The Dude hates the Eagles. The memorable "laziest man in Los Angeles" from the Coen Brothers 1998 classic comedy The Big Lebowski loves Creedence. A hilarious scene for the 1998 comedy involves The Dude cruising in his rust colored 1972 Pontiac LeBaron, drinking a beer, smoking a spliff, and listening to his Creedence tape. As John Fogerty's voice bellows over the country guitar riff and snare beat, The Dude pounds his fist against the roof of the car, forgetting about his problems.
Unfortunately for The Dude, the happy moment is soon hilariously interrupted. The scene illustrates the mood change Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) can evoke. The group's blend of reductionist guitar riffs, driving rhythms, and John Fogerty's distinct lyrics and voice most certainly will get the foot tapping. Creedence's trademark choruses and hooks are catchy enough, although no one could mistake the group's unique sound for simply pop fare.
The group's 1969 album Green River doesn't contain many of the songs that are played over and over on classic rock radio and jukeboxes. With the exception of "Bad Moon Rising," none of the songs are nearly as recognizable the group's "Proud May," "Fortunate Son," or "Down on the Corner." Nevertheless, the album represents what Creedence does best. The key elements that give Creedence its mass appeal can be found on Green River: namely folk, blues, and country thrown together into a kind of rootsy California rock.
The album begins in spirited form with the snappy title track, "Green River," Tom Fogerty's bluesy guitar licks give the song a dirty feel, and the lack of any significant effects define CCR's raw style.
"Bad Moon Rising" is the most commonly heard of Green River's nine tracks. Like many of CCR's biggest hits, Fogerty's vocals are the centerpiece. His marquee voice needs little else than a simple drum beat with minimal distractions.
Fogerty reflects on his group's struggling earlier days while performing in small town bars on "Lodi:" "If I only had a dollar, for every song I've sung/ And every time I've had to play while people sat there drunk." It is easy to picture the up-and-coming country rockers in the grimy world of honky-tonk clubs and smoky bar rooms. "Lodi" is as twangy and country as CCR gets, and it causes some to wonder why the band didn't venture to the countryside more often.
The only song that even approaches the five-minute mark is the slow, The Band-esque "Wrote a Song for Everyone." Fogerty explores an apparent irony in his songwriting and finds the words that were apparently lacking when he sings, "Wrote a song for everyone/ Wrote a song for truth/ Wrote a song for everyone/ And I couldn't even talk to you."
Fortunately for The Dude, he found his Creedence tape, and fortunately for fans of country rock, Green River presents all that continues to make CCR a dive bar and rock radio staple.
Spring Break
