Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” Gives A Glimpse Before The Band’s Split

In 1971, American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival released the iconic rock anthem “Have You Ever Seen The Rain.” It was as a single off their sixth studio album, Pendulum. The song was such a hit, entering various charts across different countries, such as Malaysia, Norway, Australia, Austria, Belgium, and Sweden, among others.

It charted highest in Canada, climbing all the way to the No. 1 spot of Canada RPM Top Singles. In the United States, it peaked at No. 8 on Billboard Hot 100 and ranked No. 3 on Cash Box Top 100. It was indeed Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s one of the biggest hits ever.

The Meaning Behind The Song 

One of the most influential songwriters of all time, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Fogerty, was the writer of the Have You Ever Seen The Rain lyrics. It was inspired by the looming separation of Fogerty’s brother, Tom Fogerty, from Creedence Clearwater Revival – as well as the rising tension in the rock band at a time when they should be relishing their success.

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Fogerty noted that he wrote the song while the band was having hits over hits. They were rich and famous, even surpassing their wildest anticipations of stardom. Despite all of this, they found themselves miserable and depressed.

The band members perceived Fogerty as being overly controlling and domineering. On the other hand, Fogerty was distressed with his remaining bandmates’ frequent complaints about their limited artistic inputs. It was about Fogerty not allowing them to write and produce their own songs. 

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In the end, Creedence Clearwater Revival split in 1972 – a year after “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” was officially released.

“The band was breaking up,” Fogerty said about the song. “I was reacting, ‘Geez, this is all getting serious right at the time when we should be having a sunny day.'”

Tune in below and listen to Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” by playing the video below.