The Cavern
Rock & Words
BAYOU COUNTRY (Creedence 1969)
Artist: Creedence Clearwater Revival (B)
Recording Dates: Nov - Dec 1968
Release Date: January 5th, 1969. USA
Record Label: Fantasy Records
Producer: John Fogerty
Rating: 8.5
Era: Country, Country Rock And Southern
Subgenre: Southern Rock
Best Song: Penthouse Pauper or Proud Mary
Tracklist: 1) Born On The Bayou; 2) Bootleg; 3) Graveyard Train; 4) Good Golly Miss Molly; 5) Penthouse Pauper; 6) Proud Mary; 7) Keep On Chooglin'.
Ah, the impossible-to-hate Creedence Clearwater Revival began their legendary 1969 with this fine release, Bayou Country, kicking off the year that would cement their status as rock legends. That year they would release three substantial albums, each one improving until reaching their peak in 1970. These three albums are short, with few tracks, and occasionally feature unnecessarily long and tedious jams like " Graveyard Train," but overall John's songwriting skills improved substantially, and his lyrical references to that swampy Mississippi South sounded increasingly better, backed by the masterful musical aura they were constantly refining.
The guys sound more confident and sure of what they're doing here, and they dare to play songs much faster than those on their first album. Faster and further removed from traditional blues in their own compositions. It's not that they forget to include a strong blues influence in their songs, but rather that they no longer do it in a simplistic way, using the book to copy simple structures, as they did on their debut with "Working Man," for example. Instead, they diversify, flirting with acid sounds and pop. This album is also a very curious case in the history of rock, since four of the songs are practically in a single key, but three of them come out perfectly well thanks to the amount of resources and imagination the band uses to make them entertaining in a rather intelligent way. As we've already mentioned, intelligence is Creedence's hallmark, making the songs sound basic and simple without them necessarily being so. And these four songs are perhaps the closest protopunk has ever come to Delta Blues. Don't get me wrong, this has nothing to do with the Sex Pistols and their sound; I simply want to emphasize that not every band can handle songs with such a basic structure and pull it off so well. Furthermore, the experimental approach they take with these songs, cleverly incorporating hooks, riffs, solos, catchy choruses, arpeggios, and drum fills, is simply marvelous. It had only recently been that Lennon had amazed the world with "Tomorrow Never Knows," and suddenly they come out with four songs that, while not overly varied, still sound simple and direct, without any unnecessary embellishment.
This album contains a mere seven songs, some of which are unnecessarily long ( Graveyard Train) or fascinatingly so (Born On The Bayou), theoretically because John's pen wasn't as fast as one might think and he didn't have many songs written due to the monumental tour they were undertaking. I don't know if Fantasy Records pressured them to release three albums in a single year, but the truth is that despite the limited number of songs and the fact that they are forced to extend some takes in impressive jams , the blues they achieve, in a strange blend of the basic New Orleans sound with the experimental and psychedelic aura of San Francisco, is something unique and wonderful. Furthermore , in this second installment they don't rely as much on covers , although in the one we can find, Creedence continues to improve in their treatment of other people's songs, appropriating them, giving them a mud bath, rolling them with pigs and chickens, putting much more energy, bestial riffs and a passionate voice to end up taking over a classic rock & roll by Little Richard and turning it into a dirty Hard Rock with all the spirit of Creedence.
The album opens with “Born On The Bayou”, a slow song with an arpeggio in E diminished that is recognizable from the first notes. This arpeggio takes on the role of a riff in the song. The guitar work and rhythm section are delightful, carrying us along at a medium-slow but powerful pace. Doug “Cosmo” Clifford plays a prominent role on drums, adding a wealth of embellishments and preventing the song from becoming boring. While he doesn't possess Densmore's jazzy qualities, he strongly reminds me of the Doors drummer's skill and dynamism in this song. The vocals are imbued with that Fogerty spirit: energetic, raspy, virile, and powerful. Is there anyone on this planet who wouldn't listen to him and be convinced he was born in a swamp? The guitar solos at 1:25 and 3:15 are also very effective; While not a virtuoso, it always has its own identity and they manage to fit perfectly into the rhythm of the song, although I haven't been able to find too many differences between the two. As a side note, La Revolución de Emiliano Zapata plagiarized their most famous song, " Nasty Sex," "borrowing" that kind of riff and guitar playing from this song, even the sequence of notes in the few changes. Someone from Blue Jeans once told me that they were present when La Revo started composing " Nasty Sex. " Sex”… playing “Born On The Bayou”. Whether it’s true or not, the resemblance is undeniable.
Next up is "Bootleg", a more acoustic and rhythmic song with a screeching, very basic riff that ultimately puts you in a good mood. Have you noticed that most Creedence songs, no matter how dark they are, end up putting you in a good mood? Perhaps that's why it's so easy to listen to their entire discography in one sitting. Anyway, the song is light, but the acoustic rhythm interacts perfectly with the electric guitar and the rhythm section. This is another one of those songs based on a single note. Isn't it wonderful how they manage to make it so simple, without it even being noticeable?
The third song , “Graveyard Train”, doesn't fare so well. This is a slow, loooooooong blues that could kill even Mazzy Star and Sigur Rós with its sluggishness. It's a bass riff that repeats ad nauseam for eight minutes, perfectly mimicking the festive atmosphere of a train graveyard. Not even the vocals can save it, as there's no opportunity for John's voice to truly shine; on the contrary, the vocal line sounds monotonous and tired, without any variation. The guitar doesn't seem particularly creative either, stuck to a single note this time. The only decent thing is the harmonica solo at 3:50, where one, two, and three harmonicas begin to alternate, although the arrangement is practically the same in all three, and it's nothing extraordinary. CCR could have easily added a couple of shorter, faster songs instead of this plodding, moribund train, though some people seem to like it, and to my surprise, it's considered one of the band's classics and usually appears on greatest hits compilations. PFFFFFFFFFFFT!!
We continue with a much more upbeat and festive song, the only cover on this album: “Good Golly Miss Molly”, better known in Spanish as “La Plaga.” This version, out of the countless covers that exist throughout the world and in every imaginable variety of languages, is undoubtedly the best. Fogerty sounds furious, both vocally and on guitar, not trying to imitate “Little Richard,” but rather arranging the song to suit his vocal and instrumental style, giving it the “ Creedence treatment” we mentioned earlier, so that it ends up sounding like a muddy, wild, and incredibly energetic hard rock . The rhythm section is also very good, with the bass and second guitar riffs allowing John a dizzying pace in the lead guitar arrangements. After 1969, covers of this song would be more copies of Creedence's version than the original. Ahhh … another shout-out to the Blue Jeans, and that wild way they used these same rough arrangements singing: “Here comes the PLAGUE!”
The fifth song is “Penthouse Pauper" is a devastating, powerful blues track with an impressive interplay between vocals and guitar, the kind Page and Plant in their prime would have envied. It's a powerful blues-rock song, and I don't understand why it didn't become one of the band's timeless classics. Fogerty treats his guitar with fury, coaxing perfect roars from it between each verse. Keep in mind that this is a solo effort, not a duo with time to calculate each other's responses. John isn't a guitar virtuoso; he's a very calculating player. But honestly, this song makes me wonder if we're really underestimating him and if we're witnessing a true virtuoso. It's a great blues track, where you can't single out a single guitar solo because the song itself is a sublime guitar solo, and once again, Doug's drumming is outstanding.
“Proud Mary” is Creedence's most blatant flirtation with pop up to that point. It's truly a charming, rhythmic song where the vocal harmony completely steals the show. The solo at 1:27 is simple and rustic, yet incredibly catchy—perhaps the most memorable in their entire catalog. The riff, that C-C-A-A progression, is the simplest thing in the universe, but it's largely responsible for the song's charm. This is one of the album's tracks that became a staple at any Creedence concert: “Born On The Bayou” was generally used to kick off shows, while this one was a favorite to close them. Needless to say, it's one of the band's most covered songs , even with some infamous band and norteño versions. Unlike “Good Molly…”, this one loses its charm when sung in Spanish: “Mary, Mary, Mary the proud …!” Yuck!
To close the album, we have another blues track, “Keep On Chooglin’”, which is a very rhythmic closer, but it feels a bit weak because it lacks a riff and is another song without tonal variation. The guitar sounds somewhat unimaginative, as the interplay with the vocals is more repetitive this time. The solo isn't particularly impressive either, but it's not a truly bad or offensive song. A decent closing track, nothing more.
Overall, I think the sound of this album is an improvement over their debut. We have seven songs: four one-track tracks , four classics (if we count " Graveyard ..." much to my chagrin), two long jams , one cover , and an impressive dialogue between John Fogerty and his own guitar. This isn't Cosmos Factory or Pendulum , but it's a step towards the band's maturity, with more polished sounds and more complex arrangements. Good songs with good melodies that no Creedence fan's music collection should be without , as this is a transitional album towards riskier and more interesting sounds, but it's not difficult to listen to. After all, even if they bombard us with boring jams like the one presented here, it's impossible to even consider hating Creedence, even if that song is what separates an 8.5 from a 10.
By Corvan
Mar/23/2009
