"Green River"is a song by American rock bandCreedence Clearwater Revival.It was written byJohn Fogertyand released as a single in July 1969, one month before thealbum of the same namewas released.[1]"Green River" peaked at number two for one week, behind "Sugar, Sugar"byThe Archies,and was ranked byBillboardas the No. 31 song of 1969.
"Green River" | ||||
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SinglebyCreedence Clearwater Revival | ||||
from the albumGreen River | ||||
B-side | "Commotion" | |||
Released | July 1969[1] | |||
Recorded | Between March and June 1969[2] | |||
Studio | Wally Heider,San Francisco[3] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:36 | |||
Label | Fantasy | |||
Songwriter(s) | John Fogerty | |||
Producer(s) | John Fogerty | |||
Creedence Clearwater Revivalsingles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Green River" (lyric video)onYouTube |
Background
editThe song was based on a childhood vacation spot ofJohn Fogerty's.[8][9]In an interview Fogerty gave toRolling Stonein 2012, Fogerty stated:
What really happened is that I used a setting like New Orleans, but I would actually be talking about a thing from my own life. Certainly a song like "Green River" – which you may think would fit seamlessly into the Bayou vibe, but it's actually about the Green River, as I named it – it was actually calledPutah CreekbyWinters, California.It wasn't called Green River, but in my mind I always sort of called it Green River. All those little anecdotes are part of my childhood, those are things that happened to me actually, I just wrote about them and the audience shifted at the time and place.[10]
Fogerty added that the "actual specific reference, 'Green River,' I got from a soda pop-syrup label... My flavor was calledGreen River."[9]
Although the song seems to be mostly about idyllic memories, in the last verse a character named Old Cody Junior warns the singer that he's going to find the world smoldering but can always come back to Green River.[11]The name Old Cody Junior was a reference to the fact thatBuffalo Bill Codyhad owned the cabin by the creek that inspired the song.[12]
As to the music, Fogerty said that:
"Green River" is obviously a tip of the hat to theSun Recordssound, but I can't think of any real specific song. Actually, with the loping beat of theacoustic guitarand then thebasskind of doing that rocking beat on the one and the four, I tend to think of something like "Dream Baby"byRoy Orbison.Yet "Green River" was much more rocking than that song, but the rhythm treatment fit. "[12]
Reception
editBillboarddescribed the single as "a driving rocker in the same vein as" Creedence Clearwater Revival's previous single "Bad Moon Rising."[13]Cash Boxdescribed it as developing "the bayou-rock style of the CCR in a slower than 'Bad Moon Rising' track that could steal the spotlight."[14]Cash Boxranked it as the No. 19 single of 1969.[15]Record Worldsaid it was "great."[16]Ultimate Classic Rockcritic Cliff M. Junior rated "Green River" as Creedence Clearwater Revival's 7th greatest song.[11]
Sales and airplay
edit"Green River" was certified gold (500,000 units sold) by theRecording Industry Association of Americaon December 13, 1990.[17]
Chart (1969) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[18] | 5 |
Canada (RPM)[19] | 5 |
West Germany (GfK)[20] | 8 |
UK Singles(OCC)[21] | 19 |
USBillboardHot 100[22] | 2 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abChronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits(CD liner).Creedence Clearwater Revival.Fantasy Records.1991. FCD-CCR2-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^Stephen Thomas Erlewine."Overview:Green Riverby Creedence Clearwater Revival ".AllMusic.RetrievedDecember 29,2010.
- ^Green River (Expanded Reissue)(PDF)(CD liner).Creedence Clearwater Revival.United States:Concord Music Group.2008. FAN-30877-02. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on March 14, 2012.RetrievedDecember 30,2010.
{{cite AV media notes}}
:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^Valdez, Steve (2014). "Folk rock". In Henderson, Lol; Stacey, Lee (eds.).Encyclopedia of Music in the 20th Century.London: Routledge. p. 223.ISBN978-1-135-92946-6.
- ^Molanphy, Chris (February 28, 2019)."The Bad Moon on the Rise Edition".Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia(Podcast).Slate.RetrievedAugust 20,2023.
- ^Patton, Alli (November 9, 2023)."The Best Southern Rock Songs".Holler.RetrievedMarch 29,2024.
- ^Dean, Ollie (August 5, 2022)."Top 10 Creedence Clearwater Revival Songs".Classic Rock History.RetrievedOctober 19,2024.
- ^Thompson, Art."John Fogerty Summons His Creedence-Era Spirit on Revival".Guitar Player.
- ^abGoldberg, Michael (1993)."Fortunate Son: John Fogerty – The 1993 Rolling Stone Interview".Rolling Stone.RetrievedDecember 29,2010.
- ^Greene, Andy.Q&A: John Fogerty on All-Star Duets LP, Unlikely Creedence Reunion,Rolling Stone,May 4, 2012
- ^abJunior, Cliff M. (September 9, 2012)."Top 10 Creedence Clearwater Revival Songs".Ultimate Classic Rock.RetrievedJune 11,2022.
- ^abWerner, Craig (1998).Up Around the Bend.Avon Books. pp.145–146.ISBN0-380-80153-1.
- ^"Spotlight Singles"(PDF).Billboard.July 26, 1969. p. 64.RetrievedFebruary 20,2021.
- ^"CashBox Record Reviews"(PDF).Cash Box.July 26, 1969. p. 30.RetrievedDecember 8,2021.
- ^"Top 100 Chart Hits of 1969"(PDF).Cash Box.December 27, 1969. p. 22.RetrievedDecember 8,2021.
- ^"Single Picks of the Week"(PDF).Record World.July 26, 1969. p. 1.RetrievedMay 5,2023.
- ^"Gold & Platinum".RIAA.RetrievedJune 19,2023.
- ^"Creedence Clearwater Revival – Green River "(in German).Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ^"RPM – Item Display: Top Singles – Volume 12, No. 5, September 20, 1969".Library and Archives Canada.March 31, 2004. Archived fromthe original(PHP)on October 21, 2012.RetrievedDecember 30,2010.
- ^"Offiziellecharts.de – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Green River "(in German).GfK Entertainment charts.To see peak chart position, click "TITEL VON Creedence Clearwater Revival"
- ^"Official Singles Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.
- ^"Creedence Clearwater Revival – Billboard Singles".Allmusic.United States: Rovi Corporation.RetrievedDecember 29,2010.