My daughter passed from cancer at 17 but this was one of her absolute favorite songs. She loved playing softball and this one was her pregame song. Thank you for checking this one out.
John Fogerty played every instrument on this album, including all the guitars.I saw him in concert on PBS and for this song, he had a special guitar shaped like a baseball bat. It was classic!
My Dad played baseball till he passed. This was one of his favorite songs! Also loved Walk of Life from Dire Straits! thanks for the memories guys! R.I.P. Dad
John Fogerty was pretty much, solo on the whole album Centerfield he did it all! It was his first Album in over 12 years after litigation, and the mighty "case" struck out.
Yeah - I remember the liner notes on this album and seeing Fogerty played all the instruments. Blew my mind too. Of course Prince had several albums where he also played everything too. I couldn’t carry a tune if it was in a briefcase.
...not to mention "Zanz Kant Danz" suddenly needing to be replaced with "Vanz Kant Danz"... ...or Saul Zaentz suing Fogerty for plagiarizing his own CCR songs on the Centerfield LP...
@@djhrecordhound4391 yep I remember that! Zanz kant danz I have that printing of the LP but I later got a Centerfield CD and then it was vanz kant danz!
@@djhrecordhound4391 Saul Zaentz made millions from the songs John Fogerty wrote. Saul was a first-class a-hole. Fogerty went into it in detail in his autobiography "Fortunate Son". Of course, Randy Lewis, loser at the LA Times took a different take on the book.
Also if you find an early pressing of the LP, you get "Zanz Kant Danz". I dunno if it's why Fantasy owner Saul Zaentz sued him for plagiarizing his own CCR songs. Maybe Warner Bros demanded a change...? (I'm foggy on its facts.) "Zanz Kant Danz" was forever changed to "Vanz Kant Danz" though
I remember hearing this song a lot along with "Old Man Down the Road" and "Travelin' Band". John Fogerty has that down-home-sitting-by-the-campfire sound.
The sound you asked about was an organ, with a rotary speaker, known as a Leslie speaker. You here a similar sound in songs by Deep Purple, Steppenwolf, and many others. It's likely a Hammond organ, but as others have suggested, it could be a Wurlitzer or some other brand. From the 70s on it was most likely if you hear an organ it's meant to sound like a Hammond - though many songs also use Vox or Farfisa organs (for example Elvis Costello, the Animals, the Monkees, etc.)
One of the guys in our senior softball league blasts this song out at the start of every softball season on his boom box. (In Florida, we have five seasons a year for softball.) It always gets me fired up for the new season! The only thing is, I do NOT want to play centerfield. I love being the pitcher. A lot less running😁
The line in Centerfield about the “Brown Eyed Handsome Man” was a nod to Chuck Berry, who wrote a song with that title. Each verse of Berry’s song has a different scene, with the last verse telling how the brown eyed handsome man won the ball game for his team. Chuck Berry’s song was covered by lots of different singers. I first heard it through Paul McCartneys’s cover of the song.
Two-three the count with nobody on He hit a high fly into the stand Roundin third he was headed for home It was a brown eyed handsome man That brother gamin was a brown eyed handsome man... NAHHH, I NEVER HEARD OF THE SONG LOL 🐶🐾
Saw that tour in St. Augustine. He played the Gary U.S. Bond song New orleans. He had 7 8 kids from nola rocking the horns as they came off stage and go up and down the aslie . Never lets you down. Always a great show.
John Fogerty posted several CCR songs with his kids at the start of covid while everyone was stuck at home. They were absolutely amazing. I think they are under the Cosmos Factory handle.
I was just going to make that comment lol and I also jammed right along with their videos when I was feeling good enough. I was sick for a month when lockdowns started and on my good days I played my acoustic along with him
Gotta love this song! John played all the instruments himself. To answer your question about what happened to the other guys, two of them formed a band in the 90s called Creedence Clearwater "Revisited."
My all the favorite song by Johan Fogerty. Every entertainment element is involved in this song. My local grocery store plays this song quite a few times through baseball season, and people sing a long. I myself dance and sing as I go up and gown the aisles hig-fiving people and everyone smiles!!! EVERYONE!!!! I Love this song so much!!!! Yes love baseball also, but I'd love this song anyway'''' I t puts people in such a good mood;!! And we really need this in the country right now, don't ya think?!!! Call the Edison company
Amber FYI: A single guitar can come up with a lot of different sounds depending on the types of pickups used on the guitar, where they are placed and what combinations they are used in. This is why you'll sometimes see the guitarists fiddling with the fronts of their guitars during a song. Add to this foot-pedal controls for different things like echo and fuzz and one guitar can make a LOT of sounds.
Fans of John and CCR may like this show from last Sunday. The musicians played an hour of his songs and talked about the how to achieve the different sounds on the guitar - he is a guitar master and even played a warm up for John ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-CZlQVzi367w.html
The clapping cheer at the beginning has a HISTORY with Baseball going back to the beginning. It's a morse code acronym for something. The Routers made it famous in their song "Let's Go"
Fogerty wrote the songs, sang them, played all the instruments and self-produced the Centerfield album for about $35k, which went to #1 The other CCR members formed a CCR cover band, Creedence Clearwater Revisited, in 1995
The other instrument you heard immediately following "Put me in coach" was an organ. Quite fitting since an organ has been heard in ball barks for years. ".🎶🎵🎶.....Charge!!" 😀
So many great memories with this song! My Dad and I took a motorcycle road trip and this song always reminds me of those times! ⚾️🏍 RIP Robert E. BOOTH (BOB)
My toddler ( early 80’s) fell in love with this song and watched friends of mine perform it . She grew up to become a musician and an avid baseball fan .
Back in high school all the bench players on the team would start singing this on the bench about the 6th 7th inning trying to get the coach to put us in.
John plays a guitar in the shape of a baseball bat in this song 😁 I Love this song , back in 1977 I was On the California state championship baseball team for Babe Ruth baseball and I played Center Field and batted 429 for the tournament 😊
the instrument you were wondering about was a Hammond organ with a Leslie speaker. The Leslie spins really fast and gives it a very soulful sound. If you guys like John Fogerty, please check out his song "Don't You Wish It Was True."
Woo-hoo! It's almost Opening Day and I'll definitely be listening to this on Thursday!!!!! I love the old pictures and video clips in the video 💜💙 and I love the use of the organ in the song, since it's used at stadiums!
My dad grew up in Orlando in the 50’s and 60’s. I grew up listening to his stories of riding his bike to see Mickey Mantle, among many others, play spring training games. The Tinker Field sign always reminds me of my dad’s childhood stories.
This will forever remind me of my dad, he’s 75 and works everyday but this makes me miss him for some reason, I just try to remember as aggravating as he can be that he won’t be here forever 💚💚
I adore this song! Every year I post it on opening day! When they recorded it they tried to find the perfect sound for the bat hitting the ball but they couldn't find the sound they wanted until they watched a movie and there it was!
I listen to this song on the first day of baseball every year! I love to watch my Braves every night! You should listen to CCR do You Put a Spell On Me, very different and intense.
CCR of John Fogerty on his own - both are great! He still tours and he now has his sons with him. If you get a chance - go see him! You will not be disappointed.
Center field is just a parable for center stage. The was time when John Fogerty was forbidden by a court order to perform any CCR songs, even the ones he wrote.... as legal ownership of the songs was protested. Eventually, John won all his legal battles with CCR's songs and was again able to be "center stage" stage performing all CCR's songs . i believe in the past John did indeed briefly play center field in amateur ball.. So, the song definitely has has a double meaning.
That was the organ; during games the organ will play "charge", 7th inning stretch, they will play, "Take me out to the ballgame". So he incorporated the organ to the song.
I have grown to enjoy your little chats between discussing why you enjoy a piece of music, the words or maybe a memory sparked by the piece. Great site guys 🎉
You guys should see the guitar his Friend made him. It's literally a bat !! It's Sooo cool, there are a few videos of Him playing center field with it!!!! Thank you for this one, love this song💞
Saw John Forgerty in concert at Winstar in Ardmore a couple of years ago. One of my all time favorite concerts. We were all singing along. His son came on stage and played with him also.
The song and video for Dire Straits doing “Walk Of Life” should appeal to the coach and sports fan in you. Also, when you have a couple hours to spare in Kansas City, go check out the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. I find it fascinating to see all that they did for themselves and the sport they loved.
When John went solo, he was sued by the drummer and bass player for sounding like CCR. The judge asked who wrote the songs for CCR and they said "John did". Who sang lead and played lead guitar on all CCR's songs and they said, "John did". The judge said so you are telling me John is the sound of CCR. The two hung their heads. The judge threw the case out because that sound is John Fogerty's sound not necessarily the other members of CCR.
This album is when John had his "come back " after his contract expired . It is about his comeback to the music world . Another on the album is Zants Cant Dance ,about the producer the contract was about ..
Jordan, you should really try a live Rory Gallagher reaction. You’d love anything he does. Reminds me of Fogerty in that he’s a blue-collar rocker, but one of the greatest guitarists ever!
This is a great song for the up coming baseball season, definitely reminds me of summer and good times out on the field under the sun ☀️ Great choice of song and artist John Fogerty definitely great American singer Thanks guys and happy late anniversary imagine how many artist you go through in you second year 😃
If you've watched much baseball, you probably have heard it before. It is played at many baseball stadiums. This was the title track on his first solo record after 9 years off when it came out in 1985.
I remember one summer day, it had rained all morning, but the sun came out about 4pm. So the wife and I went to the outdoor amphitheater to see a concert. We sat in the grass and watched John Mellencamp open for John Fogerty. It was perfect.
Bought this on vinyl when it came out (I was 14)! Great album. I was listening to the Smithereens today, and thought y'all should check them out. "Blood and Roses," and "Behind the Wall of Sleep" were big hits for them. New Jersey band.
A Girl Like You is another great one. I saw them in concert in 1986, opening for A-ha at Radio City Music Hall. I was just a kid at my first concert, but The Smithereens stuck with me.
Another sports song that has been used since it came out is "Run for the Roses", by Dan Fogerty. It's about a colt's dream of winning the Kentucky Derby. I think you'll like it.
Sorry, It is DAN FOGELBERG. There is a Dan Fogerty, the 4th of 5 Fogerty brothers. But my Uncle Dan was not a musician. Only my dad Tom Fogerty and my Uncle John Fogerty..... 🤪🤪🤪 jf
Great song, and so close to Opening Day!! Thanks! John has such a unique voice, but you know that. I recommend his cover of Hank Williams "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)", as well as "Rockin' All Over the World" and "Rock and Roll Girls" if you want more of John's solo stuff. To answer your question, Jay - in 1971, the rest of CCR grew disgruntled with John (who was known to be kind of a control freak), and the discord caused the band to split for good in 1972. John's brother Tom released a few solo albums, but was never as successful as John. Stu Cook and John Clifford found success as studio musicians, eventually forming Creedence Clearwater Revisited in 1995, and they are still touring to this day. John even took them to court over the name, but lost.
Love this song & video. I pitched hardball in little league for 2 yrs. I still have all of the old team pictures. Such good memories and times When Washington's team was The Senators with Frank Howard. I'll never forget his one armed home run. WOW! Such awesome times in the 70's! Golden years!
Opening Day Thursday!!! Nothing better. This is my second all-time favorite song. It’s iconic and full of nostalgia. So glad you reacted to it and GO CARDINALS!!!! Now… Play Ball!
I absolutely *love* this man. He sure knows how to tell stories and not just in songs. You want to hear some more John Fogerty "fire" 🔥🔥🔥 - then give "Rockin' All Over The World" a run. That was _his_ composition of which he had a moderate hit, until Status Quo covered it 2 years later and made it an even bigger hit. But JF's original to me will *ALWAYS* be at the top! 🤘
Not to mention Quo also played Rockin All Over The World to open Live Aid in '85. Because of that I'd bet lots of people don't even know the song is Fogerty's baby.
@@djhrecordhound4391 '85... the year I was born! Don't get me wrong, as much as I love the Quo, John's is far superior. Sad that more people don't realise the song was his.
If you like baseball songs you should check out "Willie, Mickey, and the Duke" by Terry Cashman. Its a really nice song from the 80's. I think you would like it.
“Rounding third and heading for home it was a brown eyed handsome man” Fogerty took that line from my fave Chuck Berry song called Brown Eyed Handsome Man.
This is a metaphor for him really coming back. Saying he can still do this music thing and yes he can. I'll be nice and ignore the Red Sox comment. Music will bring us together.
Always been into the underdog teams and teams with interesting brands. The Red Sox, the Cleveland Indians, and my home states Minnesota Twins. Just so happened that my mom won tickets in a work raffle to the 7th game of the 1987 World Series when the Twins won the Championship for the first time in franchise history, I was 6 years old at the time. RIP Kirby Puckett.
Same here. My dad played minor league ball and had me hitting and throwing at an early age. He passed away before this song came out but I know he would have loved it!
Centerfied was his first solo hit along with "Old Man Down The Road". it can on th heels of years of litigation with his/ CCR's former record producer.
Can’t remember if y’all reacted to these yet but two other sports related songs I love are boys of fall by Kenny Chesney and the greatest by Kenny Rogers
Jay/Amber, Fun fact: Fantasy Records who owned CCR's music, sued him for sounding too much like CCR on "The Old Man Down The Road!!! Luckily he won the lawsuit, with guitar in hand!!
John Fogerty was literally a one man band . During his days in CCR he wrote all the songs as well as arranging the entire album. His band mates were ok but he was without a doubt the creative force in that band. His distinctive guitar playing and vocals sound like no one else. Many people believe CCR were from the south but they were in fact California guys. Fogerty and his imagination and creative writing had people convinced he was raised in the South or Bayou country. He has some great solo records ,one song in particular is called 110 in the shade , the live version off of a DVD he released in 1997 is deadly, it's called premonition. 110 in the shade is a killer track !!! I promise you will love it!! Fogerty was basically done with CCR at 26 yrs old. So talented for basically a young kid.
Take me out to the ballpark I remember when this came out on MTV it was a glorious day they waited till baseball season to release it. And the return of John fogerty. I barely knew CCR but I got to know fogerty real quick. For this song directly. And again thanks for the memories which pretty much all these will be I guess so thanks for all of them. And the ones to be.
