Up Around the Bend
Encyclopedia
"Up Around the Bend" is a song
recorded by the American band, Creedence Clearwater Revival
, and written by the band's lead singer, guitarist and songwriter, John Fogerty
. The song was composed and recorded only a few days prior to the band's April 1970 European tour and was included on the album, Cosmo's Factory
.
The song is opened with a prominent, high-pitched guitar riff
played by John Fogerty. The song's lyrics
have Fogerty telling of a gathering "up around the bend" on the highway and inviting the listener to join in.
Released as a single
, with "Run Through the Jungle
" on the flipside, the double-sided single climbed to number four on the Billboard Hot 100
chart in the spring of 1970, and was certified gold
by the RIAA
for sales of over one million copies. It was also a major hit in the UK, where it reached number three on the UK Singles Chart
.
The song has been covered
by artists such as Elton John
, who recorded a version of the song early in his career, and Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks
, who covered it on their 1984 album, Two Steps from the Move
.
(1994), Michael
(1996), Remember the Titans
(2000), Invincible
(2006), and The Hoax
(2007). It was also used in the TV mini-series, From the Earth to the Moon (1998), and in an episode of My Name Is Earl
(2008).
The song was featured in the Kurt Cobain
documentary Kurt Cobain About a Son and is also available on its soundtrack
.
The song appears in the Activision
video game, Guitar Hero World Tour
.
The song is available as a playable song for the Rock Band
series of music video game
s as downloadable content.
and glam punk
band Hanoi Rocks
covered "Up Around The Bend" on their fourth studio album Two Steps From The Move
. The song was also released as a single
. The song was an early favorite of the band's rhythm guitarist Nasty Suicide
, who was listening to the song on the band's German
-tour. The label noticed that the album was missing a potential international hit, so they chose the band to cover "Up Around The Bend". The CBS
single-release also featured a press-on tattoo
of the band's rose-logo, which the band's singer, Michael Monroe
has tattooed on his right shoulder. Besides the title-track and "Don't You Ever Leave Me
", the songs featured on the singles are all taken from Hanoi Rocks' 1984 live album All Those Wasted Years.
, except where noted.
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
recorded by the American band, Creedence Clearwater Revival
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....
, and written by the band's lead singer, guitarist and songwriter, 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...
. The song was composed and recorded only a few days prior to the band's April 1970 European tour and was included on the album, Cosmo's Factory
Cosmo's Factory
Cosmo's Factory is the fifth studio album by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released by Fantasy Records in July 1970 and released as Fantasy 8402, the same month as the single release of "Lookin' out My Back Door" b/w "Long As I Can See the Light" .The name of the album comes from...
.
The song is opened with a prominent, high-pitched guitar riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
played by John Fogerty. The song's lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
have Fogerty telling of a gathering "up around the bend" on the highway and inviting the listener to join in.
Released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, with "Run Through the Jungle
Run Through the Jungle
"Run Through the Jungle" is a 1970 rock song recorded by the North American band Creedence Clearwater Revival.-History:The song was written by the Creedence's lead singer, guitarist and songwriter, John Fogerty. It was included on their 1970 album Cosmo's Factory, the group's fifth album...
" on the flipside, the double-sided single climbed to number four on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart in the spring of 1970, and was certified gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
for sales of over one million copies. It was also a major hit in the UK, where it reached number three on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
The song has been covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by artists such as Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, who recorded a version of the song early in his career, and Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band formed in 1979, whose most successful period came in the early 1980s. The band broke up in 1985 after the death of their drummer, Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley...
, who covered it on their 1984 album, Two Steps from the Move
Two Steps from the Move
Two Steps From The Move is the fourth studio album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 1984. The album was their last before disbanding after drummer Razzle's death in a car accident on December 8, 1984.-Album information:...
.
Usage in media
"Up Around the Bend" has appeared in the following films: Eau froide, L'Cold Water (film)
Cold Water is a 1994 French film written and directed by Olivier Assayas. It is about two troubled teenagers in France during the early 1970s...
(1994), Michael
Michael (1996 film)
Michael is a 1996 American fantasy film directed by Nora Ephron and released in 1996. The film stars John Travolta as the Archangel Michael, who is sent to Earth to do various tasks, including mending some wounded hearts...
(1996), Remember the Titans
Remember the Titans
Remember the Titans is a 2000 American sports film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin. Inspired by real events, the plot was conceived from a screenplay written by Gregory Allen Howard. The film starts as a new coach of the Titans, a football team previously coached by the...
(2000), Invincible
Invincible (2006 film)
Invincible is a 2006 family film directed by Ericson Core set in 1976. It is based on the true story of Vince Papale, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976–78. Mark Wahlberg portrays Papale and Greg Kinnear plays Papale's coach, Dick Vermeil...
(2006), and The Hoax
The Hoax
The Hoax is a 2007 American drama film directed by Lasse Hallström. The screenplay by William Wheeler is based on the book of the same title by Clifford Irving and focuses on the autobiography Irving supposedly helped Howard Hughes write...
(2007). It was also used in the TV mini-series, From the Earth to the Moon (1998), and in an episode of My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...
(2008).
The song was featured in the Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
documentary Kurt Cobain About a Son and is also available on its soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
.
The song appears in the Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
video game, Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...
.
The song is available as a playable song for the Rock Band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
series of music video game
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
s as downloadable content.
Hanoi Rocks version
Finnish rockRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and glam punk
Glam punk
Glam Punk is a music genre that mixes elements of glam rock with protopunk or punk rock ....
band Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band formed in 1979, whose most successful period came in the early 1980s. The band broke up in 1985 after the death of their drummer, Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley...
covered "Up Around The Bend" on their fourth studio album Two Steps From The Move
Two Steps from the Move
Two Steps From The Move is the fourth studio album by the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, released in 1984. The album was their last before disbanding after drummer Razzle's death in a car accident on December 8, 1984.-Album information:...
. The song was also released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. The song was an early favorite of the band's rhythm guitarist Nasty Suicide
Nasty Suicide
Nasty Suicide is the ex-rhythm and lead guitarist for Hanoi Rocks between 1979-1985. Hanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band that combined elements of punk, glam rock, rock and roll, and blues. Before his tenure in Hanoi Rocks, Suicide played guitar in a Finnish punk band called Briard in the late...
, who was listening to the song on the band's German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-tour. The label noticed that the album was missing a potential international hit, so they chose the band to cover "Up Around The Bend". The CBS
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
single-release also featured a press-on tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
of the band's rose-logo, which the band's singer, Michael Monroe
Michael Monroe
Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm , best known by his stage name, Michael Monroe, is a Finnish rock musician, and multi-instrumentalist who rose to fame as the vocalist for the glam punk band Hanoi Rocks, and has served as the frontman for all-star side projects, such as Demolition 23...
has tattooed on his right shoulder. Besides the title-track and "Don't You Ever Leave Me
Don't You Ever Leave Me
"Don't You Ever Leave Me" is a single by the Finnish rock and glam punk band Hanoi Rocks taken from their 1984 hit album Two Steps From The Move. The single was released by CBS....
", the songs featured on the singles are all taken from Hanoi Rocks' 1984 live album All Those Wasted Years.
Track listing
All tracks written by Andy McCoyAndy McCoy
Antti Hulkko , better known as Andy McCoy, is a Finnish musician. He is most famous for his role as the lead guitarist and main songwriter of Hanoi Rocks, but has also played with Iggy Pop....
, except where noted.
Personnel
- Michael MonroeMichael MonroeMatti Antero Kristian Fagerholm , best known by his stage name, Michael Monroe, is a Finnish rock musician, and multi-instrumentalist who rose to fame as the vocalist for the glam punk band Hanoi Rocks, and has served as the frontman for all-star side projects, such as Demolition 23...
- Lead vocals, saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846... - Andy McCoyAndy McCoyAntti Hulkko , better known as Andy McCoy, is a Finnish musician. He is most famous for his role as the lead guitarist and main songwriter of Hanoi Rocks, but has also played with Iggy Pop....
- Lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure... - Nasty SuicideNasty SuicideNasty Suicide is the ex-rhythm and lead guitarist for Hanoi Rocks between 1979-1985. Hanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band that combined elements of punk, glam rock, rock and roll, and blues. Before his tenure in Hanoi Rocks, Suicide played guitar in a Finnish punk band called Briard in the late...
- Rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Sam Yaffa - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- RazzleRazzleNicholas Dingley, alias Razzle , was the drummer of Hanoi Rocks from 1982 until his death.-Biography:...
- DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Bob EzrinBob EzrinRobert Alan "Bob" Ezrin is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, known for his work with artists including Alice Cooper, Kiss and Pink Floyd. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2004.-Biography:...
- Backing vocals