These members played together since 1959, first as The Blue Velvets, then as The Golliwogs. Their musical style encompassed the roots rock, swamp rock, and blues rock genres. They played in a Southern rock style, despite their San Francisco Bay Area origin, with lyrics about bayous, catfish, the Mississippi River, and other popular elements of Southern United States iconography, as well as political and socially conscious lyrics about topics including the Vietnam War. The band performed at the 1969 Woodstock Festival in Upstate New York.
The group disbanded acrimoniously in late 1972 after four years of chart-topping success. Tom Fogerty had officially left the previous year, and his brother John was at odds with the remaining members over matters of business and artistic control, all of which resulted in subsequent lawsuits among the former bandmates. Fogerty's ongoing disagreements with Fantasy Records owner Saul Zaentz created further protracted court battles, and John Fogerty refused to perform with the two other surviving members at CCR's 1993 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Creedence Clearwater Revival's music is still a staple of US radio airplay; the band has sold 26 million albums in the United States alone. Rolling Stone ranked them 82nd on its Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list.
John Fogerty, Doug Clifford, and Stu Cook met at Portola Junior High School in El Cerrito, California. Calling themselves the Blue Velvets, the trio began playing instrumentals and "juke box standards", as well as backing Fogerty's older brother Tom at live gigs and in the recording studio. Tom soon joined the band, and in 1964 they signed with Fantasy Records, an independent jazz label in San Francisco that had released Cast Your Fate To The Wind, a national hit for jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi. The record's success was the subject of a National Educational Television special, which prompted budding songwriter John Fogerty to contact the label. For the band's first release, Fantasy co-owner Max Weiss renamed the group the Golliwogs (after the children's literary character, Golliwogg).
Bandmembers' roles and the instruments they played changed during this period. Stu Cook switched from piano to bass guitar and Tom Fogerty from lead vocals to rhythm guitar; John became the band's lead vocalist and primary songwriter. In Tom Fogerty's words: "I could sing, but John had a sound!".
Hey Tonight
Creedence Clearwater Revival Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna be tonight
Don't you know I'm flyin'
Tonight, tonight
Hey, come on
Gonna chase tomorrow
Tonight, tonight
Gonna get it to the rafters
Watch me now
Jody's gonna get religion
All night long
Hey, come on
Gonna hear the song
Tonight, tonight
Gonna get it to the rafters
Watch me now
Jody's gonna get religion
All night long
Hey, tonight
Gonna be tonight
Don't you know I'm flyin'
Tonight, tonight
Tonight, tonight
The song Hey Tonight by Creedence Clearwater Revival is a upbeat, energetic track that speaks to the excitement, freedom and anticipation that comes with living life to the fullest. The lyrics are simple yet effective, with the repetition of phrases like "gonna be tonight" and "watch me now" conveying a real sense of urgency and anticipation. The singer is encouraging the listener to live in the moment and make the most of tonight, flying high and chasing tomorrow without worrying about what lies ahead.
The lines "gonna get it to the rafters" and "Jody's gonna get religion" speak to the joy and abandon of the song, with the former suggesting a wild night of partying and dancing and the latter referencing the concept of surrender to the divine. The chorus reinforces the theme of living in the moment, with the repeated "tonight, tonight" serving as a kind of mantra or rallying cry.
Overall, Hey Tonight is a song of celebration and liberation, with a driving beat and singalong chorus that invites the listener to join in the fun and let loose for a while. It's a perfect encapsulation of the joy and freedom that music can bring, and a timeless reminder to enjoy life while we can.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, tonight
Hey, everyone, tonight is the night
Gonna be tonight
We're going to make tonight count
Don't you know I'm flyin'
I am feeling great and ready to embrace the night
Tonight, tonight
This night is particularly special and worth celebrating
Hey, come on
Hey, everyone, let's go
Gonna chase tomorrow
We're going to seize the day and make the most of it
Gonna get it to the rafters
We're going to have an amazing time and raise the roof
Watch me now
Everyone pay attention, it's about to get wild
Jody's gonna get religion
Jody is going to have a life-altering experience tonight
All night long
This excitement will last throughout the entire night
Gonna hear the song
We're going to have a great time listening to music
Hey, tonight
Hey, everyone, tonight is the night
Gonna be tonight
We're going to make tonight count
Don't you know I'm flyin'
I am feeling great and ready to embrace the night
Tonight, tonight
This night is particularly special and worth celebrating
Tonight, tonight
This night is particularly special and worth celebrating
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: John Cameron Fogerty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind