#309 - Creedence Clearwater Revival - Willy and the Poor Boys (1969)

MUSIC HISTORY COMPILED BY ADAM BERNARD:

BACKGROUND – THE SUN RECORDS COLLECTION

CCR formed in the El Cerrito section of Northern California back when some of the band was in Junior High School in 1959. Guitarist and singer John Fogerty, pianist and later-on bassist Stu Cook, and Drummer Doug Clifford originally formed as "The Blue Velvets" and played instrumentals and jukebox standards. They would also serve as a backing band for John's older brother Tom, who also played the guitar. Tom would eventually join the band, and they released 3 singles, one of which was picked up by Casey Kasem, who worked at nearby KEWB in Oakland. The band signed a record deal with independent label Fantasy Records across the bay in 1964. At the suggestion of the co-owner of Fantasy Records, the band changed their name to the Golliwogs (racist term, btw) in 1964 after the children's literary character. Cook switched to the bass at this point. Tom also stepped back from lead vocals to make way for his brother. Tom said "I could sing, but John had a sound!" The band took a 2 year break as John enlisted in the Army Reserve while Doug signed up for the Coast Guard Reserves. A new owner took over the record label, hated the band's name, and it was changed to Creedence Clearwater Revival. They got their first big break on a national level with their cover of Susie Q from their self-titled debut in 1968. They followed that up with Bayou Country in 1969. Proud Mary and Born on the Bayou were successful singles, and 3 months later they released two singles from their next release, Bad Moon Rising and Lodi. In August they released their third album, Green River, and it was their first album to hit the Billboard 200. They also performed at Woodstock the same month, and then got right back to work for today's album.

After 3 albums released in 1969, they cooled the pace down to 2 albums in 1970 with Cosmo's Factory and Pendulum and still were achieving success with singles. The constant pattern of writing, recording, releasing albums, and touring, plus John's domineering producing style was enough for brother Tom to leave the band in 1971. The band decided to continue as a trio, but after John was the sole songwriter for so long, the band took a democratic approach to writing, and released one more album called Mardi Gras in 1972. It bombed by their standards (peaked at #12, "only" certified gold).They embarked on a tour to support the album. Afterwards, with a deteriorating relationship in full spiral, they broke up for good, 6 months after its release. Cook and Clifford continued as Creedence Clearwater Revisited, while Fogerty went on to a very successful solo career.

The name's elements came from three sources: Tom Fogerty's friend Credence Newball, whose name they changed to form the word Creedence; a television commercial for Olympia Brewing Company ("clear water"); and the four members' renewed commitment to their band. Rejected contenders for the band's name included "Muddy Rabbit", "Gossamer Wump", and "Creedence Nuball and the Ruby"; however, the last was the starting point from which the band derived their final name. Cook described the name as "weirder than Buffalo Springfield or Jefferson Airplane

Their set was not included in the Woodstock film or soundtrack because John felt the band's performance was subpar. Four tracks from the event (out of a total of eleven) were eventually included in the 1994 commemorative box set. Cook, however, held an opposing view, saying, "The performances are classic CCR and I'm still amazed by the number of people who don't even know we were one of the headliners at Woodstock '69." John later complained the act that preceded them, the Grateful Dead, had put the audience to sleep; as John scanned the audience he saw a "Dante scene, just bodies from hell, all intertwined and asleep, covered with mud"

Fogerty on the roots of why he controlled the band so much: I was alone when I made that music. I was alone when I made the arrangements, I was alone when I added background vocals, guitars and some other stuff. I was alone when I produced and mixed the albums. The other guys showed up only for rehearsals and the days we made the actual recordings. For me Creedence was like sitting on a time bomb. We'd had decent success with our cover of "Susie Q" when we went into the studio to cut "Proud Mary." It was the first time we were in a real Hollywood studio, and the problems started immediately. The other guys in the band insisted on writing songs for the new album, they had opinions on the arrangements, they wanted to sing. They went as far as adding background vocals to "Proud Mary," and it sounded awful. They used tambourines, and it sounded no better. That's when I understood I had a choice to make. At that point in time we were just a one hit wonder, and "Susie Q" hadn't really been that big a hit. Either this [the new album] would be a success, something really big, or we might as well start working at the car wash again. Now we had to make the best possible album and it wasn't important who did what, as long as the result was the very best we could achieve. And of course I was the one who should do it. I don't think the others really understood what I meant, but at least I could manage the situation the way I wanted. The result was eight million-selling double-sided singles in a row and six albums, who all went platinum. And Melody Maker had us as the best band in the world. That was after the Beatles split, but still. Despite that, I don't think they understood what I was talking about. They were obsessed with the idea of more control and more influence. So finally the bomb exploded and we never worked together again.

In the wake of the band's break-up and in the years to follow, John Fogerty and Fantasy Records owner Saul Zaentz, along with the band's other members were oil and water. Lawsuits and court battles went back and forth for many years over artistic control of the songs and other band related business.

Although they topped some international charts and local radio countdowns, CCR have the distinction of having had five No. 2 singles without ever having had a No. 1 on the Hot 100, the most of any group. Their five No. 2 singles were exceeded only by Madonna, Taylor Swift, and Drake with six each, and tied with Elvis Presley and the Carpenters.

They were inducted into the RnR HOF in 1993, but Fogerty refused to play with the band due to all of the previous lawsuit/record tensions. 28 million CCR records have been sold in the US alone.

ALBUM BACKGROUND – WILLY AND THE POOR BOYS

By the fall of 1969, Creedence Clearwater Revival was one of the hottest rock bands in the world, having scored three consecutive #2 singles and the #1 album Green River. In addition, the group had performed at the landmark Woodstock Festival in August and made several high-profile television appearances. Bandleader and songwriter John Fogerty had assumed control of the band after several years of futility, but, despite their growing success, the other members – bassist Stu Cook, drummer Doug Clifford and guitarist Tom Fogerty, John's older brother – began to chafe under Fogerty's demanding, autocratic leadership. The band's output in 1969 alone – three full-length albums – was staggering considering that they were touring nonstop throughout. 

This was the fourth studio album released by the band, and the third within a calendar year, having released Green River in August 1969 and Bayou Country at the beginning of the year in January. "Cosmo's Factory came out 9 months after today's album. It was recorded at the Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California.

Willy and the Poor Boys made the Top 50 in 1970 in six countries, including France, where it reached #1. In December 1970, the album went gold in the US. Almost 20 years later in 1990, the album was certified platinum (1,000,000 units sold) and 2× platinum (2,000,000 units sold). The year 1969 had been a remarkable chart year for the band: three Top Ten albums, four hit singles (charting at No. 2, No. 2, No. 2, and No. 3) with three additional charting B-sides.

Drummer Doug Clifford on the frantic work pace " That was a bit of overkill and I never did understand that. Fogerty told us that if we were ever off the charts, then we would be forgotten... To make it worse, it might sound funny, but we had double-sided hits, and that was kind of a curse, as we were burning through material twice as fast. If we'd spread it out, we would not have had to put out three albums in one year."