Music: A Friend For Life

I see a "Bad Moon Rising (and that's a great thing)" when I spin "Creedence Clearwater Revival: The Singles Collection". This Beautiful Box set includes all of the original singles the group released from 1967-1972. It features picture sleeves from different countries and faithful reproductions of the "Scorpio" and "Fantasy" labels, respectively. Also has a gorgeous booklet with color photos of the group and information regarding all of the singles and when they charted in their respective years. The singles from 1967-1972 are featured in mono. The special promo single "45 Revolutions Per Minute (Part 1 and Part 2) are featured in stereo. It's great to hear these songs the way they were meant to be recorded and heard in the AM Radio days! Especially the rare single "Porterville"/"Call it Pretending". "Proud Mary" is in its original mono format, as opposed to the "fake stereo" on the "Bayou Country" LP. "Up Around The Bend" rocks more in mono and has more of a punchy sound. "Suzy Q (Part 1)"/"Suzy Q (Part 2)" sounds more psychedelic and outre especially during the instrumental breaks. Doug Clifford's drums stand out on the single mix of "Born On The Bayou". Also included is the "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" (single version)"/"Good Golly Miss Molly" 1976 release. If you're a Long Time CCR fan, or just getting into their wonderful music, this is the set to buy. It's also available on CD with a bonus DVD of CCR music videos. Happy Listening!

My all-time favorite single of any group or artist! This, to me, is the best era of The Fab Four. Nothing like this single came before or after. It was a new Beatles sound. "Paperback Writer" on the original mono 45 is incredible! It's the recording The Beatles intended. It has a longer fade than the remixed stereo version, and more echo on the chorus. The flip-side, "Rain", is one of the first experimental songs to flirt with the psychedelic sound. Always loved the backwards verse at the climax of the song. One of Lennon's best songs in his tenure with The Liverpool Lads. It's ironic how the American art work for the picture sleeve shows the group in the early Beatlemania days.