V1 Chronicle

That being said, it is hard to criticize most of the selections. Creedence may have logged more number two songs than any other band (they never hit number one), registering five: 'Bad Moon Rising', 'Green River', 'Proud Mary', 'Lookin' Out My Back Door', and 'Travelin' Band'. Other Top 10 hits for the band included 'Down On the Corner' (#3), 'Have You Ever Seen the Rain' (#8), 'Sweet Hitchhiker (#6), 'Up Around the Bend' (#4), and 'Who'll Stop the Rain' (#9). All are obviously deserving of inclusion on the disc.

Two of Creedence's best songs, 'Suzie Q' (#11) and 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' (#43) undoubtedly would have fared better on the charts except fans acquired the extended album versions. Purchasers of this disc should be aware that while the entire 11 minute version of 'Grapevine' is included, only the single version of 'Suzie Q' appears. You can certainly question the marketing logic of that one.

Other Top 40 songs of unquestioned merit include 'Fortunate Son' (#14) and 'Commotion' (#30). After this, the choices get a little hairy. Since 'Someday Never Comes' reached number 25 on the charts, I suppose it's inclusion was a given, and it does add a second selection from the weak 'Mardi Gras' LP. But is this song comparable to 'Born On the Bayou' or 'Good Golly Miss Molly' from the 'Bayou Country' LP, which claims only one song on 'Chronicles' ('Proud Mary')?

Other questionable selections include the flip side of 'Lookin' Out My Back Door', the album closer for 'Cosmo's Factory', 'Long As I Can See the Light', and the flip side of 'Up Around the Bend', 'Run Through the Jungle'. While 'Run Through the Jungle' received considerable airplay, does 'Long As I Can See the Light' compare with 'It Came Out of the Sky' or 'The Midnight Special'? I've always enjoyed 'Hey Tonight', but that song also did not chart for Creedence, and may have been selected as a second nod to the weak 'Pendulum' LP.

Two selections I won't argue with are 'Lodi', which rose to only number 52 as a single, and 'I Put a Spell On You', which was a number 80 hit for the Alan Price Set in 1966, but never a hit for Creedence. Both songs are excellent, and 'I Put a Spell On You' adds a second selection from the band's debut LP.

Creedence is one of those bands that did so much good work that it's hard to arrive at their 20 best songs. Fantasy didn't do a bad job despite the above criticisms. I've settled for compilations that I had similar complaints with, such as the Beach Boy's 'Made In USA' disc simply because I wasn't a big enough fan to make the effort to collect all their essential work. So I can understand people opting for this compilation, but if you're a more serious CCR buff, you'll want to skip this collection and start compiling the 4 classic CD's Creedence produced: 'Creedence Clearwater Revival', 'Bayou Country', 'Green River', and 'Willy and the Poor Boys'. 'Mardi Gras' and 'Pendulum' are only necessary for completists.


An anthological band   June 16, 2004
Hiram Gomez Pardo (Valencia, Venezuela)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Credence Clearwater revival is now part of a living legend.
His innovative pieces were loaded with deep conviction , and above all commitment .
They created a sound based in the beat , and not in the virtuosity aspect . If they made Proud Mary as the most known theme , they translated to Lodi , a summer song or the rock and roll themes like Fortunate son or Travelling band , or well they turned to incredible pieces such as Born on the Payou or the ballad Have you ever seen the rain? They knew how to engage every different market target , and that was the secret of their sucess .
In this age one wonders in silent voice how they are missed and why are not there bands actually with such creativity and beating sound ? .
A unforgettable style that will never let you dissapointed. Buy this one.
A must in your private collection.


THE GREATEST AMERICAN ROCK N ROLL BAND?   June 11, 2004
John V. Ellingson (APPLE VALLEY,MN)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I'll keep this short n sweet.When I was just a child, I found a dog-earred vinyl lp called,"COSMOS FACTORY"by Creedance at a garage sale,I paid .75 cents and played it over and over and over again.I never regreted that small sum,it opened my ears to a band,that just might be the best american band of all-time.I know they were not hip and did drugs,but they are the essence.John Fogerty is a poet,and alot of today's music,can't hold a candle to it.It's like Chuck Berry or Fats Domino,it can't be touched.