3 Massive Creedence Clearwater Revival Hits That Were All Released in 1969

In 1968, Creedence Clearwater Revival, made up of brothers John Fogerty and Tom Fogerty, plus Stu Cook and Doug Clifford, released their self-titled debut album. The record includes one Top 10 single, “Suzie Q”. But by their sophomore Bayou Country record, released one year later, Creedence Clearwater Revival hit their stride.

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These three songs, each written by John Fogerty, came out in 1969 and were all big hits for Creedence Clearwater Revival.

“Proud Mary”

“Proud Mary” is the group’s first multi-platinum hit. The song says, “Big wheel keep on turnin’ / Proud Mary keep on burnin’ / Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river.”

Fogerty wrote “Proud Mary” after leaving the Army Reserves, where he was honorably discharged.

 “I was so happy, I ran out into my little patch of lawn and turned cartwheels,” he recalls in Bad Moon Rising: The Unofficial History of Creedence Clearwater Revival. “Then I went into my house, picked up my guitar, and started strumming. ‘Left a good job in the city’ and then several good lines came out of me immediately.”

“Proud Mary” has been covered several times, including by Ike Turner and his wife, Tina Turner, in 1971. Also, Tina Turner released her own version of “Proud Mary” in 1993.

“Bad Moon Rising”

“Bad Moon Rising” is from Creedence Clearwater Revival’s third album, Green River. Written by John Fogerty, it became one of the group’s biggest hits.

The song begins with, “I see the bad moon a-rising / I see trouble on the way / I see earthquakes and lightning / I see bad times today / Don’t go around tonight / Well, it’s bound to take your life / There’s a bad moon on the rise.“

Emmylou Harris and Jerry Lee Lewis are among the artists who have versions of “Bad Moon Rising”.

“Green River”

A title track, the song’s inspiration came from a real-life river John Fogerty liked to visit in California. Green River” is not the river’s actual name. Still, it’s what Fogery called the river. Green River also happened to be his favorite flavor of soda as a child.

“Green River” says, “Well, take me back down where cool water flow, y’all / Let me remember things I love, Lord / Stopping at the log where catfish bite / Walking along the river road at night / Barefoot girls dancing in the moonlight.”

After “Green River”, Creedence Clearwater Revival released one more song from the record, “Commotion”. The song became a Top 40 single.

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