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Commotion (song)

"Commotion"
Single by Creedence Clearwater Revival
from the album Green River
A-side"Green River"
ReleasedJuly 1969 (1969-07)[1]
RecordedSometime from March to June 1969[2] at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco, California[3]
Genre
Length2:43
LabelFantasy
Songwriter(s)John Fogerty
Producer(s)John Fogerty
Creedence Clearwater Revival singles chronology
"Bad Moon Rising"
(1969) 		"Commotion"
(1969) 		"Down on the Corner"
(1969)

"Commotion" is a song by Creedence Clearwater Revival from the album Green River, and was also the B-side of the single release of the album's title track. In 1980, "Tombstone Shadow" b/w "Commotion'" was released as a single in the United States. While released as a B-side, "Commotion" reached #30 in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100 and #16 in Germany. It was written by John Fogerty and recorded at Wally Heider's Studios in San Francisco in June 1969. The 45rpm was the debut session of the band at Wally Heider's and the first collaboration with engineer Russ Gary.

Lyrics and music

"Commotion" portrays New York's manic side, utilizing themes about traffic, freeways, and hurrying/rushing around within the city. John Fogerty explains: "I was writing about what was in the air, and that was what came out of me. I was just doing what came naturally." According to Fogerty the song's beat matches the beat of a train, and he "love[s] to play the train beat."[8][9] He has also stated that the song is a reaction to blaring televisions and other noise of modern civilization, reflecting his preference for peace and clarity.[10] Tampa Tribune critic Rory O'Connor referred to it as a "complaint about the hustle and hassle of the world."[11]

Fogerty biographer Thomas Kitts describes "Commotion" as representing a "noisy, restless" world, "full of chaos and damage."[12] According to Kitts, the singer sees "confusion, reckless energy, random movement and unhappiness" everywhere, and no one, including politicians or the church, can provide "leadership or direction."[12] Kitts sees a similarity between the lyrics of this song and a hair spray can turned into a missile in Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49, as both reflect commotion that may be interpreted as a trope for an upcoming apocalypse.[12]

Kitts praised the strong foundation provided by the rhythm section of drummer Doug Clifford and bassist Stu Cook, stating that John Fogerty uses that foundation well "for a series of [guitar] riffs and solos that punctuated vocal lines and increased drama and tension.[12]

Fogerty said of the song in 1970:

"Commotion" is something new as far as recording goes. It has a thirties big-band up-tempo style. But we don't have horns or anything. It's very fast, like "Sing, Sing, Sing." That would be one of the influences, but there are country-and-western records like that too. Jim Kweskin does stuff like it. Sounds like a train. It's about the drag of the city—a two-minute impression of New York City.[13]

"Ramble Tamble," released on Creedence Clearwater Revival's 1970 album Cosmo's Factory, developed from parts of the working version of "Commotion."[14]

Reception

Billboard described "Commotion" as a "hard rock item with a strong lyric line."[4] Cash Box described it as having "the kick of an early rock outing mindful of...'Suzie Q.'"[15] Record World said it was "great."[16] The single reached the Top 40, peaking at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100.[17][18]

Live performance

The band played the song regularly until their last public show in May 1972. The concert at Oakland Coliseum on January 31, 1970, was released as a live album ten years later. A live recording of "Commotion" appears also on Live in Europe compilation. John Fogerty played "Commotion" for the first time during his solo career on the opening leg of the Long Road Home Tour at Palais des Congrès, Paris, France, on June 28, 2006. The song survived as a regular number in his set-list until summer 2007 after which the plays became rarer.[citation needed]

In 2012, "Commotion" appeared in the Parenthood episode "Everything Is Not Okay."

References

  1. ^ Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits (CD liner). Creedence Clearwater Revival. United States: Fantasy Records. 1991. FCD-CCR2-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Overview: Green River by Creedence Clearwater Revival". Allmusic. United States: Rovi Corporation. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  3. ^ Green River (Expanded Reissue) (PDF) (CD liner). Creedence Clearwater Revival. United States: Concord Music Group. 2008. FAN-30877-02. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2010-12-30.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ a b "Top 20 Pop Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. July 26, 1969. p. 64.
  5. ^ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
  6. ^ "Creedence Clearwater Revival - Green River, Willy and the Poor Boys: 50th anniversary (Craft)". The Big Takeover.
  7. ^ Little, Michael H. (11 September 2019). "Graded on a Curve: Creedence Clearwater Revival, Green River". The Vinyl District.
  8. ^ "Electric Bayou - Creedence Clearwater Revival & John Fogerty - Commotion". sites.google.com.
  9. ^ "@John_Fogerty". Twitter.
  10. ^ Fogerty, John (2016). Fortunate Son: My Life, My Music. Back Bay Books. pp. 138, 173. ISBN 978-0316244589.
  11. ^ O'Connor, Rory (September 20, 1969). "New Album Steps Out in Fundumental Rock". Tampa Tribune. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-02-20 – via newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b c d Kitts, Thomas M. (2015). John Fogerty: An American Son. Taylor & Francis. pp. 96–97. ISBN 9781317961260.
  13. ^ Werner, Craig (1998). Up Around the Bend. Avon Books. p. 146. ISBN 0380801531.
  14. ^ Gormley, Mike (June 26, 1970). "Creedence Clearwater to Revive Some New Songs on Their New Album". Detroit Free Press. p. 6-D. Retrieved 2021-02-20 – via newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. July 26, 1969. p. 30. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  16. ^ "Single Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. July 26, 1969. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  17. ^ "Creedence Clearwater Revival Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
  18. ^ Bordowitz, Hank (2007). Bad Moon Rising: The Unauthorized History of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Chicago Review Press. p. 72. ISBN 9781569769843.
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