Mardi Gras (album)

Mardi Gras is the seventh and final studio album by American band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released on April 11, 1972. Recorded after the departure of guitarist Tom Fogerty, it was their only album as a trio, with the group also sharing lead vocals on select tracks. The group disbanded after this album was released.

Mardi Gras
Studio album by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Released	April 11, 1972
Recorded	Spring 1971 January 1972
Studio	Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco, California Fantasy Records Studio A in Berkeley, California[1]
Genre	Country rock swamp rock
Length	28:20
Label	Fantasy
Producer	Doug Clifford Stu Cook John Fogerty
Creedence Clearwater Revival chronology
Pendulum (1970) Mardi Gras (1972) Creedence Gold (1972)
Singles from Mardi Gras
"Sweet Hitch-Hiker"/"Door to Door" Released: July 1971 (U.S.) "Someday Never Comes"/"Tearin' up the Country" Released: May 1972 (U.S.)

Overview

Unlike previous albums, Mardi Gras had Stu Cook and Doug Clifford sharing songwriting and production with John Fogerty, as well as their own lead vocal contributions for the first time. Reviews were mixed to poor, with Jon Landau stating in his original Rolling Stone review that the record was "the worst album I have ever heard from a major rock band", and may be known in the future as "Fogerty's Revenge".[2] Following the album's release, the group was officially dissolved on October 16, 1972 in a statement released by the group and its record label Fantasy Records. Mardi Gras is the only album by the band that was not remastered and reissued until the 40th anniversary of their formation, in 2008.

Production

Previously, bandleader John Fogerty sang all lead vocals, created the song arrangements and composed all the band's original material. Older brother Tom Fogerty had departed after a dispute which was in large part caused by his desire to play a larger creative role, and John's insistence on being the band's only singer/songwriter/business manager.

For Mardi Gras, remaining members Stu Cook and Doug Clifford shared the writing, singing, and production duties. Fogerty contributed only three original songs, and sang a fourth lead on a cover of the 1961 Ricky Nelson hit "Hello Mary Lou". Clifford and Cook each wrote and sang the lead vocals on three songs. The album was a commercial success peaking at #12 and going gold. The album contained two Top 40 singles, both of which were contributed by Fogerty: the raucous "Sweet Hitch-Hiker" and the wistful swan song "Someday Never Comes".

All songs were recorded in January 1972, except "Door to Door" and "Sweet Hitch-Hiker" which were recorded in the Spring of 1971.

Recording sessions for Mardi Gras were fraught with conflict. According to Cook and Clifford, it was Fogerty's idea for all members to contribute songs equally, despite their reservations.[3] They believed Fogerty was bitter over Tom Fogerty's departure and their own requests to have additional say in the group's musical decisions. Both also believed Fogerty was looking for an excuse to break up CCR to pursue a solo career. When Clifford and Cook at first demurred at the idea of having to supply two-thirds of the album's material themselves, Fogerty threatened to quit the band outright. Fogerty also refused to contribute any vocals or instrumentation to Cook and Clifford's songs, except for guitar. Mounting financial and legal woes compounded the fragile situation, leading CCR to disband shortly after the Mardi Gras tour ended.[3]

Mardi Gras was remastered on 180 Gram Vinyl by Analogue Productions in 2006. The album was re-released in remastered format as a Japan exclusive in January 2011. A remastered version of the album had previously been featured internationally on the 40th anniversary CCR box set, but not as a stand-alone album.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Christgau's Record Guide	B[5]
Creem	A–[6]

Reviews were mixed to poor, and Jon Landau said in his May 26, 1976 review for Rolling Stone that "In the future, Mardi Gras may be known as Fogerty's Revenge".[2][7]

In 1976, John Fogerty told Rolling Stone magazine "I figured that Creedence made six albums. Let me count... the first one, Bayou Country, Green River, Willy and the Poor Boys, Cosmo's Factory, Pendulum... yeah, six. I wouldn’t even count Mardi Gras and neither would anybody else. I had no control over anything after that. The rest is horse manure. Baloney."[8]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead singer	Length
1.	"Lookin' for a Reason"	John Fogerty	John Fogerty	3:28
2.	"Take It Like a Friend"	Stu Cook	Stu Cook	3:00
3.	"Need Someone to Hold"	Stu Cook, Doug Clifford	Doug Clifford	3:01
4.	"Tearin' Up the Country"	Doug Clifford	Doug Clifford	2:15
5.	"Someday Never Comes"	John Fogerty	John Fogerty	4:01

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead singer	Length
1.	"What Are You Gonna Do"	Doug Clifford	Doug Clifford	2:42
2.	"Sail Away"	Stu Cook	Stu Cook	2:28
3.	"Hello Mary Lou"	Gene Pitney, Cayet Mangiaracina	John Fogerty	2:14
4.	"Door to Door"	Stu Cook	Stu Cook	2:09
5.	"Sweet Hitch-Hiker"	John Fogerty	John Fogerty	2:59

Personnel

• John Fogerty – vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, keyboards, harmonica
• Stu Cook – vocals, bass, lead and rhythm guitars, keyboards
• Doug Clifford – vocals, drums

Production

• Producers: Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, John Fogerty
• Engineer: Russ Gary
• Mastering supervisor: Tamaki Beck
• Mastering: Shigeo Miyamoto
• Remastering: George Horn
• Arrangers: Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, John Fogerty
• Art direction: Tony Lane
• Design: Tony Lane
• Cover design: Tony Lane
• Photography: Bob Fogerty, Baron Wolman
• Liner notes (CD): Craig Werner

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1972	US Billboard Top 200	#12
	Germany[9]	#10
	Norway[10]	#5
	Netherlands[11]	#2

Singles

Year	Single	Position
		Pop Singles	UK Top 40
July 1971	"Sweet Hitch-Hiker"/ "Door to Door"	#6	#36
May 1972	"Someday Never Comes"/ "Tearin' Up the Country"	#25	—

Citation

1. Gary, Russ (15 May 2006). "Who plays what instruments on Creedence Mardi Gras". forums.stevehoffman.tv. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
2. Rolling Stone review, Jon Landau, May 26, 1976. Accessed Jan. 21, 2015.
3. The Classics with Steve Downs
4. AllMusic review
5. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Creedence Clearwater Revival: Mardi Gras". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the '70s. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0306804093. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
6. Christgau, Robert (August 1972). "The Christgau Consumer Guide". Creem. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
7. Bad Moon Rising: The Unauthorized History of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Hank Bordowitz, Chicago Review Press, Jul 1, 2007. p. 143. Accessed via Google Books Jan. 31, 2015.
8. Fogerty, John (May 6, 1976). "John's Clearwater Credo: Proud Fogerty Post-Creedence". Rolling Stone (Interview). Interviewed by Cameron Crowe.
9. Germany Chart Position
10. Norway Chart Position
11. Netherlands Chart Position