewer,
He gonna choogle tonight.
CHORUS
(primal screaming)
CHORUS
If you can choose it, who can refuse it,
Y'all be chooglin' tonight.
Go on, take your pick, right from the git go,
You gotta choogle tonight.
CHORUS
(more screaming)
Oh, we're Creedence!
Clearwater!
Revival!
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