The genres of pop, country, folk, Americana, rock 'n' roll, and rhythm-and-blues all came together to create Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Before CCR, Tom and John Fogerty, along with high school friends, drummer Doug Clifford and bassist Stu Cook, signed to Fantasy and released a few singles under the name of The Golliwogs. The songs had very little success, so John took direction and became the songwriter and the bandleader of the group.
While they have never held a No. 1 position, CCR holds the record for the most singles to reach No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 (US) without reaching No. 1 (five), and the most singles to reach Top 10 without reaching No. 1 (nine).
Let's take a look back at Creedence Clearwater Revival's Greatest Hits!
"Bad Moon Rising"
Written by John Fogerty, the song was the band's first single off of their Green River album, which was released in 1968. The song reached No. 2 on the US charts and No. 1 on the UK charts.
"Down On The Corner"
From CCR's fourth studio album, Willy and The Poor Boys, released in 1969, "Down on the Corner"reached No. 2 on the charts. Fogerty told Uncle Joe Benson in an interview, "I'd seen this ad for Winnie the Pooh and the Super Pooh Package or something like that. ... I was fascinated. ... Somehow in my mind... it became Willy and the Poor Boys."
"Fortunate Son"
Also released on their fourth album, "Fortunate Son" became an anthem for the American people during the Vietnam war.
"Lookin' Out My Back Door"
"Lookin Out My Back Door" is from the band's fifth studio album, Cosmo's Factory. The song was the last of their singles to reach No. 2 on the charts, beat out by Diana Ross's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."
"Proud Mary"
Released off their second studio album, Bayou Country, "Proud Mary" peaked at No. 2 on the charts in 1969. A few years later, Ike and Tina Turner released their version of the song that peaked at No. 4.
"Born On The Bayou"
This swamp-rock tune was the B-side single to "Proud Mary" from the band's second record.
"I Put A Spell On You"
CCR's version of this '50s classic hit was released on their self-titled album in 1968.
"Travelin' Band"
"Travelin' Band" was a single off the band's first record. It was one of the three singles from the record to reach the top of the charts in the US and UK.
"Suzie Q."
"Suzie Q." was the band's only Top 40 hit that Fogerty didn't write.
"Have You Ever Seen The Rain"
"Have You Ever Seen The Rain" was the band's eighth gold-selling single.
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"Run Through The Jungle"
This song caused a lot of controversy for the rock band. Saul Zeaentz, the head of Fantasy Records, made several claims against Fogerty in Fogerty vs. Fantasy Inc.
"Long As I Can See The Light"
'Long As I Can See The Light' was released as the B-side single to "Lookin Out My Back Door" on Cosmo's Factory. Fogerty re-recorded the song for his 2013 album Wrote a Song for Everyone.
"I Heard It Through The Grapevine"
CCR released an 11 minute cover of this Marvin Gaye classic in 1970.
"Cotton Fields"
Huddle Ledbetter (Lead Belly), a blues musician in the '40s, wrote and released "Cotton Fields."
The song has been a hit for many popular groups like The Highwaymen, The Beach Boys, and, of course, CCR.
"The Midnight Special"
"The Midnight Special" is a traditional folk song from the American South. The Midnight Special was the name of a passenger train that passed Sugar Land Prison at night. Legend says that if you were in the light of the graveyard train, you would find freedom again. The prisoner's used the song as a melody of hope.
"Green River"
"Green River" peaked at No. 2 and stayed there for one week, beat out by The Archies "Sugar, Sugar."
"Sweet Hitch-Hiker"
"Sweet Hitch-Hiker" was a single from the band's 1971 Mardi Gras album. In the line, "We could make music at the Greasy King," The Greasy King was the nickname for the local burger stand in Berkeley, California near their rehearsal space, which they called "Cosmo's Factory."
"It Came Out of the Sky"
"It Came Out of the Sky" was written by Fogerty and was released on the 1969 record Willy and the Poor Boys.
"Wrote a Song for Everyone"
Jeff Tweedy of Wilco praises this song for having the most influence on him. Tweedy gives Fogerty credit for forming the foundation of the Americana genre.
"Tombstone Shadow"
This song from the band's third album Green River was inspired by Fogerty's visit to a fortune teller in San Bernardino. The fortune-teller told him to avoid airplanes and that he would have 13 months of bad luck. Both of those predictions are referred to in the song.
These 20 Creedence Clearwater Revival songs are a great fit for any playlist from classic rock to R&B.
Honorable Mentions:
"Lodi"
"Who'll Stop The Rain"
"Pendulum"
"Good Golly Miss Molly"
"Don't Look Now"
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