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!".
Cross‐Tie Walker
Creedence Clearwater Revival Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I went down to the station, just to take a ride
Found myself on a flatcar, yesterday behind
Pullin' out from the platform, there was no brass band
I pulled out from the platform, nobody raised a hand
And there were no tears of regret from my runaway train
Train, train, train, train
Got no sand in my pocket, you know I ain't tied down
Ain't no sand in my pocket, never do sit down
I'm just a cross-tie walker, where the freight trains run
Run, run, run, run
If you see me acomin', don't you waste my time
If you see me acomin', don't you waste my time
'Cause there's more miles between us than the Santa Fe line
Run, run, run, run
Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm, mm-mm-mm-mm
Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm, mm-mm-mm-mm
The song "Cross-Tie Walker" by Creedence Clearwater Revival tells the story of a wanderer who decides to take a train ride. The singer feels free and unbound, "got no sand in my pocket, you know I ain't tied down." He describes himself as a "cross-tie walker," someone who walks along the railroad tracks where the freight trains run, and there is nothing stopping him from exploring the world. The freedom he experiences on the journey is contrasted with the lack of emotional attachment he has to the people he is leaving behind. When he sets off, no one is there to wave goodbye and there is no sadness or regret. His mind seems to be focused on the adventure and the feeling of escaping, "train, train, train, train" and "run, run, run, run."
The lyrics evoke a sense of restlessness and the urge to explore new horizons. The singer is not content with a stationary life but wants to move and experience new things. He is not afraid of the unknown, but rather invigorated by it. The train ride becomes a metaphor for the journey of life, with its ups and downs and moments of liberty and escape. The tone of the song is upbeat and celebratory, with a driving beat that mirrors the rhythm of the train tracks.
Line by Line Meaning
I went down to the station, just to take a ride
I visited the station with no particular purpose, just for a ride
Found myself on a flatcar, yesterday behind
I ended up on a flatcar behind the prior day
Pullin' out from the platform, there was no brass band
The train departed without ceremony
And there were no tears of regret from my runaway train
No one grieved my runaway departure
Got no sand in my pocket, you know I ain't tied down
I'm unencumbered and unrestrained
I'm just a cross-tie walker, where the freight trains run
I walk on cross-ties where freight trains pass
If you see me acomin', don't you waste my time
If you spot me approaching, don't delay me
'Cause there's more miles between us than the Santa Fe line
We're separated by more than just the Santa Fe line
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: John Cameron Fogerty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
elbenjactmpe
I went down to the station, just to take a ride.
I went down to the station, just to take a ride.
Found myself on a flatcar, yesterday behind.
Pullin' out from the platform, there was no brass band.
I pulled out from the platform, nobody raised a hand.
And there were no tears of regret from my runaway train.
Train, train, train, train.
Got no sand in my pocket, you know I ain't tied down.
Ain't no sand in my pocket, never do sit down.
I'm just a cross-tie walker, where the freight trains run.
Run, run, run, run.
If you see me acomin', don't you waste my time.
If you see me acomin', don't you waste my time.
'Cause there's more miles between us than the Santa Fe line.
Run, run, run, run.
Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm....
mkwrockers0099
One of the many hidden gems in the CCR catalog.
Mike France
This one is a diamond !
Jorge Lugo
MI GRUPO FAVORITO DE TODOS LOS TIEMPOS. AUTENTICOS.❤❤❤❤❤
Stalemate Steven
It's a song I haven't heard in a long time.
My personal favorite is Green river. 👍
Antonio Jerezano
Única voz y ritmo. Grande Credence
Carmen Guerrero
Excelente música creedence por siempre ❤❤❤❤
Rick Yo
After The Beatles...CCR is the second best band in the history of rocknroll. I love them.
Vicki RI
I'm with you!!
RipLipJohnson
Def better than the beatles imo
Arthur F. Scaltrito
My girlfriend saw them back then.
Said they were LOUD!
And great. Just like the records she said.