One of the hallmarks of a great and enduring band is their signature sound. It’s that sound you immediately recognize and know who it is when the first note hits and the entire band hops in. It’s the punchy distortion of AC/DC’s guitars, the G-Funk synthesizers of Dr. Dre, and the dual guitar harmonies of The Allman Brothers Band, to name just a few.
Credence Clearwater Revival is absolutely on that iconic list. Between the jangly guitars, John Fogerty’s enunciation, and the carefree strut of the rhythm section, CCR is an all-time sound that is instantly understood the moment it comes on.
When I think of the sound of youthful energy and political protest I think of Credence Clearwater Revival. Now that’s obviously influenced by their music being featured in film and television alongside those themes for the past 60 years (read: every movie about the Vietnam War ever), but it’s also found in the DNA of their musical arrangements. John Fogerty’s vocals are processed in a way that give you the feeling if he’s singing through a megaphone on a street corner somewhere in middle America while the band rolls through 12-bar blues progressions like clockwork with a looseness that evokes a live performance held for young adults in their 20’s. It’s hard to listen to Green River and not be immediately transported back in time.
CCR wasn’t here to make pop music. They were here to make statements worth singing about. And they did just that.
Standout Songs: “Commotion”, “Bad Moon Rising”, “Lodi”, “The Night Time Is The Right Time”
