Aside from countless hits that John Fogerty penned himself, Creedence Clearwater Revival also covered a few classics. Their iconic cover of “Heard It Through The Grapevine” gave the track a swamp rock spin that separated it from other versions of the time. Similarly, CCR did the same with the traditional folk song, “The Midnight Special”. It’s been said that the song is about a passenger train that would leave St. Louis, Missouri, at 11:30 pm and arrive in Chicago, Illinois, at 7:00 am the next day. The “ever-loving light” referred to in the lyrics is the light on the front of the train at night.
Songfacts: Creedence Clearwater Revival
Bruce Springsteen said: “Creedence wasn’t the hippest band in the world, but they were the best.” Springsteen covered many of CCR’s songs, including “Fortunate Son,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “Proud Mary,” “Run Through The Jungle,” “Who’ll Stop the Rain?” and “Travellin’ Band.”
The song is actually about the Sugar Land Penitentiary in Texas. The famous pioneer of folk and blues, Lead Belly, helped popularize the traditional folk song in 1934 with his rendition. His version was recorded at Angola Prison, also known as Louisiana State Penitentiary, where he was serving time. Though Lead Belly didn’t write the track, his version and lyrics became the most commonly covered. He sang about the train that would run from Houston to Sugar Land Penitentiary, with its headlight often shining into a prison cell.
Creedence Clearwater Revival Revived the Traditional Folk Song, Giving It New Life in 1969
In 1969, Creedence Clearwater Revival released their cover of the song on their album, Willy And The Poor Boys. It re-popularized the song and became a staple of the band’s live performances. Fans and audiences would often sing along, as it still contained a traditional folk quality. Willy And The Poor Boys was a successful release for the band, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
“The Midnight Special” blended perfectly into the 1969 CCR album. Willy And The Poor Boys features tracks about the working class. Additionally, the front cover of the record shows the band performing as a jug band on the street. Creedence Clearwater Revival channeled their folk influence on the album while still layering in their signature swamp rock sound.
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