John Fogerty Wrote a Song For Everyone
John Fogerty
Wrote a Song For Everyone
Vanguard, 2013
John Fogerty is at the helm of his own sort of tribute/duets CD, and for many artists this sort of control could spell certain disaster. Here he’s corralled artists as varied as The Foo Fighters to Brad Paisely,and Alan Jackson to help put a new spin on these numbers. As Iconic as 
the songs are to the turmoil of the late 60’s and early 70’s, they don’t sound or feel dated here.
The Foo Fighters kickstart this disc with a solid and animated version of “Fortunate Son,” with Fogerty alternating verses with Dave Grohl. Fresh and invigorated, this song hasn’t been so much fun in years. “Born On the Bayou,” with Kid Rock is another fine performance of a song we’ve all heard too many bar bands sleepwalk through.
“Who’ll Stop the Rain” performed alongside of Bob Seger sounds epic, reverent and vaguely beatific. Focusing entirely on the emotion of the song, it no longer rocks, but feels like hymn to the lost. Other poignant and tender moments on the disc are “Wrote a Song for Everyone” (with Miranda Lambert featuring Tom Morello), which offers the memorable line, “Wrote a song for ev’ryone/And I couldn’t even talk to you.”
“Long as I Can See the Light” with My Morning Jacket is a sleepy but hopeful performance. “Hot Rod Heart,” a song from 1997’s Blue Moon Swamp, is a fired up guitar work out between Brad Paisely and Fogerty, where they let fly, egging each other on.
One of the biggest take away’s from this disc, as we hear the songs performed so many different ways, is it becomes obvious how John Forgerty the artist helped sire Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and scores of other singer songwriters with deceptively simple prose of a working man’s struggle to find his place in an America in transition. Disenfranchised, yet optimistic, “Someday Never Comes,” but Lord, one can always hope.
