I Heard It Through the Grapevine

Zoo Freaks, get ready to groove with the Zoo Crew as they spin the epic 11-minute jam of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Creedence Clearwater Revival from their 1970 album Cosmo's Factory. This track, originally a Motown hit written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966, was transformed by CCR into a swamp rock masterpiece. John Fogerty, the band’s lead vocalist and guitarist, shared on X in 2023, “I put my own spin on 'Heard It Through The Grapevine' for CCR's Cosmo's Factory. The power of a great song will out live us all and this one still takes me by surprise!” Fogerty was inspired by Marvin Gaye’s version but stripped it down, tweaking the riff to make it a gritty, guitar-driven jam, as he explained in an interview cited on Electric Bayou. The song features two extended instrumental sections, showcasing the band’s tight rhythm section and Fogerty’s Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar, distinct from the one in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The recording process for this track was intense, with bassist Stu Cook noting in the 1997 Worldwide CCR Fan Club Bulletin that a variable speed oscillator was used to add a unique texture. A four-minute promo film of CCR performing the song at their rehearsal space, dubbed “The Factory,” was shot in 1970 and later included in the 2009 Creedence Clearwater Singles Collection bonus DVD, as mentioned on Electric Bayou. George Starostin, a music critic, praised the track’s “complex and intoxicating instrumental passage,” calling it CCR’s most intricate jam. However, due to its length, Fogerty rarely performed it live, with notable exceptions including a 1998 Motown Live TV appearance and a 2011 Cosmo's Factory album concert at Beacon Theatre, broadcast by Sirius XM, as detailed on the same site.

Creedence Clearwater Revival began in El Cerrito, California, as a group of high school friends who started playing together in 1959 under the name The Blue Velvets. The band, led by John Fogerty (lead vocals, guitar), included his brother Tom Fogerty (rhythm guitar), Stu Cook (bass), and Doug “Cosmo” Clifford (drums). They later became The Golliwogs, releasing a few singles with little success. In 1967, they renamed themselves Creedence Clearwater Revival, inspired by a friend named Credence Nuball and a beer brand, Clearwater, symbolizing purity and belief, as noted on Nostalgie. Their breakthrough came with 1968’s “Suzie Q,” but it was 1969’s Bayou Country and “Proud Mary” that skyrocketed them to fame, blending swamp rock, blues, and country. By 1970, with Cosmo's Factory, CCR was a global phenomenon, topping charts in six countries, according to Wikipedia.

Though CCR disbanded in 1972 due to internal tensions, their legacy endures. Fans can connect with the band’s history through their official website, Creedence Online, which offers discographies and news. On social media, follow CCR’s Facebook for updates and throwback content, or check out John Fogerty’s active Instagram and X accounts for personal insights. Fan communities thrive online, including the Creedence Clearwater Revival Fan Club on Facebook, where Zoo Freaks can share their love for CCR’s timeless sound. For more fan-driven content, Creedence Clearwater Revisited, a site for the revival band formed by Cook and Clifford, keeps the spirit alive.