Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 187 CCR

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Fantasy

Produced by Saul Zaentz

Released 5th July 1968

US Chart #52

Personnel
   John Fogerty - lead guitar, lead vocals
    Tom Fogerty - rhythm guitar, backing and co-lead (3) vocals
    Stu Cook - bass guitar, vocals
    Doug Clifford - drums, vocals

Singles from Creedence Clearwater Revival

   1. Porterville / Call It Pretending
    Released: November 1967(US)

Released as The Golliwogs

Did Not Chart

   2. Susie Q. (Part 1) / Susie Q. (Part 2)
    Released: June 15, 1968 (US)

US Chart #11

   3. I Put a Spell on You / "Walk on the Water"
    Released: October 1968 (US)

US Chart #58

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This is the self-titled Debut Album from Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was their only Studio album not to break the Top 20 (five albums made the Top 10 - two were #1, their last studio album only reached #12).

Saul Zaentz had bought Fantasy Records and offered the group a chance to record an album but with one stipulation - they change the name of the band. They had actually been signed to the label in 1964 as The Golliwogs (which was another name change brought at the request of the co-owner of Fantasy Records at the time as they were called The Blue Velvets). Zaentz deemed the name of the band as having possible Racial implications. The band all agreed and signed on the dotted line as Creedence Clearwater Revival. Porterville was the last single to bear the name The Golliwogs and it was reissiued in January 1968 under the CCR banner.

The band and their debut album didn't command respect straight out of the gate. Barry Gifford writing in Rolling Stone at the time stated, "The only bright spot in the group is John Fogerty, who plays lead guitar and does the vocals. He's a better-than-average singer (really believable in Wilson Pickett's Ninety-Nine and a Half), and an interesting guitarist. But there's nothing else here. The drummer is monotonous, the bass lines are all repetitious and the rhythm guitar is barely audible."

Clearly there was work to be done and as John Fogerty's songwriting ability and the band getting better live and in the studio would need to change but it would all pay off, probably a bit sooner than they thought!

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!