The Electric Career of Creedence Clearwater Revived

Was Creedence Clearwater Revival the best American rock band to emerge in the ‘60s, or just my favorite?

The Bay Area quartet didn’t have the range of the Beach Boys or the emotional extremes of the Doors. But put them on stage for an hour, and no one could match them for generating the energy and electricity that were programmed into rock ‘n’ roll by such pioneers as Elvis Presley and Little Richard.

Singer-guitarist John Fogerty, his older brother Tom on rhythm guitar, drummer Doug Clifford and bassist Stu Cook released a remarkable seven studio albums during a whirlwind period that began in July 1968 and ended in December 1970, when inner tensions tore the band apart. The albums were short by today’s standards--usually less than 40 minutes--but the body of work remains spectacular.

Fantasy Records has just re-released all seven of the albums plus a live album from 1970, all remastered and with new liner notes by such knowledgeable critics as Robert Christgau and Dave Marsh. Listening to the albums again in order, you hear the compelling chronicle of an American rock marvel--from the unfocused beginning through the glory days to the final whimper.

** “Creedence Clearwater Revival” (released July 1968). There were some original tunes on the album, but Creedence mostly came across here as a somewhat promising “covers” band, opening with John Fogerty’s reaching for, but not quite matching, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ blood-curdling vocal on “I Put a Spell on You.” But the version of Dale Hawkins’ old hit “Susie Q” is filled with country, blues and rock sounds from the Delta roots well that would inspire Fogerty’s music with Creedence and his subsequent solo career. “Susie Q” reached No. 11 on the pop charts.

*** 1/2 “Bayou Country” (January 1969). The growth between albums was phenomenal. Fogerty, who wrote and arranged virtually all the songs, wasn’t just leaning on Southern R&B; and rock models, but also weaving influences (from Presley and Little Richard to Booker T. & the MG’s and seemingly everyone else who stepped into a Memphis recording studio) into something that was exhilarating and fresh. “Proud Mary” became a Top 10 hit and the band’s signature tune.

**** “Green River” (August 1969). This is Creedence’s masterpiece. From the warm celebration of the title track to the rockabilly kick of “Bad Moon Rising” to the softer introspection of “Wrote a Song for Everyone,” the collection ranks with Presley’s “Sun Sessions” as a moment of pure rock ‘n’ roll discovery. You sense the musicians themselves being captivated by the way their musical dreams are taking shape. The album spent four weeks on top of the national chart.

*** 1/2 “Willy and the Poor Boys” (November 1969). After the success of “Green River,” Fogerty seemed to relax a bit--or maybe he just had a hard time coming up with enough songs of his own in the short time between albums. The album opens with a playful shuffle (“Down on the Corner”) and includes two moments of pure country-rock nostalgia (“Cotton Fields” and “The Midnight Special”), but you feel the band moving forward only in the biting commentary of “Don’t Look Now” and, especially, “Fortunate Son,” an underclass anthem cited as an influence by such varied artists as Bruce Springsteen and the Clash’s Joe Strummer.

**** “Cosmo’s Factory” (July 1970). Almost as if he had to prove himself again, Fogerty came up with another marvelous batch of songs--from the adrenaline rush “Up Around the Bend” to the carefree “Lookin’ Out My Back Door,” both of which were Top 10 hits. “Run Through the Jungle” and “Who’ll Stop the Rain” are two more excellent examples of Fogerty’s ability to weave social commentary into a song without sacrificing the energy and flow of the music. “Cosmo’s Factory” spent nine weeks at No. 1.

*** “Pendulum” (December 1970). There are still four faces on the cover of the album, but you’ll notice they’re not smiling. Friction had already set in. The album still had the sound of Creedence but only a fraction of the spirit. “Hey Tonight” is irresistible in its pure rock rejoicing and “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” is another gem. But the album is clouded by a melancholy feel that is probably a reflection of the growing alienation between John Fogerty and the rest of the group. Tom Fogerty left Creedence soon after the album was released.

** “Mardi Gras” (April 1972). “I’m lookin’ for a reason to stay,” Fogerty sings in the opening song, and few Creedence fans realized he might be debating his future in the band. Relations between him and Clifford and Cook were so strained that he wrote and produced his three tracks and left them to come up with three each of their own. Fogerty’s contributions were fine. The disillusioned “Someday Never Comes,” in fact, may have been his best ballad. But Clifford and Cook--though integral to the sound and feel of classic Creedence--had no real experience as songwriters and singers, and their efforts were understandably weak. The group formally called it quits in October 1972.

Fogerty eventually returned in a solo role, scoring a No. 1 album in 1985 with “Centerfield” and winning a Grammy for best rock album in 1998 with “Blue Moon Swamp.” Clifford and Cook tour regularly, performing the old tunes as members of Creedence Clearwater Revisited. Tom Fogerty died in 1990 of respiratory failure stemming from tuberculosis. He was 48.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).

Robert Hilburn, The Times’ pop music critic, can be reached at robert.hilburn@latimes.com.