Creedence Clearwater Revival Vinyl Records – Cosmo's Factory, Willy and the Poor Boys & Essential Albums on Vinyl

Creedence Clearwater Revival produced one of the most extraordinary runs in rock history. John Fogerty (vocals, guitar, writer), his brother Tom Fogerty (guitar), Stu Cook (bass) and Doug Clifford (drums) came together in El Cerrito, California and — between 1968 and 1970 — released six albums containing some of the finest American rock songs ever written. Proud Mary, Fortunate Son, Bad Moon Rising, Born on the Bayou, Have You Ever Seen the Rain, Who'll Stop the Rain, Down on the Corner, Lookin' Out My Back Door — all in about 24 months.

Fogerty's mythologised-American-South lyrical voice (written by a Californian who had never been to Louisiana) and his taut, muscular writing style made CCR simultaneously one of the tightest and most unpretentious bands of the late 60s. The internal tensions destroyed them fast — Tom Fogerty left in 1971, the band split in 1972 — but the catalogue is essentially unimprovable. CCR on vinyl is superb: Fantasy Records' original pressings are genuinely good, and the recent half-speed remasters bring out Fogerty's voice and guitar beautifully.

Best Creedence Clearwater Revival Albums on Vinyl

Cosmo's Factory (1970)
Their masterpiece. Travelin' Band, Lookin' Out My Back Door, Run Through the Jungle, Up Around the Bend, Who'll Stop the Rain, Long as I Can See the Light, plus an eleven-minute Marvin Gaye cover of I Heard It Through the Grapevine. One of the great rock albums, full stop.

Willy and the Poor Boys (1969)
The third album of 1969. Down on the Corner, Fortunate Son, It Came Out of the Sky, Don't Look Now — arguably their most politically sharp record, and one of their most consistent front-to-back.

Green River (1969)
The second album of 1969 — an extraordinary year. Bad Moon Rising, Lodi, Commotion, Wrote a Song for Everyone — the record where CCR's signature sound became fully locked in. Essential.

Bayou Country (1969)
The first album of 1969 and the one that launched them commercially. Proud Mary, Born on the Bayou, Keep on Chooglin' — introduces the Louisiana mythology that would define their records.

Pendulum (1970)
The final album with Tom Fogerty. Have You Ever Seen the Rain, Hey Tonight, Pagan Baby — looser and stranger than what came before, but full of extraordinary songs. Often underrated.

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