John Fogerty: voce, chitarra, armonica. - Tom Fogerty: chitarra. - Stu Cook: basso. - Doug "Cosmo" Clifford: batteria.
I Creedence Clearwater Revival, l'America, il rock, le estati in campeggio, i viaggi, la vita...
Musica che far venir voglia di prendersi un camper, trovare una bella e brava donzella, facci quanti più pargoli possibile, e partire. Si partire... già... ma per dove? Dove vi va, i CCR son tipi spartani, si adattano loro, mare, montagna...ed il sogno di un coast to coast negli states sembra quasi avverarsi. E se siete dei poltroni? Se vi piace stare a casa a cazzeggiare? Se, soprattutto, non avete nessun fottuto camper? Niente paura, John e soci sapranno come allietare anche le vostre bolse serate casalinghe. Si disse di loro che erano una band da famiglia, una sorta di Disney band... Col cazzo! Dico io. Quella di John fu una delle voci più arrapanti del West, e chissà quante giovini pulzelle all'epoca raggiunsero il primo orgasmo da sole, nel buio della propria stanzetta, ascoltando I Heard It Through the Grapevine... magari qualcuna rimase anche incinta, cazzo. E mentre dalle altre parti del mondo i rocker diventavano sempre più megalomani e cercavano di stupire con effetti speciali e fondotinta, quei quattro ragazzotti sembravano esser rimasti negli anni '50. - Sveglia John, nel mondo impazza la psichedelia, l'LSD, sta nascendo il progressive! - Sticazzi!? Rispose lui. - Io sono solo un campagnolo con l'hobby del rock&roll. LSD? Piuttosto passami una bottiglia di buon whiskey. Camicioni a quadri e blue jeans stretti ad esaltare pacco e contropacco, due chitarre, basso, batteria, qualche cassa ed un palco di travi in legno tarlato. E con la chitarra ci sapeva fare John, non faceva mica finta come Elvis, non portava la chitarra solo per sembrare più figo, a lui serviva veramente quella chitarra; certo, non un virtuoso dello strumento, nessuna particolare acrobazia, in fondo John suonava il rock, che gli fregava di darsi a numeri circensi!? Giro e fraseggi blues, qualche variante country-western, tanta passione, buon gusto e grinta da vendere, bastava questo, perchè complicarsi la vita? Si, e gli altri tre? Mica guardavano e basta! E no, non erano degli sprovveduti Tom, Doug e Stu (e co sti nomi, figuratevi se potevano suonare il progressive!), musicisti preparati, concreti, dalle solide basi blues, campagnoli con la testa sulle spalle, cresciuti a calci in culo e vacche da mungere, e poi la sera tutti al saloon a far bisboccia.
Ma i Creedence furono anche la strana parabola dei fratelli Fogerty, a John fama, succeso, gloria e voce fallica, a Tom... a Tom la vita non sorrise affatto, ma fu un ottimo chitarrista ritmico, e senza di lui la band si dissolse in poco tempo. Che riposi in pace.
Le vicende legate alla produzione Live di questa band per certi versi anticiparono ciò che successe ai Led Zeppelin, cioè il primo disco dal vivo pubblicato fu una puttanata; uno di quei capricci di quache schizzato discografico pezzo di merda, che ebbe la geniale idea di far uscire un vinile, "Live in Europe", con registrazioni della formazione a tre, quella senza Tom, quella peggiore, la più trascurabile, mentre negli archivi vi era molto di meglio. John si oppose, da buon cow boy, minacciò di invadere la casa discografica con una mandria di tori da rodeo, cavalcando Furia sulle note di Cotton Fields, ma non ci fu niente da fare. Per fortuna nel 1980, fu fatta finalmente giustizia, e fu dato alle stampe il vinile "The Concert", contenente l'estratto (50 minuti) dello show registrato in California, al Coliseum di Oakland, il 31 Gennaio 1970. E Signori, cazzo, questo è un gran disco! All'epoca i quattro stavano lavorando a Cosmo's Factory, e quella sera ne regalarono un paio di anticipazioni, lo scatenato rock&roll di Travellin' Band (ma quanto si sarà incazzato Little Richard!?) e la splendida ballad Who'll stop The Rain, da brivido in questa esecuzione (indovinate a chi si son ispirati gli Eagles). The Concert fotografa i CCR nel periodo di massimo splendore, pieni di idee, in piena fase creativa, e i problemi fra Tom e John ancora lontani. Oltre ai due pezzi citati, altre 12 gemme. Si parte con la sporca ed ipnotica Born on The Bayou, poi Green River, l'ottimo blues-rock di Tombstone Shadow, il country tipico di Don't Look Now, passando per la divertente Bad Moon Rising, la celeberrima Proud Mary (chi non ha mai canticchiato quel ritornello?), il quasi hard rock dell'adrenalinica Fortunate Son (recentemente sentita anche nella colonna sonora di Die Hard 4). Commotion è un altro splendido rock-blues (e l'intro vi farà venir in mente ad un certo punto quel simpaticone di Lenny Kravits).
The Midnight Special e Night Time is The Right Time sono due splendide cover in cui si può apprezzare tutto il talento di Fogerty come cantante blues. Segue Down on the Corner, e qui il culo parte in automatico, se restate fermi su sto pezzo vuol dire che siete andati, solo che la cosa non è stata ancora ufficializzata. Rispetto alle incisioni in studio, vi è una batteria più decisa, chitarre più ruvide, e ritmi accellerati, ma nessun pezzo viene stravolto, ed in fondo era giusto così; quelli erano piccoli gioielli, che in 2-3 minuti riuscivano a dire tutto, brevi, ma intensi, non certo canzonette insignificanti, anzi (parafrasando lo spot della nota marca di pennelli, i Creedence Clearwater Revival non facevano canzoni grandi, ma grandi canzoni). Ma nella finale Keep on Chooglin' la band dimostra a tutti che quando voleva tirare i pezzi per le lunghe non incontrava alcuna particolare difficoltà e nei 9 minuti di esibizione si può apprezzare tutto il talento di John, che fa il diavolo a quattro, si scatena con la chitarra, qui più tosta del solito negli assoli, poi passa all'armonica, quindi torna alla chitarra, improvvisando sempre alla grande. Ma è tutta la band ad essere eccellente, mai uno stacco fuori tempo, mai una nota fuori posto, perfettamenta affiatata.
Finito di ascoltare il cd vien subito voglia di risentirlo, ancora e ancora, e credetemi, farete fatica a levarlo dallo stereo. Molto buona anche la qualità complessiva della registrazione, insomma tutta un'altra cosa rispetto a Live in Europe, tanto da poter affermare che "The Concert" è l'unico vero live dei CCR. Aggiungo che di recente (2008) la Universal\Fantasy ha pubblicato una raccolta di due cd dal titolo Best Of, in cui il primo disco è un classico Greatest Hits, il secondo è dal vivo ed è appunto questo live, pari pari. Quindi chi sia interessato al prodotto, ma non riesca a trovarlo, può ripiegare anche su questa compilation. Che altro dire? "The Concert" non è certo uno di quei live che han fatto epoca, ma chiunque lo ascolta corre il serio rischio di eleggerlo a proprio disco preferito (sempre che vi piaccia il genere... ma si, vi piacerà, loro piaciono a tutti)
I Creedence Clearwater Revival, l'America, il rock...
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Born on the Bayou (05:15)
Now, when I was just a little boy,
Standin' to my Daddy's knee,
My poppa said,Son, don't let the man get you
Do what he done to me.
'Cause he'll get you,
'Cause he'll get you now, now.
And I can remember the fourth of July,
Runnin' through the backwood, bare.
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin',
Chasin' down a hoodoo there.
Chasin' down a hoodoo there.
CHORUS:
Born On The Bayou;
Born On The Bayou;
Born On The Bayou.
Wish I was back on the Bayou.
Rollin' with some Cajun Queen.
Wishin' I were a fast freight train,
Just a chooglin' on down to New Orleans.
CHORUS
Do it, do it, do it, do it. Oh, Lord.
Oh get back boy.
I can remember the fourth of July,
Runnin' through the backwood bare.
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin',
Chasin' down a hoodoo there.
Chasin' down a hoodoo there.
CHORUS
All right! Do, do, do, do.
Mmmmmmm, oh.
02 Green River (03:24)
Well, take me back down where cool water flows, yeah.
Let me remember things I love,
Stoppin' at the log where catfish bite,
Walkin' along the river road at night,
Barefoot girls dancin' in the moonlight.
I can hear the bullfrog callin' me.
Wonder if my rope's still hangin' to the tree.
Love to kick my feet 'way down the shallow water.
Shoefly, dragonfly, get back t'your mother.
Pick up a flat rock, skip it across Green River.
Welllllll!
Up at Cody's camp I spent my days, oh,
With flat car riders and cross-tie walkers
Old Cody, Junior took me over,
Said,You're gonna find the world is smould'rin'.
And if you get lost come on home to Green River.
Welllllll!
Come on home.
03 Tombstone Shadow (03:42)
Tombstone Shadow, stretchin' across my path.
Tombstone Shadow, stretchin' across my path.
Ev'ry time I get some good news, Ooh,
There's a shadow on my back.
Saw the gypsy man, 'way down in San Berdoo.
Said, I saw the gypsy man, 'way down in San Berdoo.
Five dollars on the table, Ooh,
Keep me 'way from my tomb.
Oh! Oh!
Said I got thirteen months of bad luck,
Bound to be some pain.
Don't you do no trav'lin',
Fly in no machines.
Tombstone Shadow, stretchin' across my path.
Ev'ry time I get some good news, Ooh,
There's a shadow on my back.
The man gave me a luck charm, Cost five dollars more,
Said, "Put some on your pillow, and put some on your door."
He said, "Take a long vacation, Ooh,
For thirteen months or more."
Oh, Lord!
Tombstone Shadow, stretchin' across my path.
Tombstone Shadow, stretchin' across my path.
Ev'ry time I get some good news, Ooh,
There's a shadow on my back.
Oh, oh, Lord!
Oh, Lord!
04 Don't Look Now (02:25)
Who'll take the coal from the mine?
Who'll take the salt from the earth?
Who'll take the leaf and grow it to the tree?
Don't look now, but it ain't you or me.
Who'll work the field with his hands?
Who'll put his back to the plow?
Who'll take the mountain and give it to the sea?
Don't look now, but it ain't you or me.
Chorus:
Don't look now - someone's done your starvin'.
Don't look now - someone's done your prayin', too.
Who'll make the shoes for your feet?
Who'll make the clothes that you wear?
Who'll take the promise that you don't have to keep?
Don't look now, but it ain't you or me.
Chorus:
Don't look now - someone's done your starvin'.
Don't look now - someone's done your prayin', too.
Who'll take the coal from the mine?
Who'll take the salt from the earth?
Who'll take the promise that you don't have to keep?
Don't look now, but it ain't you or me
05 Travelin' Band (02:07)
Seven Thirty Seven comin' out of the sky.
Oh! Won't you take me down to Memphis on a midnight ride,
I wanna move.
CHORUS:
Playin' in a Travelin' Band. Yeah!
Well, I'm flyin' 'cross the land, try'in' to get a hand,
Playin' in a Travelin' Band.
Take me to the hotel, Baggage gone, oh, well.
Come on, come on, won't you get me to my room,
I wanna move.
CHORUS
Listen to the radio, Talkin' 'bout the last show.
Someone got excited, Had to call the State Militia,
Wanna move.
CHORUS
Oh! WOW!
Here we come again on a Saturday night
Oh with your fussin' and a fightin'
Won't you get me to the rhyme,
I wanna move.
CHORUS
Oh! WOW!
Oh! I'm playin' in a Travelin' Band;
Playin' in a Travelin' Band.
Won't you get me, take me hand
Well, I'm playin' in a Travelin' Band,
Well, I'm flyin' 'cross the land.
Tryin' to get a hand,
Playin' in a Travelin' Band, OH! WOW!
Hey!
06 Who'll Stop the Rain (02:37)
Long as I remember
The rain been comin' down.
Clouds of myst'ry pourin'
Confusion on the ground.
Good men through the ages,
Tryin' to find the sun;
And I wonder,
Still I wonder,
Who'll stop the rain.
I went down Virginia,
Seekin' shelter from the storm.
Caught up in the fable,
I watched the tower grow.
Five year plans and new deals,
Wrapped in golden chains.
And I wonder,
Still I wonder
Who'll stop the rain.
Heard the singers playin',
How we cheered for more.
The crowd had rushed together,
Tryin' to keep warm.
Still the rain kept pourin',
Fallin' on my ears.
And I wonder,
Still I wonder
Who'll stop the rain.
07 Bad Moon Rising (02:23)
I see a bad moon rising
I see trouble on the way
I see earthquakes and lightning
I see bad times today
Don't go around tonight
Oh it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise
I hear hurricanes a-blowin'
I know the end is comin' soon
I feel rivers overflowin'
I hear the voice of rage and ruin
Don't go around tonight
Oh it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise
Hope you got your things together
Hope you are quite prepared to die
Looks like we're in for nasty weather
One eye is taken for an eye
Well
Don't go round tonight
Oh it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise
Don't come around tonight
Oh it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise
08 Proud Mary (03:30)
Left a good job in the city,
Workin' for The Man ev'ry night and day,
And I never lost one minute of sleepin',
Worryin' 'bout the way things might have been.
Big wheel keep on turnin',
Proud Mary keep on burnin',
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis,
Pumped a lot of 'tane down in New Orleans,
But I never saw the good side of the city,
'Til I hitched a ride on a river boat queen.
Big wheel keep on turnin',
Proud Mary keep on burnin',
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
If you come down to the river,
Bet you gonna find some people who live.
You don't have to worry 'cause you have no money,
People on the river are happy to give.
Big wheel keep on turnin',
Proud Mary keep on burnin',
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
09 Fortunate Son (02:25)
Some folks are born made to wave the flag
ooh, they're red, white and blue
And when the band plays "Hail To The Chief"
oh, they point the cannon at you, Lord
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no senator's son
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no
Some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Lord, don't they help themselves, oh
But when the taxman come to the door
Lord, the house look a like a rummage sale, yes
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no millionaire's son
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no
Yeah, some folks inherit star spangled eyes
ooh, they send you down to war, Lord
And when you ask them, how much should we give
oh, they only answer, more, more, more, yoh
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no military son
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no no no
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate son, no no no
10 Commotion (02:36)
Traffic in the city turns my head around.
No, no, no, no, no.
Backed up on the freeway, backed up in the church,
Ev'rywhere you look there's a frown, frown.
CHORUS:
Com, commotion,
Git, git, git, gone.
Com, commotion,
Git, git, git, gone.
People keep atalkin', they don't say a word.
Jaw, jaw, jaw, jaw, jaw.
Talk up in the White House, talk up to your door,
So much goin' on I just can't hear.
CHORUS
Hurryin' to get there so you save some time.
Run, run, run, run, run.
Rushin' to the treadmill, rushin' to get home,
Worry 'bout the time you save, save.
CHORUS
11 The Midnight Special (03:48)
Well, you wake up in the mornin', you hear the work bell ring,
And they march you to the table to see the same old thing.
Ain't no food upon the table, and no pork up in the pan.
But you better not complain, boy, you get in trouble with the man.
CHORUS:
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me,
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me,
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me,
Let the Midnight Special shine a everlovin' light on me.
Yonder come miss Rosie, how in the world did you know?
By the way she wears her apron, and the clothes she wore.
Umbrella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand;
She come to see the gov'nor, she wants to free her man.
CHORUS
If you're ever in Houston, well, you better do the right;
You better not gamble, there, you better not fight, at all
Or the sheriff will grab ya and the boys will bring you down.
The next thing you know, boy, Oh! You're prison bound.
CHORUS
CHORUS
13 Down on the Corner (02:49)
Early in the evenin' just about supper time,
Over by the courthouse they're starting to unwind.
Four kids on the corner trying to bring you up.
Willy picks a tune out and he blows it on the harp.
Down on the corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet.
Rooster hits the washboard and people just got to smile,
Blinky thumps the gut bass and solos for a while.
Poorboy twangs the rhythm out on his kalamazoo.
And Willy goes into a dance and doubles on kazoo.
Down on the corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet.
Down on the corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet.
You don't need a penny just to hang around,
But if you've got a nickel, won't you lay your money down?
Over on the corner there's a happy noise.
People come from all around to watch the magic boy.
Down on the corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet.
Down on the corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet.
Down on the corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet.
Down on the corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet.
14 Keep On Chooglin' (09:11)
CHORUS:
Keep on Chooglin'
Keep on Chooglin'
Keep on Chooglin'
Chooglin',
Chooglin'.
Maybe you don't understand it.
But if you're a natural man,
You got to ball and have a good time
And that's what I call Chooglin'.
Here comes Mary lookin' for Harry,
She gonna choogle tonight.
Here comes Louie, works in the sewer,
He gonna choogle tonight.
CHORUS
(primal screaming)
CHORUS
If you can choose it, who can refuse it,
Y'all be chooglin' tonight.
Go on, take your pick, right from the git go,
You gotta choogle tonight.
CHORUS
(more screaming)
Oh, we're Creedence!
Clearwater!
Revival!
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