Call It Pretending
Creedence Clearwater Revival Lyrics

The lyrics to Creedence Clearwater Revival's song Call It Pretending speak to a sense of uncertainty and apprehension within a relationship. The singer is asking their partner what they want them to do - leave or stay - but ultimately acknowledges that walking away would get them nowhere. There's a sense of frustration in the repetition of the phrase "Pretending I don't care," as if the singer is tired of playing games or hiding their emotions. The line "Shouldn't I be with you" seems to be both a question and a statement, a declaration of the singer's desire to be with their partner but also an admission of uncertainty about whether they should stay or go. The song concludes with a final question: "Should we make a brand new start / Or are you gonna break my heart?" The ambiguity of this line speaks to the uncertainty that permeates the entire song; it's clear that the relationship is at a crossroads, but it's unclear which direction it will take.

One interesting fact about this song is that it was written by John Fogerty, the lead singer and primary songwriter of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Fogerty wrote most of the band's songs, but he often wrote under pseudonyms or credited the entire band with songwriting in order to avoid legal disputes with Fantasy Records, the label that owned the rights to the band's music. Another interesting fact is that the song was released in 1972 as the B-side to "Someday Never Comes," which became CCR's last Top 40 hit. "Call It Pretending" was never released as a single in the United States, but it did receive airplay on some radio stations.

The chords for "Call It Pretending" are:

Verse:
G D Am C
G D Am C
G D Am C
G D Am C

Chorus:
C G Am F
C G Am F
C G Am F
C G Am F

Another interesting fact about this song is that it features a strings section, which was relatively unusual for Creedence Clearwater Revival. The band's music was known for its stripped-down, bluesy sound, but they experimented with different instrumentation on some of their later albums. Another unusual aspect of the song is the frequent use of the word "pretending," which is repeated ten times throughout the lyrics. This repetition creates a sense of unease and suggests that the singer is tired of pretending or hiding their true feelings.

"Call It Pretending" is not one of Creedence Clearwater Revival's most well-known songs, but it offers a window into the band's later period, when they were experimenting with different sounds and styles. The lyrics hint at the tension and uncertainty that can arise within a relationship, and the song's uncertain tone reflects the difficult choices that the singer is facing.