Is John Fogerty, famous as he is, underrated?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by spice9, Jul 28, 2013.

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  1. spice9

    spice9 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    New York, NY
    I've been on a Creedence kick for a few weeks, and I really think Fogerty, even with his fame and his band in the HOF, should be even more esteemed. He should be considered the equal, or near equal of Lennon, McCartney, Dylan, etc. He was and is an A+ songwriter, A+ guitar player and A+++ vocalist. He has the longevity and body of work to match any rocker in history. His catalog has held up great and his solo work, while not on a par with CCR, has been fairly impressive. What do you think?
     
  2. ralph7109

    ralph7109 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    He's a very good songwriter and CCR was great.

    Putting him in the same category as Lennon/McCartney or Dylan?

    I don't think so.

    I think the term underrated is overrated.
     
  3. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I think that history will regard him as one of the great American popular songwriters of the 20th century. Songs like "Proud Mary", "Lodi", "Bad Moon Rising", "Centerfield" and countless others sound like timeless slices of Americana. They are cut from the same cloth as "The Midnight Special" or "Cottonfields" (or "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" for that matter). I wouldn't compare anyone to Dylan; that's not fair. Lennon and McCartney were more prolific, but being lads from Liverpool, they could never have written "Fortunate Son" or "Born on the Bayou".

    His stature today is hurt by the fact that he took a LOT of time off. But, history will regard him highly; I'm certain of that. His "new" album is great.
     
    MrTrickle likes this.
  4. WolfSpear

    WolfSpear Music Enthusiast

    Location:
    Florida
    No, he isn't in the same league as Lennon/McCartney.

    But he is an incredible songwriter... just look at how many times people have covered "Proud Mary". Oh, and you can't forget baseball's anthem: "Centerfield".
     
  5. fourfeathers

    fourfeathers Forum Resident

    Location:
    North America
    Definitely underrated as a guitarist. Not only for his technique and style, but for his completely unique sound. The tone he gets on some of those early CCR records is just plain filthy! And I say that in the best way possible.
     
  6. ponkine

    ponkine Senior Member

    Location:
    Villarrica, Chile
    Creedence Clearwater Revival is the greatest rock and roll band in US history

    nuff said
     
    bumbletort and Bender Rodriguez like this.
  7. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    CCR and fogerty solo are/is one of those weird acts for me.

    i like them/him, but it all starts to sound the same to me after a few songs. different guitar sounds and tunings, some back-up vocals or harmonies maybe...something.
     
    somnar likes this.
  8. PNeski@aol.com

    [email protected] Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    watched his Vh1 storytellers ......super I guess that CCR Albert Hall dvd is back in the vault
     
  9. spice9

    spice9 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    New York, NY
    I probably got carried away saying he could be in Dylan's league. No one can. And Lennon/McCartney was a bit of a reach as well. drbryant's comments are more to the point.
     
    stereoptic likes this.
  10. DennisF

    DennisF Forum Resident

    Hardly
     
  11. Stone Turntable

    Stone Turntable Independent Head

    Location:
    New Mexico USA
    What a goofy thread! Framing discussion around the concept of "underrated" pushes everthing into a zone of defensiveness and insecurity and negativity, and soon enough you've got people making useless invidious comparisons with Lennon and McCartney.

    John Fogerty and Creedence are classic, beloved, adored, listened to, and esteemed all over the world, and rightly so. There are feuds and silences and the long somewhat lesser second act to reckon with in Fogerty's overall reputation, but the first five Creedence albums especially are beyond great. A truth universally acknowleged, pretty much. There isn't really a problem unless you want to make one up.
     
    Tristero, Jody, GetRhythm and 2 others like this.
  12. Voynich

    Voynich Forum Resident

    Location:
    Alboran Sea
    As my father-in-law would have put it: He's a legend in his own house at dinner time.
     
    Fullbug likes this.
  13. ricks

    ricks Senior Member

    Location:
    127.0.0.1:443
    Yep, well said. Over the past few years this place had moved more and more into 3 category's of threads; the goofy , the "I just ordered"/shipping updates, and the rush to be the first to start a RIP. There are still interesting and informative threads here, but they are slowly becoming the exception where they were once were the rule. Nature of the beast I guess???

    CCR and Fogerty have always been a favorite of mine. Just like with any other act if you like them you will usually feel they are underrated and if you dislike them you will say they are overrated.

    For example I dislike Prince's music and the whole squiggly symbol instead of a name nonsense and I think he is the most overrated artist in history. Now someone who likes his music and possibly the farcical squiggly thing will feel the exact opposite. Therefore I really see no need for these type threads but if that's what the folks here want then fine, whatever.
     
    quicksrt likes this.
  14. fallbreaks

    fallbreaks Forum Resident

    There was a thread on the forum recently about imperfect but popular hits anthologies, and CCR's double LP Chronicle was repeatedly criticized for having left off a number of great songs. And Chronicle covers primarily just three years. Three years! That's an incredible achievement for any songwriter and band.

    Of course, then he seemingly threw it all away in a fit of spite. I don't think he ever recovered that heat he had back then, but he has written some good songs since then.
     
  15. spice9

    spice9 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    New York, NY
    Not to defend my thread, but discussing where an artist belongs in the pantheon of rock gods is no different than arguing the merits of one baseball star vs. another, or any sports guy vs. another. You hear about actors, athletes, etc. being underrated all the time. The 'shipping' and 'RIP' threads I agree are dopey, but talking about an artist's output/career and comparing it to another's can produce some interesting thoughts, imo.
     
    thxphotog and Scott in DC like this.
  16. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    CCR's records were incredible, hit single after hit single. The green and orange fantasy Records label appeared to me to be created just for this band (since the label had no other Pop/Rock hits to speak of).

    Anyway, The Guess Who, Three Dog Night, Grass Roots along with CCR were the finest and most consistant hit singles bands of the period. These bands along with Beatles, Stones, Dylan and a few one hit wonders was the very best AM Pop radio ever got. (imo)
     
  17. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    CCR has a nice body of work; has some stone-cold classic rock and roll songs. It is also a body of work that never expanded outside of a narrow window of time. Additionally, Fogerty only had one mainstream hit solo album in Centerfield from nearly 30 years ago. He hasn't produced a consistent and recognizable body of work spanning decades. He had CCR which some probably view as an embodiment of the era in which it came from, and one or two recognizable solo songs. As great as Blue Moon Swamp is, I don't think much of the public noticed it. He certainly is respected for what he achieved and rightfully so, but I don't think he can be placed alongside some of the other great songwriters who generally have had more prolific careers. But his work with CCR alone is worthy of legendary status.
     
    Scott in DC and Purple Jim like this.
  18. pool_of_tears

    pool_of_tears Searching For Simplicity

    Location:
    Midwest
    I personally would put him in the same category and echelon. Not going to turn this into a Fabs related thread either. CCR...Eight 1 million-selling double-sided singles in a row and six platinum albums all within about 2 1/2 years. And the music sounds timelss after 4+ decades. Not too shabby.
     
  19. Purple Jim

    Purple Jim Senior Member

    Location:
    Bretagne
    I love him but even though he panned some fantastic songs, he's not up there with the likes of Dylan and Lennon/Macca as a songwriter but as an up-front singer/guitarist he certainly excels.
     
  20. rockledge

    rockledge Forum Resident

    Location:
    right here
    I think he is extremely overrated as a solo artist.

    I think the members that remain in CCR are highly underrated and tend to take a bashing.
    Their contribution to CCR made Mr Fogarty what he is.
    Had a different rhythm section been on the CCR albums it is very possible they wouldn't even have gotten airplay.
     
    somnar, 905, bumbletort and 6 others like this.
  21. Dondy

    Dondy Forumaniac

    IMHO, he's as rated as highly as he deserves among those who know him but generally he's just ...well "under-famous".
     
  22. Chevelleman

    Chevelleman Well-Known Member

    Location:
    NH
    He's a great song writer, I especially like the song "There's a bathroom on the right"
     
    ruben lopez likes this.
  23. SoundAdvice

    SoundAdvice Senior Member

    Location:
    Vancouver
    Lack of video and no reunion are big strike against.

    Also, even back in the day, none of the members had any kind of personality away from the stage.
     
  24. Freedom Rider

    Freedom Rider Senior Member

    Location:
    Russia
    Not in my eyes, that's for sure.
     
  25. ruben lopez

    ruben lopez Nunc Est Bibendum

    Location:
    Barcelona Spain
    I just bought an original pressing of the "blue ridge rangers",and looking for credits on Discogs found out that HE plays EVERYTHING on that album and on the next couple of records he put out he did the same!

    Now i see him through a different glass.:doh:
     
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