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Way back in 1952, the legendary Hank Williams released a song that he and his friend Moon Mullican had written about a Creole and Cajun dish of chicken, sausage, shrimp, rice and spices called "Jambalaya." The song spent 14 weeks at #1 on the country chart, and since then, the it's been covered by numerous artists...from Fats Domino to The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band--and even The Carpenters!
After Creedence Clearwater Revival's nasty split in 1972, singer/songwriter John Fogerty was not about to stop recording and releasing songs. But on the other hand, he wanted to put CCR as far behind him as he could.
His solution? Release a solo album--playing all the instruments and singing all the songs. But instead of naming it after himself, he created a fictional group: The Blue Ridge Rangers. And instead of filling the album with his own material, he stacked it with cover versions of country, bluegrass and gospel classics, like "Please Help Me, I'm Falling," "Have Thine Own Way, Lord," and yes, "Jambalaya."
The eclectic album was a solid hit (#47 on the Album Chart), and so was "Jambalaya" (#16 on the Hot 100!)
It had been a "Great Song" for 21 years BEFORE The Blue Ridge Rangers version, and it still was--this time, exposing a whole new generation to the genius of Hank Williams... through the genius of John Fogerty.
"Jambalaya:" A "Great Song of 1952, 1973 and all time!
Blue Ridge Rangers (John Fogerty) (1973):
Hank Williams (1952):
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