Bayou Country
John C. Fogerty is the Huck Finn of rock n' roll (and for as long as he cared to, brother Tom served as his Tom Sawyer foil on rhythm guitar). If Samuel Clemens were alive today, he no doubt would be toe tapping to 'Born On the Bayou' and laughing about Huck "runnin' through the backwoods bare" with his "old hounddog barkin'... chasing down a hoodoo there". And J.C. delivers the vocals on 'Born...' with more gusto than even John Lennon summoned for his gravel-voiced marvel, 'Twist and Shout'.
This to me is the finest CCR album. It doesn't have the most hit songs ('Proud Mary' was [and still is] mercilessly overplayed as a number two hit), but this set hit me square between the eyes between my freshman and sophomore years in high school. I don't know if humans imprint, but indelibly etched in my brain cells is the memory of this album being played while I soaked up a warm summer evening at a beach on Lake St. Clair. Some freaks in the parking lot had 'Born On the Bayou' blaring from their car stereo, and it was one of those moments in early adolescence when you savor your budding sense of autonomy. Of course, in the early 1970's, all manner of freedom was breaking out everywhere, helping to frame this as a touchstone experience for me.
That's not to say there isn't great music on this album which speaks for itself. 'Born On the Bayou', 'Good Golly Miss Molly' (comparing it to Mitch Ryder's #4 hit version is like comparing apples and oranges, so I won't go there... suffice it to say that it rocks every bit as much, and features a driving lead guitar that cannot be denied), 'Bootleg', 'Penthouse Pauper', and 'Keep On Chooglin' (I guess they go chooglin' instead of truckin' down South) hold their own with any other highlights from Creedence albums.
Even more than their first album, 'Bayou Country' is a blues recording, with a thick overlay of the 'pop/swamp sound' that became their signiture. 'Bootleg' and 'Chooglin' are up-tempo blues, while 'Graveyard Train' (the only weak link in this set, and the primary reason this album is being denied 5 star status) and 'Penthouse Pauper' are more laid back. Fogarty's lead guitar solo's bend, fold, and mutilate, and several songs also include John belting out mouth harp (I call it a harmonica) solo's as well. Ironically, the 'odd-song out' is 'Proud Mary', the only composition (aside from 'Good Golly...') with enough 'pop' to make it a Top-40 candidate.
At under 35 minutes (8 1/2 claimed by 'Graveyard Train') this CD won't strain how you budget your time, so take the time to strain your budget to own it. The album declared CCR to be a major playa, and together with 'Green River' and 'Cosmo's Factory', solidified their status as an elite band in rock n' roll's glory years.
This to me is the finest CCR album. It doesn't have the most hit songs ('Proud Mary' was [and still is] mercilessly overplayed as a number two hit), but this set hit me square between the eyes between my freshman and sophomore years in high school. I don't know if humans imprint, but indelibly etched in my brain cells is the memory of this album being played while I soaked up a warm summer evening at a beach on Lake St. Clair. Some freaks in the parking lot had 'Born On the Bayou' blaring from their car stereo, and it was one of those moments in early adolescence when you savor your budding sense of autonomy. Of course, in the early 1970's, all manner of freedom was breaking out everywhere, helping to frame this as a touchstone experience for me.
That's not to say there isn't great music on this album which speaks for itself. 'Born On the Bayou', 'Good Golly Miss Molly' (comparing it to Mitch Ryder's #4 hit version is like comparing apples and oranges, so I won't go there... suffice it to say that it rocks every bit as much, and features a driving lead guitar that cannot be denied), 'Bootleg', 'Penthouse Pauper', and 'Keep On Chooglin' (I guess they go chooglin' instead of truckin' down South) hold their own with any other highlights from Creedence albums.
Even more than their first album, 'Bayou Country' is a blues recording, with a thick overlay of the 'pop/swamp sound' that became their signiture. 'Bootleg' and 'Chooglin' are up-tempo blues, while 'Graveyard Train' (the only weak link in this set, and the primary reason this album is being denied 5 star status) and 'Penthouse Pauper' are more laid back. Fogarty's lead guitar solo's bend, fold, and mutilate, and several songs also include John belting out mouth harp (I call it a harmonica) solo's as well. Ironically, the 'odd-song out' is 'Proud Mary', the only composition (aside from 'Good Golly...') with enough 'pop' to make it a Top-40 candidate.
At under 35 minutes (8 1/2 claimed by 'Graveyard Train') this CD won't strain how you budget your time, so take the time to strain your budget to own it. The album declared CCR to be a major playa, and together with 'Green River' and 'Cosmo's Factory', solidified their status as an elite band in rock n' roll's glory years.
No comments:
Post a Comment