Home · Albums · Creedence Clearwater Revival · Pendulum

Pendulum 1970
Album · by Creedence Clearwater Revival ↗ View artist

Pendulum

Creedence Clearwater Revival's Pendulum arrived in December 1970, marking their sixth studio effort. By then, the band had already released Cosmo's Factory just five months prior, which speaks to their work pace. This album was recorded at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco and, unlike their usual dynamic, took them a month to complete the task. Before starting, there was an internal conversation where Tom Fogerty, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford expressed their desire for more songwriting involvement, beyond the songs John Fogerty usually brought. The idea was to explore and experiment in the studio, but no new compositions emerged that way. John Fogerty later acknowledged regretting that approach to the process, feeling that meticulous preparation had been lost and his own inspiration felt a bit "dry" at the time.

Year
1970
Songs
10
Duration
38 min 54 seg
Listen to the album ★

About the album

Pendulum, according to DoReSol

Despite that feeling, the album expanded the group's sonic palette. Instruments like keyboards and saxophones, played by John Fogerty, were incorporated, and Cook contributed on piano. Harmonica, vibraphone, recorder, and percussion are also heard. An interesting detail is the use of the Hammond B-3 organ by John Fogerty on several tracks, inspired by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, a group he deeply admired. In fact, when Duck Dunn and Steve Cropper from the M.G.'s heard the record, they commented that the sound was very similar to that of their bandmate Booker T. Jones.

From this work, two songs emerged that reached the top spots: "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" and "Hey Tonight". The former, written by John Fogerty, spoke about the band's impending separation. The album closed with "Rude Awakening #2", an foray into the psychedelic that some members considered "embarrassing" or "pointless". Pendulum was the last album recorded with Tom Fogerty as an active member, who left the band in early 1971 to start his solo career. The album, released in December 1970, was a commercial success, reaching the top 10 in ten countries and peaking at number 5 on the Billboard 200. The single "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" / "Hey Tonight", released in January 1971, charted at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.

Discography

More from Creedence Clearwater Revival

See all →
Cosmo's Factory 1970

Cosmo's Factory

11 song|s