On This Day in 1969: Creedence Clearwater Revival Scored Its First No. 1 Album on the ‘Billboard’ 200 with ‘Green River’

1969 was a banner year for Creedence Clearwater Revival. During the year, the Bay Area roots-rock act led by John Fogerty released three studio albums, scored four Top-Five hits on the Billboard Hot 100, played at the historic Woodstock festival, and became one of the most popular bands on the planet.

Green River was the second of the trio of studio efforts CCR released in 1969, and on October 4, it became their first album to top the Billboard 200 chart.

Green River was issued on August 7, about a week before the band played Woodstock. It replaced U.K. supergroup Blind Faith’s self-titled debut atop the tally, and spent four weeks at No. 1. Green River was knocked from the pinnacle by The Beatles’ classic Abbey Road.

Green River was produced by Fogerty and recorded at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco. The album featured nine tracks, eight of which were Fogerty originals. The ninth and final tune on the record was a cover of the 1959 Ray Charles R&B hit “Night Time Is the Right Time.”

About Green River’s Noteworthy Songs

Green River included two hit singles, “Bad Moon Rising” and the title track. Both songs were released in advance of the album, in April and July, respectively, and both peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The singles’ respective B-sides, “Lodi” and “Commotion,” also were popular, reaching No. 52 and No. 30 on the Hot 100.

[RELATED: John Fogerty Is Keeping His Celebration Tour Going into 2025 with a New Series of Las Vegas Residency Shows]

In addition, Green River featured the enduring ballad “Wrote a Song for Everyone.” Fogerty has revealed that the tune was inspired by marital issues he was having with his first wife at the time. The song later served as the title track of John’s 2013 duets album, for which he recorded a new version of the tune with Miranda Lambert and Tom Morello.

Green River was CCR’s third album overall. Their self-titled debut was released in July 1968, while their sophomore effort, Bayou Country, arrived in January 1969. Creedence followed up Green River with Willy and the Poor Boys, which was released in October of ’69.

The band topped the Billboard 200 for a second and final time with its classic fifth album, Cosmo’s Factory. The record was released in July 1970.

In December 1991, Green River was certified triple-platinum by the RIAA for sales of more than 3 million copies in the U.S. The four-times-platinum Cosmo’s Factory is CCR’s only studio album to sell more copies in the States.

Fogerty Upcoming Performance Plans

Fogerty has one remaining concert on his 2024 itinerary. That show is scheduled for October 19 at the Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville, California. The 79-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer also recently announced plans to play Las Vegas residency shows on January 22, 24, and 25 at the Encore Theater, located at the Wynn Las Vegas resort.

Tickets for Fogerty’s concerts are available now via various outlets, including StubHub.

Green River Track List:

Side One

1. “Green River”
2. “Commotion”
3. “Tombstone Shadow”
4. “Wrote a Song for Everyone”

Side Two

1. “Bad Moon Rising”
2. “Lodi”
3. “Cross-Tie Walker”
4. “Sinister Purpose”
5. “The Night Time Is the Right Time”

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