As I said when writing about CCR’s album Green River, one of the hallmarks of an enduring band is their signature sound. Creedence Clearwater Revival has become synonymous with so many components of traditional Americana (especially the Vietnam war) due to their tried and true approach towards traditional blue rock and their earnest adoption of political statements into their musical catalogue.
Willy And The Poor Boys is actually the third album Creedence Clearwater Revival released in 1969– read that again, not a typo. It’s a prolific run of album releases that is effectively unrivaled in music history, especially when you consider that both Green River and Willy And The Poor Boys have both graced the pages of Rolling Stones Top 500 Albums of All-Time list since its inaugural edition. Considering their tumultuous breakup a mere three years later this output was likely a death sentence for the band in between their touring commitments, but as lead singer John Fogerty said at the time, “Everyone advised me against putting out great B-sides. They’d tell me I was wasting potential hits. And I looked at them and said, ‘Baloney. Look at the Beatles. Look at Elvis. It’s the quickest way to show them all that good music.”
And he had a point. Featuring the iconic protest song “Fortunate Son” that details how the poor are often thrust into overseas wars as well as the rollicking “Down On The Corner” that chronicles a fictional band Willy and the Poor Boys playing for nickels on street corners, the band’s frenetic pace led to some iconic records that have stood the test of time.
A fun fact about Creedence Clearwater Revival that has always piqued my interest is their hometown. Despite the fact they’re commonly associated with Southern Swamp Rock (due in part to their instrumentals, Fogerty’s uniquely enunciated vocal style, and songs like “Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song)” off this album) they actually hail from El Cerrito, California, which is 15 minutes north of Oakland. We’ll give them a pass on this one considering their impact.
Standout Songs: “Down On The Corner”, “Fortunate Son”, “Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song)”, “The Midnight Special”
