Creedence Clearwater Revival and the album ‘Cosmo’s Factory’

The fifth studio album and perhaps my most favorite released by the band Creedence Clearwater Revival is Cosmo’s Factory. Creedence Clearwater Revival, with a rockabilly, country and blues sound tied to Doug “Cosmo” Clifford, John Fogerty, Stu Cook and Tom Fogerty, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 by inductee Bruce Springsteen. Buckle up for the ride with a song-by-song review of the album below, with the ability to listen to each song included with the commentary. Enjoy!

(Album cover for the July 1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival album Cosmo’s Factory).

Ramble Tamble opens Cosmo’s Factory as the only song that was not previously released as a single. Coming in at more than seven minutes long, the jam built around a single riff opposes big government as well as the restrictions political forces can place upon society.

Before You Accuse Me was written and first recorded by 1987 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bo Diddley in 1957. A traditional blues formulation, the song sees the singer imploring the lady of his fancy to reconsider the situation with a more enlightened view of what is happening in the relationship.

Travelin’ Band deals in the hectic traveling realities in getting to and from different music festivals for the band’s days before Cosmo’s Factory release. The notion of public travel with baggage getting lost was a headache. John Fogerty takes writing credit for this song.

Ooby Dooby was written by Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductee Allen Richard ‘Dick’ Penner, with the song becoming a hit for 1987 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Roy Orbison. The song inspires the audience to consider the joy of a girl dancing nearby.

(From left, members of Creedence Clearwater Revival Doug ‘Cosmo’ Clifford, Stu Cook, John Fogerty and Tom Fogerty).

Lookin’ Out My Back Door was a song written by John Fogerty, reportedly for his then three-year-old son Josh. The Dr. Seuss book And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street also is mentioned as an influence for Lookin’ Out My Back Door.

Run Through the Jungle, which completes the front of the two-sided album Cosmo’s Factory, may have been misinterpreted by many through the years. The song preaches against the proliferation of guns in the United States, registered and otherwise, as a danger to the people there.

Up Around the Bend, a song written by John Fogerty, opened the second side of Cosmo’s Factory in what Stu Cook described as “Kind of the opposite of Run Through The Jungle.” The notion of this is that as big and bad as the early 1970s felt for some, there was reason for optimism in the future.

My Baby Left Me is a rhythm and blues song originally written by blues singer Arthur Crudup. The original Arthur Crudup version is included here. The song gets into the despair of losing ones love in what would today be termed ghosting.

(John Fogerty at a table writing).

Who’ll Stop the Rain, like Run Through the Jungle, was not a protest against the United States involvement in the Vietnam War. The song, as indicated here, actually makes reference to the experience of concert goers at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair of 1969.

I Heard It Through the Grapevine was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, with the first recording actually landing with Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, who released it years later. The first hit actually came with Gladys Knight and the Pips, though the Marvin Gaye version became the “definitive” version. The Creedence Clearwater Revival version landed on Cosmo’s Factory.

Long as I Can See the Light is mentioned in the Thomas M. Kitts book John Fogerty: An American Son, who focuses on the song depicting a weary  man undertaking an uncertain journey. Whether the song intends to demonstrate a spiritual journey or a more secular journey for love, the song Long as I Can See the Light clearly aspires for meaning as a close to Cosmo’s Factory.

Matt – Wednesday, July 29, 2020