"Centerfield" was a long-needed breath of fresh air for the music scene in 1985. At the height of synthesizers, hair metal, and glam-pop, John Fogerty's first original album in nearly a decade was a down-home piece of work, as rustic as a Top Ten record could get in 1985. Sure there are little dashes of 80s technology here and there as needed (bits of keyboards and some clinical drum work show up on some songs), but for the Decade of Decadence, "Centerfield" was a rescue. The most relief was probably for Fogerty himself; after the disheartening breakup of Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1972, he recorded some now-obscured albums but his musical career was put to silence by overwhelming business disputes with CCR's old label, which would hault Fogerty for nine years until 'The Old Man Down the Road' appeared at the end of 1984 and became a smash hit. The album "Centerfield" followed and hit Number 1, much to the disdain of the hot shot executives with whom Fogerty had been battling.
Even though there were even some legal turmoils surrounding this album, it was John Fogerty who had the personal satisfaction (for both he and his fans) that the years of legal and contractual turmoil had not wrinkled his musical talent. The opening hit single is worthy of the "repeat" button on the stereo, and Fogerty follows suit with a string of memorable, down-home, personal, and celebratory songs. There's the carefree joy of 'Rock and Roll Girls,' 'I Can't Help Myself,' and the title track (which in some corners was ruined by those who constantly used it for a novelty baseball anthem). There's also the reflective sadness of 'I Saw It On T.V.,' and even personal demons and a desire for redemption in 'Searchlight.' 'Big Train From Memphis' is seemingly autobiographical, reflecting upon Fogerty's youth in which he was bored with his California surroundings and rather took an interest in a mythical bayou world and southern creoles (which was the source of CCR's legendary sound). And of course Fogerty doesn't forget to burn those who kept him down with the legal disputes as he lashes out in slick style with 'Mr. Greed' and the notorious 'Vanz Kant Danz.'
Though its follow-up, "Eye of the Zombie" didn't catch on as well with music fans, Fogerty had already claimed his victory, and the quality of "Centerfield" (and the overlooked "Zombie") was enough to hold him for another long decade, after which he would re-emerge yet again with another triumph, the Grammy-winning 'Blue Moon Swamp' and the successful 'Premonition.'

It was nine years between former CCR lead vocalist John Fogerty's first and second albums, much of which was spent ironing out troubles during his times with Creedence. However, Centerfield, with its mixture of blues, rockabilly, and rock, with a smooth pop polish proved that Fogerty had plenty more to share.

The #10 peak of the swamp bluesy "The Old Man Down The Road," of some scary juju man was indeed quite an oddity amid the synth-dominated Second British Invasion and hard-rock/heavy metal of the 1980's. In a cruel irony, Fogerty was sued for ripping himself off, namely Creedence's "Run Through The Jungle," but the court ruled in favour of him. I mean, doesn't a composer have the right to sound like himself? Crimony! Bob Rivers later parodied this song, "The Old Man On The Commode."

The next single was the #20 the upbeat "Rock and Roll Girls" complete with his vibrant country-rock vocals and a sax solo. Its B-side, the #44 title track, has become somewhat of an unofficial baseball anthem, as it pays homage to the nation's biggest sports, with nods to Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays, and Ty Cobb, and even from Chuck Berry, "a brown-eyed handsome man."

The rockabilly of "Big Train From Memphis" is an homage to Elvis, while American history of the 50's to 60's is shown in the sobering "I Saw It On TV," whose sound sort of reminds me a bit of "Who Will Stop The Rain," with mention of Ike, Annette, the Davy Crockett fad, Elvis. The mention of the Beatles after JFK confirms Billy Joel saying that the Fabs cheered us up after Kennedy's death. Dark stuff includes the arms race and Westmoreland-"the light at the end of the tunnel was nothin' but a burglar's torch" and more personal criticism of Vietnam-"when they took my only son from me."

Songs like the hard-driving "Mr. Greed" with its fiery blues swamp guitar and "Vanz Kantz Danz" hit out at Saul Zaentz, who fronted Fantasy Records, CCR's label, and against whom he fought for the song rights to CCR's songs, which he co-wrote. "Greed" has got to be my favourite song due to its ferocity and condemnation-"you feast upon the blood and pain/but the bones you hoard can only bring you shame." I wonder if the late members of Badfinger are pumping their fists in the air, having experienced corruption from their label, especially as how Fogerty calls Zaentz a pig and four-legged thief in "Vanz." The chorus goes "Vanz can't dance, but he'll steal your money/watch him or he'll rob you blind."

"I Can't Help Myself" could've been a single with its energy, as I like it better than "Rock and Roll Girls," but given how "Centerfield" missed the Top 40, it's clear to see the dominant sound of the 80's charts.

I never heard the followup album, Eye of the Zombie, which bombed, but at least Centerfield was a much awaited shot in the arm for Creedence fans, and is even an album that anyone who'd never heard of CCR would've enjoyed. So unlike by Vanz, you won't be robbed blind by getting Centerfield.

John Fogerty was the driving force and musical genius behind one of the best bands of the late 60's, Creedence Clearwater Revival. The amount of product and great, quality songs in such a short time is amazing, and Fogerty's gift for being able to pound out classic songs, wether it's a hit or not, has always been astounding. This 1985 solo release from the singer, really harks back to the old days of Creedence. There is a sense of the old stuff on here and John is in fine voice and playing. He had previously released three studio albums before this, but none of the three were very successful or held a candle to his Creedence work. "Hoodoo" wasn't even released. "Blue Ridge Rangers" was a fantastic Country album, and you should check it out. But John really scored and made a mark as a solo artist with this set. His first released set of recordings, at the time, in 15 years. While there is some experimentation on here with drum machines and very 80's sounding type stuff, the album is a success overall. "The Old Man Down The Road" is a classic Fogerty song with a classic and unforgettable guitar catch. It doesn't sound a whole lot like "Run Through The Jungle". It's different enough for me. "Rock And Roll Girls", is a very fun and pleasant track with a sense of classic type sounding rockabilly to it, but it is pretty dispensable in the end, even though it is a favorite of mine. The main hit, and the reason why this CD is as remembered as it is, it the title track, "Centerfield". John has a love for baseball and he has said that he wanted to write a classic type song for the game that could stand the test of time. Mission accomplished John, because you did it. "Searchlight" has a classic Creedence type groove to it, even though it feels like it goes on a bit too long and never really ends up going anywhere. "I Can't Help Myself", with drum machines intact, is a very 80's sounding type song. It isn't a strong addition to Fogerty's cannon, but it is pleasant as you listen to it. "Vanz Kant Danz" is the closer. Like "Searchlight", it too is another song that seems to go on and on and doesn't really have much of a payoff. I do love the opening guitar intro though. There is another song on here that has to do with John's battle with prodcer Saul Zaentz. It is called "Mr. Greed", and it is a revved up rocker that really gets John's message across. He was in battle with Saul over the song "The Old Man Down The Road", which Zaentz proclaimed was a rip-0ff of "Run Through The Jungle", and thus began a decade long court battle for John. I think it was total bull myself. "I Saw It On TV" is a Creedence sounding song dealing with the things that John grew up with as a kid in the 50's. "Big Train In Memphis" is a short and very pleasant song that could rest very easily with any of this mid-tempo Creedence work. All in all, this set put John back on the charts with a hit album and hit singles that were rightfully deserved. "Blue Moon Swamp", which was released in 1997, was ten times better though. Still, this is an engaging and enjoyable romp in John's swamp rock world.

I remember back in 1985 when John Fogerty's "Centerfield" album began to climb the charts. I remember when it first appeared in the Top 10 and then inched its way into the Top 5 and then eventually secured the #1 spot. When "Centerfield" did hit #1, it was a surprise to many for what was considered a grass-roots/blues artist to have a #1 album. Now when I look back at it, I really shouldn't be so surprised because it was around this time that the music landscape was starting to undergo some changes. Only a about a year before, Bruce Springsteen had released "Born in the USA". I look at "Born in the USA" as a landmark album for many reasons, but perhaps one of the most important reasons is that it began to shift the sound of the 80s music scene away from synth-pop to a more natural sound. Although when Fogerty's "Centerfield" was released, it still was early in this shift - the timing was still right for such an album. Fogerty puts together an impressive collection of nine tunes that not only would keep his CCR fans happy, but also would reach out to a whole new generation of fans. I also think the success of "Centerfield" continued to boost the trend away from synth-pop that Springsteen had started.

I think there were three reasons why John Fogerty was able to tap into a whole new generation of fans. The first was that MTV actually played John Fogerty videos - including a very entertaining video for "Vanz Kant Danz" that featured a darker look at the "three little pigs" story. The second reason is the song "Centerfield" itself. "Centerfield" was a song that was associated with America's pastime - Baseball. The third reason is that the songs were actually pretty catchy - this is shown in songs like "The Old Man Down the Road" and "Rock and Roll Girls". They might not be the kind of songs you like right away, but after a few listens - they really begin to grab you. Throughout everything, I think Fogerty does a great job at keeping to his CCR roots while at the same time branching out and exploring some new paths.

When "Centerfield" was released, it was 10 years since his last album (the self-titled "John Fogerty" album). Part of the reason why it took so long was that John Fogerty was involved in a legal battle over his music with Saul Zaentz - head of Fantasy Records which had released much of the CCR catalog. Apparently, this became a bitter battle and it really affected Fogerty's perspective on the music industry. The final song on this collection is called "Vanz Kant Danz", but it was originally called "Zanz Kant Danz". It was clear that Zanz was referring to Saul Zaentz when Fogerty wrote the lyrics "Zanz can't dance, but he'll steal your money - Watch him or he'll rob you blind". Fogerty actually had to change the name of the song to "Vanz Kant Danz" on the second pressing of the album for legal reasons. This is definitely the best song on the collection. This is a song where Fogerty really manages to shed his CCR image and really shine on his own. One thing that does remain the same are the very distinctive John Fogerty vocals.

But this wasn't the only reference to this particular feud on this album. Fogerty writes another song called "Mr Greed" that starts out with the lyrics "Mr Greed, why you got to own; Everything that you see?". But Fogerty's disillusionment doesn't just center around his feud with Zaentz. Fogerty realizes he needs to find himself as well - this is demonstrated in the song "Searchlight" in which Fogerty sings "I Walk Along the Rocky Shore, The Place I lost Myself... been Stumblin for all these years".

There are songs that still are going to remind you of CCR. The first two songs do a great job at this. "The Old Man Down the Road": This is a very blusey/Rock type song - and the opening notes do a great job at setting this tone. It was the first single from the "Centerfield" album and was the biggest hit from the album. "Rock and Roll Girls" is a natural follow-on to "Old Man" - in fact it was the second single. It has a similar beat, but I also like how there are some horns integrated into the song.

Perhaps the best song from a lyrical standpoint is "I Saw It on TV". This song explores life from a young man growing up in the 50s and 60s. You'll hear references to "Ike" (Eisenhower), "dream dead end in Dallas" (Kennedy Assassination), "Four Guys from England" (The Beatles), "they showed pictures and counted up the score" (Vietnam) as well as many more. This song often gets lost in the mix - its really good stuff.

There are some other good songs too. "Big Train to Memphis" has a definite country music feel to it. "I Can't Help Myself" has a nice quick bluesy tempo to it. Then of course, there is the legendary title track - which really helped describe a baseball player's love for the game. Like "Vanz Kant Danz", Fogerty is able to show something other than the CCR image. This song was the album's third single and although it didn't chart as high as "Old Man" or "Rock and Roll Girls", it probably is the most remembered track.

When these songs first appeared in 1985, it probably validated the argument "how did this album go to #1 with such a non-80s sound?". Now when I look back at this album, I realize how this album really helped contribute to a change in the music landscape. Plus it made me appreciate what a great artist John Fogerty is. If you are music fan, this is a collection of songs you want to have in your collection.

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various music supplies and recordings from the 60's and 70's.

On a cold winter day in January of 1985 John Fogerty's words ("Put me in coach") from the title track of his new release Centerfield miraculously warmed up the coldest home and heart with thoughts of spring and baseball once again.

Comeback is an interesting choice of words. On the one had we hadn't heard from a true musical genius in about a decade. On the other it almost diminishes his previous solo ventures. How about we say he surfaced again and brought us the following.

As the album was placed on the turntable for the first listen "The Old Man Down The Road" washed away the harshest critics doubt that the formula of a classic riff, the swamp rock vocals, and some of the tastiest guitar playing found on all sides of the Mississippi had somehow been diminished. A terrific opening track that achieved countless plays on the radio then and now puts Fogerty's stamp on a new era. "Rock And Roll Girls" isn't simply the strongest cut on the release but one of the most superlative songs written in the past twenty plus years. For three and one half minutes we are commandeered (Rather willingly) to the magical sounds of Creedence Clearwater Revival circa 69. "Big Train (From Memphis)" has a well conceived sound somewhere between Elvis Presley and the country music of past decades. "I Saw It On T.V" gives us a history lesson in four minutes. The sincerity of the lyrics is haunting in presenting imagery at its finest. "Mr. Greed" turns the volume up enough notches to shake the house. Take it on the surface as a song attacking those that can never have too much or the more clandestine theme of Fogerty venting against his former boss Saul Zaentz of Fantasy Records. This would be a prelude of what would come in about eleven minutes down the road. "Searchlight" isn't far removed from the darkness and legendary Creedence tune "Sinister Purpose." If you counted the times "Centerfield" has been used as part of a promo for any of the organized baseball leagues (Especially Major League Baseball) it would reach infinity. You can proudly hear this composition flying high today on Classic Rock radio. "I Can't Help Myself" may be the most forgotten song of the nine but it isn't because of a sub-standard outcome. You are dealing with a plethora of competition. All the venom that has escalated in Fogerty over the years because of legal issues with Fantasy Records ran freely when the first version of "Zanz Kant Danz" made it to the final release. Saul Zaentz and court battle #234,567,189 for Fogerty forced John to change the title to "Vanz Kant Danz." Since the song had to be rerecorded the initial pressings have become a bit collectable.

It seems without comprehension that in another trip to the judges chambers Fogerty had to defend himself for sounding like John Fogerty. He was brought to court because "The Old Man Down The Road" sounded in the same realm as "Run Through The Jungle." Luckily the judge got this one right. A composer can't be liable for sounding like them self!

John it was good to see you again or should I say hear you.

Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"