John Fogerty recently announced that he’ll be releasing a new studio album titled Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years on August 22. The 20-track collection featured newly recorded versions of classic Creedence Clearwater Revival songs he wrote.
Videos by American Songwriter
One of the songs featured on the album is “Have You Ever Seen the Rain,” which is among CCR’s most popular tunes and biggest hits.
In a new video short posted on his social media pages, Fogerty offers a behind-the-scenes look at the recording of the updated rendition of “Have You Ever Seen the Rain.” The clip features the 80-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer sharing his feelings about the song, and discussing how he connects with an audience when he performs it.
“As a songwriter, I felt that ‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain’ was a melodic American classic that probably could be in the Great American Songbook,” he boasted. “Because the words are quite mysterious, it makes you feel really good.”
Fogerty then reflected of the communal aspect of playing the beloved tune live.
“There’s times when we as people, as humans, just feel good about being together and enjoying something together,” he noted. “You know, it might be a sporting event, it might be a big picnic with your family, or in this case, singing songs in a concert. When I sing it with the crowd, I thank them for singing all my songs all these years, and I tell those people, ‘You are a rainbow in my heart.’ And then I always say, ‘And this song has a rainbow in it.’ And then I start ‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain.’”
More About the Legacy Album
“Have You Ever Seen the Rain” is one of three songs Fogerty has released as advance digital tracks from Legacy. The others are “Up Around the Bend” and “Porterville.”
As Fogerty explained in a recent Rolling Stone interview, he decided to rerecord the Creedence Clearwater Revival songs after he acquired a majority interest in the publishing rights to those tunes in 2023.
There also was a business aspect to doing the new versions. Similar to Taylor Swift, who, until recently, didn’t own the master recordings to her early albums, Fogerty pointed out to Rolling Stone that he doesn’t own the masters to his CCR songs.
Fogerty noted that the new collection was a joyful experience for him because he recorded it with people he loved, namely his sons Shane and Tyler. The siblings are both members of their dad’s touring band, and Shane also co-produced Legacy with John.
Other musicians who played on Legacy include drummer Matt Chamberlain, keyboardist Bob Malone, bassist Bob Glaub, and sax player Rob Stone. The album was mixed by legendary recording engineer Bob Clearmountain.
Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years can be pre-ordered now. The album will be available on CD, vinyl LP, and via digital formats. Various retail outlets and websites are selling limited-edition colored-vinyl variants of Legacy.
More About “Have You Ever Seen the Rain”
Fogerty has explained in multiple interviews that he wrote “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” at a time when CCR was at the height of its popularity, and yet, he was distressed because he could tell the band was heading toward a breakup.
The song was featured on CCR’s sixth studio album, Pendulum, which was released in December 1970. Released as a single in January 1971, it reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2020, the tune was certified three-times platinum by the RIAA for equivalent sales of 3 million in the U.S.
Fogerty’s Upcoming Tour Plans
Fogerty has 13 upcoming concerts on his 2025 itinerary. Later in June, Fogerty will head to Europe for six concerts, starting with a June 18 show in London. John’s European outing will wrap up with a June 28 performance at the famed Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, U.K.
Fogerty also has seven U.S. concerts scheduled for later in the summer. They span from a July 6 show at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles through a September 20 performance at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas.
(Photo by David McClister)
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