WCSX Classic Cuts
Creedence Clearwater Revival: “Born on the Bayou”
The Hook: The swamp has been very, very good to John Fogerty.
Album: Bayou Country
Year: 1969
Writer: John Fogerty
Stats: Not released as an A-side, but as the B-side of “Proud Mary,” which peaked at number-2 on the Billboard Hot 100
Background: “Born on the Bayou” was the first flowering of an idea John Fogerty had to bring together rock’n’roll and the swamp — which at the time he’d only visited in his mind — in song. He explains why he considers it a pivotal song in his career.
John Fogerty on whether he was trying to create a mythical world of the swamp when he wrote “Born on the Bayou.” OC:…to me. :23
“I knew when I was trying to create ‘Born on the Bayou’ that I was trying to talk about a swampy thing. Now I can look back and say I was creating a mythical world – the rock’n’roll world of the swamp. It’s sort of weird, if you think about it. I guess I’m proud of that achievement, because once that little door opened for me, I got real comfortable in the swamp. And the swamp has been very good to me.”