Willy and the Poor Boys
| Willy and the Poor Boys | ||||
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| Studio album by Creedence Clearwater Revival | ||||
| Released | November 1969[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1969 at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California | |||
| Genre | Rock, roots rock, southern rock, country rock, blues rock | |||
| Length | 34:31 | |||
| Label | Fantasy | |||
| Producer | John Fogerty | |||
| Creedence Clearwater Revival chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Willy and the Poor Boys | ||||
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Willy and the Poor Boys is the fourth studio album by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released by Fantasy Records in November 1969, and was the last of three studio albums that the band released in that year (see 1969 in music).[1] The album was remastered and reissued on 180 Gram Vinyl by Analogue Productions in 2006.
The album features the songs "Down on the Corner", from which the album got its name, and "Fortunate Son," which is a well known protest song.[2]
In 2003, the album was ranked number 392 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[3]
Contents |
[edit] History
In August, CCR released its third LP, Green River. Shortly after the band began recording songs for its next LP, Willy and the Poor Boys. Two months later the band released its sixth single, "Down on the Corner" b/w "Fortunate Son".[1] The single's A-side reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and its B-side made it to #14, both in 1969.[4]
When the band members were finalizing the album, they and photographer Basul Parik went over to the intersection of Peralta St. and Hollis St. in Oakland, California and shot the photograph of the cover at Duck Kee Market owned by Ruby Lee.[5]
The album was released in November as Fantasy 8397,[1] and in 1970 made the Top 10 in six countries,[6][7][8][9][10][11] including France where it reached #1.[7]
On December 16, 1970, the Recording Industry Association of America certified the album Gold (500,000 units sold). Almost 20 years later, on December 13, 1990, the album was certified platinum(1,000,000 units sold) and 2x Platinum(2,000,000 units sold).[12]
In 1982 the band's rendition of Lead Belly's "Cotton Fields" made #50 on Billboard magazine's Country Singles chart.[4]
On June 10, 2008 the album was remastered and released by Concord Music Group as a Compact Disc, with three bonus tracks.[2]
[edit] Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |  [13] |
| Blender | [14] |
| Robert Christgau | A+[15] |
| Rolling Stone |  [16] |
The album was well received exemplified by the original review in Rolling Stone, which stated it was "the best one yet".[17] Allmusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine contrasted Willy and the Poor Boys with their previous album, Green River because the songs were softer and more upbeat, except for "Effigy", and stating that "Fortunate Son" is not as dated as most of the other protest songs of the era. However, he also feels the song is a little out of place on the album. He also compared "Poorboy Shuffle" to songs performed by jug bands and he called the album "pure".[13] In the Blender magazine review of the album it was called the opposite of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and psychedelic rock which the reviewer feels is because of the band's performance at the Woodstock Festival.[14] In his review for the album, Robert Christgau says that he thought it was their best album, when it was released, and feels John Fogerty's political lyrics are easy to understand and he gave the album his highest rating of all of CCR's albums.[15] For his Rolling Stone review of the 40th Anniversary reissue of the album, Barry Walters called the album "relaxed" and gives credit to Fogerty for writing a protest song, "Fortunate Son", that has a good beat to it.[16]
[edit] Track listing
[edit] Original album
All songs written and composed by J. C. Fogerty, except where noted.
- Side one
- "Down on the Corner" – 2:46
- "It Came Out of the Sky" – 2:54
- "Cotton Fields" (Huddie Ledbetter) – 2:56
- "Poorboy Shuffle" – 2:25
- "Feelin' Blue" – 5:06
- Side two
- "Fortunate Son" – 2:19
- "Don't Look Now (It Ain't You or Me)" – 2:11
- "The Midnight Special" (Traditional, arr. J. C. Fogerty) – 4:13
- "Side o' the Road" – 3:24
- "Effigy" – 6:26
[edit] 40th Anniversary Edition CD bonus tracks
- "Fortunate Son" (Live in Manchester, England; 9/1/71) – 2:13
- "It Came Out of the Sky" (Live in Berlin, Germany; 9/16/71) – 3:26
- Recorded for Live in Europe
- "Down on the Corner" (Jam with Booker T. & the M.G.'s at Fantasy Studios, 1970) – 2:49
[edit] Personnel
- Creedence Clearwater Revival
- John Fogerty – harmonica on "Poorboy Shuffle", vocals, lead guitar, producer, arranger
- Tom Fogerty – rhythm guitar, except on tracks 11 & 12
- Stu Cook – washtub bass on "Poorboy Shuffle", bass
- Doug Clifford – washboard on "Poorboy Shuffle", drums
- Additional musicians
- Booker T. Jones – organ on track 13
- Steve Cropper – guitar on track 13
- Donald "Duck" Dunn – bass on track 13
- Al Jackson, Jr. – drums on track 13
- Production
- Basul Parik – photography
- Chris Clough – 2008 compilation producer
- Ed Ward – 2008 liner notes
- Joel Selvin – 2008 liner notes
- Rikka Arnold – project assistance
- Bill Belmont – project assistance
- Jennifer Peters – project assistance
[edit] Charts
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada RPM100 Albums[6] | 2 |
| France (InfoDisc)[7] | 1 |
| Netherlands (Top 100)[8] | 7 |
| Norway (Top 40)[9] | 2 |
| UK (The Official Charts Company)[10] | 10 |
| US Billboard 200[11] | 3 |
| US Billboard R&B Albums[11] | 28 |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e (1991) Album notes for Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits by Creedence Clearwater Revival [CD booklet]. U.S.A.: Fantasy Records (FCD-CCR2-2).
- ^ a b c Ward, Ed; Selvin, Joel (2008). Album notes for Willy and the Poor Boys [Expanded Reissue] by Creedence Clearwater Revival [CD booklet]. U.S.A.: Concord Music Group (FAN-30879-02).
- ^ Levy, Joe; Steven Van Zandt (2006) [2005]. "392 | Willy and the Poor Boys - Creedence Clearwater Revival". Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (3rd ed.). London: Turnaround. ISBN 1932958614. OCLC 70672814. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/willy-and-the-poor-boys-creedence-clearwater-revival-19691231. Retrieved 7 March 2006.
- ^ a b "Creedence Clearwater Revival - Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/creedence-clearwater-revival-p3985/charts-awards/billboard-singles. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
- ^ DelVecchio, Rick (September 12, 1998). "Vandals Rip Rock History from Store in Oakland" (.DTL). San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1998/09/12/MN81147.DTL. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
- ^ a b "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.3764&type=2&interval=20&PHPSESSID=m89iq841abagb37ld9c0fdc1f3. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
- ^ a b c "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste". Infodisc.fr. http://www.infodisc.fr/Album_C.php. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
- ^ a b Steffen Hung. "Creedence Clearwater Revival - Willy And The Poor Boys". dutchcharts.nl. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Creedence+Clearwater+Revival&titel=Willy+And+The+Poor+Boys&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
- ^ a b Steffen Hung. "Creedence Clearwater Revival - Willy And The Poor Boys". norwegiancharts.com. http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Creedence+Clearwater+Revival&titel=Willy+And+The+Poor+Boys&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
- ^ a b "1970-03-28 Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive". Official Charts. 1970-03-28. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/3/1970-03-28/. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
- ^ a b c "Creedence Clearwater Revival - Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/creedence-clearwater-revival-p3985/charts-awards/billboard-albums. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
- ^ Type "Willy & The Poor Boys" under Title
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Willy and the Poor Boys at Allmusic. Retrieved 1 November 2004.
- ^ a b "Review: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Willy and the Poor Boys". Blender.com. Alpha Media Group. http://www.blender.com/guide/back-catalogue/55027/willy-poor-boys.html. Retrieved November 20, 2010.[dead link]
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert. "Creedence Clearwater Revival > Consumer Guide Reviews". Robert Christgau. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Creedence. Retrieved 7 March 2006.
- ^ a b Walters, Barry (October 2, 2008). "Creedence: Back to the Bayou". Rolling Stone (1062): p. 74. Archived from the original on 5 March 2009. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/7910/38530. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
- ^ Dubro, Alec (January 21, 1970). "Creedence Clearwater Revival Willy and the Poor Boys > Album Review". Rolling Stone (50). Archived from the original on 24 March 2008. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/willy-and-the-poor-boys-19740122. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
- ^ (1969) Album notes for Willy and the Poor Boys by Creedence Clearwater Revival, back cover [Vinyl sleeve]. Fantasy Records (8397).
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Willy and the Poor Boys at Yahoo! Music
- Willy And The Poor Boys at Discogs (list of releases)
