Every now and then, if you are lucky, you discover a work of art that takes your breath away with its brilliance and power. I had such an experience recently when I stumbled upon the most recent recording from John Fogerty, former front man for the classic '60s band Creedence Clearwater Revival. The song is called "Weeping in the Promised Land," a tear-jerking lament about the dreadful events of 2020, especially the COVID-19 pandemic. The song features references to some of the year's most prominent characters -- Donald Trump ("Forked-tongue Pharoah), Dr. Anthony Fauci, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. The song comes with a beautifully produced video (see above).
I've been a CCR and Fogerty fan since I was about 12 years old, and Mrs. Schnauzer and I had the good fortune to see him live at Birmingham's Oak Mountain Amphitheatre a few years ago. If he comes to your neck of the woods, trust me, that is a concert you don't want to miss.
I would rank "Weeping in the Promised Land" among Fogerty's very best work, and that's saying something for an artist whose creations include "Born on the Bayou," "Proud Mary," "Who'll Stop the Rain," Green River," "Bad Moon Rising," "Lodi," "Up Around the Bend," "Looking Out my Back Door," "Run Through the Jungle," "Have You Ever Seen the Rain," "Old Man Down the Road," and "Centerfield."
Fogerty has created some of the most memorable guitar riffs in rock n roll history, but "Weeping in the Promised Land" comes with a twist. It is one of only two songs I can think of in the Fogerty catalog that are keyboard based (the other being "Long As I Can See the Light").
"Weeping in the Promised Land" is piercing and achingly sad. (Here are the lyrics.) But a tribute to John Fogerty would not be complete without a reference to some of his foot-stomping rockers. Here are two of my "hidden favorites," neither of which is particularly well known. First up is "Rambunctious Boy," from 1997's Blue Moon Swamp:
Next up is "Almost Saturday Night", from 1975's John Fogerty. If you've ever doubted Keith Urban's talent, you won't after watching this video:
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