Sweet Hitchhiker

Album: Mardi Gras (1971)
Charted: 36 6
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Songfacts®:

  • This was the first CCR album that John Fogerty did not dominate. Other members of the band had accused him of being a control freak, so Fogerty let them do more of the songwriting and have a more prominent role on this album. It was the beginning of the end for CCR, as the album was a flop and this song the last of their hits.
  • In the line, "We could make music at the Greasy King," The Greasy King was the nickname for the local burger stand in Berkeley, California near their rehearsal space, which they called "Cosmo's Factory."
  • This was the first single CCR released as a trio - Tom Fogerty left before the album was recorded.
  • The band started a four-continent tour as this was released.
  • Since they did not have other new songs to go along with this track, it was released as a single a year before the Mardi Gras album was issued.
  • The follow-up single, "Molina"/"Sailor's Lament," was never released in North America. It was released in Germany and became a major hit there in late 1971.

Comments: 14

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn September 18, 1971, a video of the Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Sweet Hitch-Hiker" was aired on the Dick Clark ABC-TV Saturday-afternoon program 'American Bandstand'...
    The song was not on Billboard's Top 100 chart at the time, but just the week before it was at #22 {seems being shown on 'Bandstand' was the kiss of death}.
  • Kawa from Tokyo, JapanHi Music lovers,

    I think that the lyrics of the song 'Sweet Hitchhiker' came from the song 'My Sweet Lord' written and sung by George Harrison, a former member of the Beatles, in 1970. As a comment below from the one of the listeners explained that this song ' Sweet Hitch-Hiker' was also written by the movie 'Easy Rider' in 1969. And I think that another idea also influenced John writing the song, too. It was a song called 'San Francisco ( Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) in 1967. CCR was from San Francisco. John must have known 'Summer Of Love' happening in a summer in San Francisco in 1967. I think he liked the song very much so he wanted to write a song like this. Because that song is very impressive. Because it has a very impressive line on it! It was 'You meet gentle people.' That word 'Gentle' made him write a song like 'Sweet Hitchhiker', I think. So he must have been looking for a chance to write a song like that sonce then. In 1971, Geroge released 'My Sweet Lord' and John knew that it was a time to write a song like 'San Frasncisco' and he did!
  • Mike from Roanoke VaBest rock-out motorcycle song ever. Won't argue about the rest but it leaves "Born to be Wild," etc in the outhouse. John at his best and it's his energy and most of the lyrics are good, but the feeling of the song makes it. Yeah, I rode a bike and hitch hiked in the late 60s and early 70s and never thought it was dangerous.
    It's what you did.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn September 18th 1971, a taped performance of "Sweet Hitch-Hiker" by Creedence Clearwater Revival was aired on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    Two months earlier on July 11th, 1971 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #68; and on July 15th, 1971 it peaked at #6 {for 2 weeks} and spent 9 weeks on the Top 100...
    And on September 5th, 1971 it reached #1 {for 1 week} on the Canadian RPM 100 Singles chart {it was their fourth straight #1 record in Canada; the first three were, "Run Through the Jungle", "Lookin' Out My Back Door", and "Have You Ever Seen the Rain"}...
    “Sweet Hitch-Hiker” was the final track on the quartet's seventh and final studio album, 'Mardi Gras', and the album peaked at #12 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart...
    One other track from the album also made the Top 100 chart, "Someday Never Comes"; it peaked at #25 {for 2 weeks} on June 4th, 1972...
    Thomas Richard ‘Tom’ Fogerty passed away on September 6th, 1990 at the young age of 48…
    May he R.I.P.
  • Rick from Texas, TxIt always sucks when a band breaks up because the other band members want part of the creative control. That happened to CCR (band members wanted control), The Pixies (Kim Deal wanted to sing), The Smashing Pumpking (James wanted his songs on the albums? not sure), Nirvana (I think Dave wanted to leave because the dick wanted his songs in there). When a band has a talented leader just go for the ride man Jesus.
  • Dan from Azusa, CaHarry Sunnyvale Ca. How could of you heard it in the late 60s when it was released in 1971. Just a little more up the road in El Cerrito
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyActually; C.C.R.'s last Top 100 record was "I Heard It Through The Grapevine"; it peaked at #43 in 1976!!! {It was from the 1970 LP "Cosmo's Factory"}
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyThis song was C.C.R's last of nine consecutive records to make the Top 10; starting with "Proud Mary" in 1969 and ending with "Sweet Hitchhiker" in 1971!!!
  • Jim from Long Beach, CaThis my favorite Creedence song..I love them all but this is the best!!
  • Jim from Long Beach, CaThe 70's when hitchhiking was safe, not anymore..
  • Andy from B'ham, AlWhat a disappointment that the CCR roles were thinning out at the time of the mid '70s! CCR woulda then been one more tasteful rock band at that time. Classic rock was starting to use the disco beat, which CCR easily mastered. CCR coulda continued mastering it along with John Fogerty and continuing their stuff while virtually everyone else's stuff went haywire. CCR was almost all the purity rock even had anymore.
  • Carl from Baltimore, Mdunder rated ccr tune...never aired much on fm from 74-2007...why???its a hard drivin classic tune that was a nice escape from the rain songs and protest songs
  • Harry from Sunnyvale, CaMy favorite CCR song. I first heard it while driving with some doobie brothers in California during the late 60's. We were eyeing girl hitch-hikers, the sun was out, we were having fun and this song fit in with the whole day. I didn't know CCR was just 20 miles up the road in Oakland, which is why pehaps their songs and the band made me feel that they were so much a part of my life then.
  • Joshua from Twin Cities, MnThis wasn't actually the last hit for CCR (although it was their last Top 10 hit). That would be "Someday Never Comes".
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