The Golliwogs
Encyclopedia
The Golliwogs were an American rock band that eventually became Creedence Clearwater Revival
.
The band started out, in 1959, as an instrumental trio called The Blue Velvets. The original line up was John Fogerty
(guitar), Stu Cook
(piano), and Doug Clifford
(drums). In 1960, John's older brother Tom
, who had been in local bands since 1958, began singing with the group.
The Blue Velvets released three singles in the San Francisco Bay area, during 1961 and 1962, on Oakland's Orchestra Records. These recordings received only minimal sales although the second Blue Velvets single was added to Oakland's KEWB top 40 playlist by famed disc jockey Casey Kasem
, who was employed at the station.
Following the Orchestra singles, Tom began playing rhythm guitar in addition to remaining the lead vocalist and front man while John continued as the lead guitarist. Meanwhile, Stu Cook
switched from piano to bass guitar.
In the middle of 1964, the band recorded two songs for Fantasy Records
, a local label based in San Francisco. The band was attracted to Fantasy because, in 1963, it had released a national hit by Vince Guaraldi
, "Cast Your Fate To The Wind". Max Weiss, one of Fantasy's co-owners initially changed the group's name to The Visions, but when their songs were released as a single, in November 1964, Weiss re-named them The Golliwogs, an apparent reference to a once-popular minstrel doll called a Golliwogg
. Seven singles were released in the San Francisco Bay area. While none of these broke out nationally, one, "Brown Eyed Girl," was a near break out in Miami, Fla., for four weeks beginning on February 26, 1966, when it reached |10 on Billboard's "Regional Breakout" chart for Miami (a chart one level below their Bubbling Under charts).
Eventually John Fogerty
took control of the group, writing all of their material, singing lead vocals, and blossoming into a multi-instrumentalist who played keyboards, harmonica, and saxophone in addition to lead guitar. By 1967, he was producing the group's recordings.
In December 1967, the band changed its name to Creedence Clearwater Revival. The band's first album as Creedence Clearwater Revival was released in 1968.
In 1975 Fantasy released Pre-Creedence
, a compilation album of recordings by The Golliwogs. Fantasy also included an extensive collection of Blue Velvets and Golliwogs recordings in their 2001 CCR box set. Notably, the Blue Velvet tracks "Yes You Did" and "Now You're Not Mine" are not included, as they are thought to be lost to time.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
.
The band started out, in 1959, as an instrumental trio called The Blue Velvets. The original line up was John Fogerty
John Fogerty
John Cameron Fogerty is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known for his time with the swamp rock/roots rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival and as a #1 solo recording artist. Fogerty has a rare distinction of being named on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest...
(guitar), Stu Cook
Stu Cook
Stuart Alden Cook is an American bass guitarist, best known for his work in the rock band, Creedence Clearwater Revival....
(piano), and Doug Clifford
Doug Clifford
Doug "Cosmo" Clifford played drums in the American rock band, Creedence Clearwater Revival...
(drums). In 1960, John's older brother Tom
Tom Fogerty
Thomas Richard "Tom" Fogerty was an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist in Creedence Clearwater Revival and the elder brother of John Fogerty, lead singer and lead guitarist in that band....
, who had been in local bands since 1958, began singing with the group.
The Blue Velvets released three singles in the San Francisco Bay area, during 1961 and 1962, on Oakland's Orchestra Records. These recordings received only minimal sales although the second Blue Velvets single was added to Oakland's KEWB top 40 playlist by famed disc jockey Casey Kasem
Casey Kasem
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and...
, who was employed at the station.
Following the Orchestra singles, Tom began playing rhythm guitar in addition to remaining the lead vocalist and front man while John continued as the lead guitarist. Meanwhile, Stu Cook
Stu Cook
Stuart Alden Cook is an American bass guitarist, best known for his work in the rock band, Creedence Clearwater Revival....
switched from piano to bass guitar.
In the middle of 1964, the band recorded two songs for Fantasy Records
Fantasy Records
Fantasy Records is a United States-based record label that was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. They had previously operated a record-pressing plant called Circle Record Company before forming the Fantasy label...
, a local label based in San Francisco. The band was attracted to Fantasy because, in 1963, it had released a national hit by Vince Guaraldi
Vince Guaraldi
Vincent Anthony "Vince" Guaraldi was an Italian American jazz musician and pianist noted for his innovative compositions and arrangements and for composing music for animated adaptations of the Peanuts comic strip...
, "Cast Your Fate To The Wind". Max Weiss, one of Fantasy's co-owners initially changed the group's name to The Visions, but when their songs were released as a single, in November 1964, Weiss re-named them The Golliwogs, an apparent reference to a once-popular minstrel doll called a Golliwogg
Golliwogg
The "Golliwogg" was a character in children's books in the late 19th century and depicted as a type of rag doll. It was reproduced, both by commercial and hobby toy-makers as a children's toy called the "golliwog", and had great popularity in North America, the United Kingdom, Europe and...
. Seven singles were released in the San Francisco Bay area. While none of these broke out nationally, one, "Brown Eyed Girl," was a near break out in Miami, Fla., for four weeks beginning on February 26, 1966, when it reached |10 on Billboard's "Regional Breakout" chart for Miami (a chart one level below their Bubbling Under charts).
Eventually John Fogerty
John Fogerty
John Cameron Fogerty is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known for his time with the swamp rock/roots rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival and as a #1 solo recording artist. Fogerty has a rare distinction of being named on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest...
took control of the group, writing all of their material, singing lead vocals, and blossoming into a multi-instrumentalist who played keyboards, harmonica, and saxophone in addition to lead guitar. By 1967, he was producing the group's recordings.
In December 1967, the band changed its name to Creedence Clearwater Revival. The band's first album as Creedence Clearwater Revival was released in 1968.
In 1975 Fantasy released Pre-Creedence
Pre-Creedence
Pre-Creedence is a compilation album by The Golliwogs which changed its name to Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1968. This album was released in 1975 after the band had broken up...
, a compilation album of recordings by The Golliwogs. Fantasy also included an extensive collection of Blue Velvets and Golliwogs recordings in their 2001 CCR box set. Notably, the Blue Velvet tracks "Yes You Did" and "Now You're Not Mine" are not included, as they are thought to be lost to time.
As Tommy Fogerty & the Blue Velvets
| Title | Writer(s) | Studio | Recorded | Location | Released | Vocals | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Come on Baby" | Tom Fogerty | Orchestra 6177 | Fall 1961 | Orchestra Studios, Oakland, California | October 1961 | Tom Fogerty | |
| "Oh My Love" | Tom Fogerty | Orchestra 6177 | Fall 1961 | Orchestra Studios, Oakland, California | October 1961 | Tom Fogerty | |
| "Have You Ever Been Lonely" | John Fogerty | Orchestra 611010 | Late 1961 | Orchestra Studios, Oakland, California | Early 1962 | Tom Fogerty | |
| "Bonita" | John and Tom Fogerty | Orchestra 611010 | Late 1961 | Orchestra Studios, Oakland, California | Early 1962 | Tom Fogerty | |
| "Yes You Did" | 1962 | Orchestra Studios, Oakland, California | June 1962 | Tom Fogerty | |||
| "Now You're Not Mine" | 1962 | Orchestra Studios, Oakland, California | June 1962 | Tom Fogerty |
As The Golliwogs
| Title | Writer(s) | Studio | Recorded | Location | Released | Vocals | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Don't Tell Me No Lies" | John and Tom Fogerty | Fantasy 590 | Mid 1964 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | November 1964 | John and Tom Fogerty | |
| "Little Girl (Does Your Momma Know)" | John and Tom Fogerty | Fantasy 590 | Mid 1964 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | November 1964 | Tom Fogerty | |
| "Where You Been" | John and Tom Fogerty | Fantasy 597 | January 1965 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | April 1965 | Tom Fogerty | |
| "You Came Walking" | John and Tom Fogerty | Fantasy 597 | January 1965 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | April 1965 | Tom Fogerty | |
| "You Can't Be True" | John and Tom Fogerty | Fantasy 599 | April 1965 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | July 1965 | John Fogerty | |
| "You Got Nothin' on Me" | John and Tom Fogerty | Fantasy 599 | April 1965 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | July 1965 | John and Tom Fogerty | |
| "I Only Met You Just an Hour Ago" | John and Tom Fogerty | April 1965 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | 2001 | John Fogerty | ||
| "Brown-Eyed Girl" | John and Tom Fogerty | Scorpio 404 | August 1965 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | November 1965 | John Fogerty | |
| "You Better Be Careful" | John and Tom Fogerty | Scorpio 404 | August 1965 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | November 1965 | John Fogerty with Tom Fogerty | |
| "Gonna Hang Around" | John and Tom Fogerty | November 1965 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | 2001 | John Fogerty | ||
| "Fight Fire" | John and Tom Fogerty | Scorpio 405 | February 1966 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | March 1966 | John Fogerty | |
| "Fragile Child" | John and Tom Fogerty | Scorpio 405 | February 1966 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | March 1966 | John Fogerty | |
| "Try Try Try" | John and Tom Fogerty | February 1966 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | 2001 | John and Tom Fogerty | ||
| "She Was Mine" | John and Tom Fogerty | Early 1966 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | 2001 | John Fogerty | ||
| "Instrumental #1" | John and Tom Fogerty | Early 1966 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | 2001 | |||
| "Action USA" | radio promotional spot | June 1966 | |||||
| "Little Tina" | John and Tom Fogerty | Mid 1966 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | 2001 | John Fogerty | ||
| "Walking on the Water" | John and Tom Fogerty | Scorpio 408 | August 1966 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | September 1966 | John Fogerty | |
| "You Better Get It Before It Gets You" | John and Tom Fogerty | Scorpio 408 | August 1966 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | September 1966 | John Fogerty | |
| "Tell Me" | John and Tom Fogerty | Scorpio 410, cancelled | May 1967 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | 2001 | John Fogerty | |
| "You Can't Be True" | John and Tom Fogerty | Scorpio 410, cancelled | May 1967 | Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California | 2001 | John Fogerty | |
| "Porterville" | John Fogerty | Scorpio 412 | October 1967 | Coast Recorders, San Francisco, California | November 1967 | John Fogerty | John Fogerty |
| "Call it Pretending" | John Fogerty | Scorpio 412 | October 1967 | Coast Recorders, San Francisco, California | November 1967 | John Fogerty | John Fogerty |
- Following its release as the A-side of the last Golliwogs single, this track was re-released, in January 1968, as the A-side of the first single credited to Creedence Clearwater Revival. In July 1968, it was included on Creedence Clearwater Revival's first album.
- Following its release as the B-side of the last Golliwogs single, this track was re-released, in January 1968, as the B-side of the first single credited to Creedence Clearwater Revival.