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!".
Sweet Hitch-Hiker
Creedence Clearwater Revival Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thinkin' I'm the devil's heatwave, what you burn in your crazy mind?
Saw a slight distraction standin' by the road
She was smilin' there, yellow in her hair
Do you want to, I was thinkin', would you care
Sweet hitch-a-hiker
We could make music at the Greasy King
Won't you ride on my fast machine?
Cruisin' on through the junction, I'm flyin' 'bout the speed of sound
Noticin' peculiar function, I ain't no roller coaster show me down
I turned away to see her, woa! she caught my eye
But I was rollin' down, movin' too fast
Do you want to, she was thinkin' can it last
Sweet hitch-a-hiker
We could make music at the Greasy King
Sweet hitch-a-hiker
Won't you ride on my fast machine?
Was busted up along the highway, I'm the saddest ridin' fool alive
Wond'ring if you're goin' in my way, won't you give a poor boy a ride?
Here she comes a ridin', lord, she's flyin' high
But she was rollin' down, movin' too fast
Do you want to, she was thinkin' can I last
Sweet hitch-a-hiker
We could make music at the Greasy King
Sweet hitch-a-hiker
Won't you ride on my fast machine?
Sweet hitch-a-hiker
We could make music at the Greasy King
Sweet hitch-a-hiker
Won't you ride on my fast machine?
Sweet hitch-a-hiker
We could make music at the Greasy King
Sweet hitch-a-hiker
Won't you ride on my fast machine?
The song "Sweet Hitch-Hiker" by Creedence Clearwater Revival tells the story of a man who is driving along the highway when he sees a woman hitchhiking by the side of the road. He is immediately drawn to her and offers her a ride on his "fast machine." As they drive together, the man is thinking about the possibility of a romantic encounter and suggests they go to the Greasy King to make music together. They continue driving, but the man is driving too fast and eventually crashes. The woman survives, but he is left feeling broken and sad, wondering if she will continue on without him.
The lyrics of the song capture the sense of freedom and excitement that can come from a spur-of-the-moment encounter with a stranger. The singer is clearly drawn to the woman he sees by the side of the road, and they share a brief moment of connection as they drive together. However, the song also hints at the dangers of living life on the edge and taking risks; by the end of the song, the singer has crashed and is left feeling defeated.
Overall, "Sweet Hitch-Hiker" is a classic rock song that captures the spirit of the 1970s, with its focus on freedom, rebellion, and the joys of the open road.
Line by Line Meaning
Was ridin' along side the highway, rollin' up the country side
I was driving along the highway, exploring the countryside
Thinkin' I'm the devil's heatwave, what you burn in your crazy mind?
Wondering if you have any crazy ideas about me because I feel unstoppable
Saw a slight distraction standin' by the road
Noticed a girl standing on the side of the road
She was smilin' there, yellow in her hair
She had a beautiful smile and yellow hair
Do you want to, I was thinkin', would you care
Wondering if she wants to accompany me and if she cares enough to join
Sweet hitch-a-hiker
Addressing the girl as a hitchhiker with a sweet tone
We could make music at the Greasy King
Suggesting that they can have fun together at a place called the Greasy King where music is being played
Won't you ride on my fast machine?
Inviting her to come ride with me on my fast car
Cruisin' on through the junction, I'm flyin' 'bout the speed of sound
Driving through the junction at a high speed
Noticin' peculiar function, I ain't no roller coaster, show me down
Observing something unusual, but I'm not afraid to slow down
I turned away to see her, woa! she caught my eye
I looked away and saw her and was immediately attracted to her
But I was rollin' down, movin' too fast
I was driving too fast to really focus on her
Do you want to, she was thinkin', can it last
She was wondering if she should join me and if this will last
Was busted up along the highway, I'm the saddest ridin' fool alive
I was stranded on the highway, feeling like a miserable fool
Wond'ring if you're goin' in my way, won't you give a poor boy a ride?
Asking if she's headed in the same direction and if she can give me a lift
Here she comes a ridin', lord, she's flyin' high
She's coming down the road fast and confidently
But she was rollin' down, movin' too fast
But she was driving too fast for me to catch up
Do you want to, she was thinkin' can I last
She was considering if she should slow down for me and if she can handle the adventure
Sweet hitch-a-hiker
Continuing to address her as a sweet hitchhiker
We could make music at the Greasy King
Repeating the invitation to have fun together at the Greasy King
Won't you ride on my fast machine?
Repeating the invitation to ride with me on my fast car
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN C. FOGERTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rayking9781
"A very long life" with crap songs written and sung by Tom Fogerty, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford? 🤣
Tom Fogerty wrote and performed lead vocals when CCR was known as The Golliwogs. His songs were terrible which is why John took over as the songwriter and lead vocalist when they became CCR. Tom Fogerty left CCR to embark on a solo career that went nowhere. Each album was terrible and got worse. He never improved in an entire decade both writing and singing.
Stu Cook and Doug Clifford were given the opportunity to both sing and write songs on Mardi Gras. The result was a disaster as both the singing and writing was crap. They later reformed as "Creedence Clearwater Revisited" and neither one of them attempted to write their own material when they had the full opportunity to do so.
So, all this proves is that John Fogerty was correct to have control of the band since his songwriting and vocals was CCR. Tom, Stu, and Doug were jealous of John which was obvious. When they were given the opportunity to write and sing, they totally bombed which made the animosity grow even more.
Tom, Stu, and Doug were not songwriters or singers. They were excellent musicians at playing their own instruments. Their jealousy and quest to become something they were not was what broke up the band.
You have no argument here since the material they put out was total crap and it would never have a "long life" amongst listeners because nobody listens to the garbage they already put out.
@stoytrivia1126
These guys created an insane amount of good music.
@Gmmaika
Nur John....und sie wurden um Millionen (!) betrogen.... Samuel Zantz, leider darf man zu dieser Person die Wahrheit nicht sagen...
@johnmcgowan2585
Love listening to this in my 69 road runner as I'm cruising down the highway!
@SmokinGun55
The legendary and brilliant John Fogerty.
@chuckselvage3157
CCR one of the best Rock n Roll bands of all time. They just kill it.
@79943
"Sweet hitch-a-hiker" One of the greatest lyric deliveries ever recorded. The way he added the
ain the middle of that phrase was what pushed it over the top for me.@Chops_McCoy
Very true. But I always thought Fogerty was singing "Swedish Hitchhiker"!
@timepoet77
@@Chops_McCoy Either that or he's singing in a bayou Italian accent.
@robertmaleski3679
You got to get up and dance when he says sweet it's hiker can't sit got to travel that's all what the traveling band CCR is about lobster 2022 that's bobster phone understand thank you
@gregking2571
@@Chops_McCoy "she was smilin' there, yellow in her hair."
You might be onto something 😂