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!".
Poorboy Shuffle
Creedence Clearwater Revival Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
OK. Is it working?
You heard it. ha ha ha!
Hey rooster! Hey, rooster!
Hey!
The lyrics of Poorboy Shuffle by Creedence Clearwater Revival have a very minimalistic structure and don't hold much obvious meaning on the surface level. However, upon closer inspection, the song seems to be a fun and light-hearted instrumental tune. The phrases "Hey rooster!" and "OK. Is it working?" give off a playful and whimsical vibe, making the listener feel as if they're in on an inside joke. The emphasis on the "ha ha ha!" makes it seem as if the band is laughing alongside the listener, creating a feeling of camaraderie and fun.
The title "Poorboy Shuffle" suggests a sort of dance or rhythm, which is fitting as the song is an instrumental track with a prominent and upbeat percussion section. The guitar riffs are simple yet catchy, making it easy to groove along with the music. The overall tone of the song is lighthearted and joyful, making it a perfect tune to play when you need a quick pick-me-up.
Line by Line Meaning
Poorboy shuffle.
Let's perform a low-budget dance move.
OK. Is it working?
Are we successfully executing the shuffle?
You heard it. ha ha ha!
I'm laughing because we probably sound ridiculous.
Hey rooster! Hey, rooster!
Addressing the animal, possibly used in place of a more vulgar term for a person.
Hey!
A call for attention or excitement.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RONNY WAYNE DAVIES, WALT RICHMOND, STEVE RIPLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@daleandrews9356
Man...this whole "album"(black plastic vinyl disc, remember?) was good. When they first came out in the late '60's, we KNEW we liked 'em, but didn't know how to classify them. Their sound was just DIFFERENT and hard not to like! Good times back in those days.
@flamah10n
🤩😍
@suecox907
We now call it rock- a- billy.
@plasteredbastard
Not many genres these boys couldn't fashion...this is jug band blues.
@taco2k3
Always loved this song. Was easy for me to pick up on harmonica. Now I’m teaching it to my granddaughter.
@pedrosouza4829
The best band
@jamesbradshaw3389
me agree with you
@pacerodi
Rumbling down the road..., and singing!
@billbishopboyiscool
I like this instrumental and its segue into Feelin Blue. Say what you want, but this sounds nice.
@stephencoomer5692
Poorboy shuffle.
OK. Is it working?
You heard it. ha ha ha!
Hey rooster! Hey, rooster!
Hey!