As an “older” American who’s always loved baseball, this video is so rich with clips from my childhood, and well before my childhood of classic, famous ball players, coaches, and moments that were already legendary when I was a kid. Yes, a great song, but Fogerty and thus video maker captured MAGIC. This is nostalgic as heck - from an era when baseball was absolutely king in America.
You may like book about last baseball stadium, got it for my dad, we would go to games and he had his transistor radio on to follow all the other game's going on. Blessed memories
first things first. the riff in this song is based off the same scale notes as la bamba (both are in the key of C). After leaving CCR, Fogerty recorded two albums in the mid 70s. The Blue Ridge Rangers and self titled John Fogerty. After that he stop recording basically fell out of the publc eye, refusing to play any CCR material in concert a protest to his legal battles with Fantasy Records and his prior band mates. In the 80s he started to warm up to his past and began writing music, the results were this album. He realized that eventhough he wrote the CCR hits, the songs belong to his fans. with this mentality, he began playing ccr songs live again. This album was a huge hit and contained several hits. Centerfield, Old Man Down The Road, and Rock N Roll Girls
From John's first solo album, " Centerfield" released in 1985, this is a upbeat and catchy tune, which reflects on John's love of baseball launched during his childhood. With a choppy percussion effect leading the way, joined by a slide quitar, bouncy organ and a thumping bass, John's voice is spot on in this great tune. He even donated a bat shaped guitar he used for the song to The Baseball Hall of Fame. Just a great tune. Great reaction Harri. Thanks Harri and Jami. 👏👏 Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦
As someone who grew up playing cricket I was introduced to baseball in my late teens. I really began to appreciate the game when sportscasters like Joe Morgan, who were former players, would explain the intricacies of the game during their broadcasts. Center field is a great song by a real American treasure John Fogerty. The opening guitar lick is very similar to that of La Bamba, good observation Harri.⚾🎶🎸
After CCR broke up the people who retained the rights to the name and music took John to court for copying their music and tried to shut him down. After deliberation the judge came out and said that John didn’t copy the sound of CCR because he was the sound of CCR and since that was his sound nobody could tell him not to sing. He went on to have much success with his music but it was a long time before he would willingly play any of his old songs at his concerts.
I wonder who played the clapping wood, reminiscent of Louisville sluggers clapping together? This was recorded in his post ccr solo career. And just from the tone likely when he met his wife and won his rights back so he could sing his own songs again. First time I saw him in concert was about then. It was..a rebirth. He was so full of joy that it was not surprising to me that a happy song like this would emerge.
The song was from the 80s, tge photos 40s to 50s, tge video clips of the Dodgers was the 50s. Some of the players mentioned were earlier than that, like Ty Cobb
What a wonderfully joyful song. Fogerty is the G. O. A. T. Edit: the brown-eyed handsome man is a reference to the great Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball's "color barrier" in the 50's by being the first Black player ever in the majors.
You're right Harri. This was Fogarty's calling card that he was playing centrefield (taking centre stage) and he did. One of his best albums. Check out 'I saw it on tv' or 'Zantz can't dance' from the same album.
Just to get you up to speed on some of the great Center Fielders ( A Primary Defensive position in baseball usually manned by one of the teams best athletes ) name checked & featured in the video . Obviously Joe DiMaggio of the Yankees & a triumvirate of men to play the position for the then 3 teams that called New York home in the 1950's , Mickey Mantle (Yankees) Willie Mays (The Giants , now of San Francisco) and Duke Snyder ( The Dodgers now of Los Angeles from their days in their original home , Brooklyn ) . In one of the longer clips , that is Jackie Robinson stealing home in a World Series game & that's Yogi Berra , the catcher , going berserk on the umpire , believing he had tagged him out . There are also several great snippets of the Great Bambino , George Herman "Babe" Ruth too, like the one of him in cowboy gear "riding" the front of a car 🙂
Yes Harri you said it perfectly! Joe DiMaggio was one of the greatest overall centerfielders of all time on perhaps the best baseball team of all time during his career.
like your take on this song even though you don’t know baseball. I agree, the guitar riff is very reminiscent of La Bamba, another great song. You asked about the era. John was lead singer for Creedance Clearwater Revival in the sixties and early seventies. This was during his single career and probably from the late seventies although the film clips were from much earlier.
No comment on Fogerty's vocals? It was around this time that his former record company (who still had the rights to CCR) sued him for "sounding too much" like himself.
Yes you are absolutely right it was in the late eighties when this song was out with the whole album and other songs by John Fogerty just a story about Joe DiMaggio he was married in the early sixties to Marilyn Monroe and when she died suddenly unexpectedly in 1963 she had a funeral in California and somehow she had something to do with the president that was going to be shot that same year Kennedy and he came to the funeral in the special Cadillac that he had and the driver got out and talked to Joe and he said no I do not want any of the Kennedys here and so they had to leave again it's on a silent video from the 60s on RUclips
John Fogerty has one of the most unique & recognizable voices around. His first solo album "The Blue Ridge Rangers" in 1973 had the hit "Jambalaya" & "Hearts Of Stone". His self-titled album "John Fogerty" in 1975 had the song "Rockin' All Over The World". His album "Centerfield" in 1985 did well & has some great songs such as "Old Man Down The Road", "Rock & Roll Girls" & "Centerfield".
I never thought about it since I spent a huge portion of my life on a baseball field but somebody from another country would have a hard time making sense of this. "Well, I spent some time in the Mudville Nine Watching it from the bench You know I took some lumps When the Mighty Casey struck out So say, "Hey Willie, tell Ty Cobb and Joe DiMaggio" Don't say it ain't so you, know the time is now"
Don't worry about not knowing the game. It's nothing like it used to be, but it's all we got. I'll always love baseball.... That being said, Phillies/Rangers looking good for this year.
Really great song, and you nailed it Harri. It was an homage to baseball and how every spring every team is reborn with a chance to make this 'THEIR' year. But it was also Fogerty wanting to take center stage again as well. And using 'Centerfield' as the position was a natural choice for someone of his generation. He grew up in a time when the 3 best centerfielders were all in New York City - Duke Snider (Dodgers), Willie Mays (Giants) and Dimaggio (Yankees). That was the golden era of baseball. Of course Fogerty grew up in California - but tuning into the national game of the week on a Saturday in the 1950s you were almost guaranteed to see one of those teams playing.
Maybe hard for a Brit to understand, but this game is a welcome respite from the daily world...the quintessential American sport...good job of reviewing...and yes, DiMaggio was our hero...
Baseball is the greatest game ever.. so sad it has been so mutilated over time. It used to be the only game that didn’t have a time clock. That was what was so beautiful about the game. It went along at its own pace and time. I just can’t understand why you’d want to shorten a baseball game! It’s the only game where the Defense has the ball. I just love it. No matter how the stupid suits try to wreck it, I’ll always love it. Also a shame that you virtually have to pay extra to watch it, now. Not all teams, but a number of them.
MLB baseball comes to London every year now and the English National team made it to the semi-finals in the World Baseball Classic this year. So there is more baseball than you think is over there
Harri: I always enjoy your reactions. Glad to see that the baseball song still translates to listeners across the pond. And you’re right, it seems like the theme of the song is “I can’t wait to show everyone what I can do - it’s going to be great!” etc. another note: The lyric “Brown eyed handsome man” refers to a song by that name which is an homage to Jackie Robinson, who was the first African-American to play in the major leagues, thus de-segregating the sport. American history isn’t very pretty regarding this topic, but Robinson’s story is one we should continue to celebrate and tell our kids.
John made a great comeback in his later years. I saw his band on PBS 10 yrs ago or so and they were great ! His son was so good on guitar I thought maybe he was better than his Dad.
Try "I Saw it on TV" from the same album (Centerfield). The famous explanation of Baseball is "You throw the ball, you hit the ball, you catch the ball"
Written by John Fogerty. He played all the instruments in this album, same name. He wrote many of his songs for this album while he was at a BART station 🚉. I did ride the BART but did not know that was him! L 🤣 L He got Dwayne Murphy, the Oakland Athletics Centerfielder in 1985, to present the music video on MTV. Nobody plays baseball ⚾️ in boots 👢. I did try Centerfield when I played baseball ⚾️ in grade school and high school 🏫. I later moved to other positions. I had the arm 💪 but was too slow for Centerfield! L 🤣 L Controversy. 1 song Old Man Down the Road provoked Saul Zaentz, owner if Fantasy Studios , leading to a lawsuit, he vs Fogerty. But proving that that song has the same chorus as Run through the Jungle backfired. 🙄 This was proven to be true for the match. Thus, the judge ruled that a person cannot sue himself. This was what Zaentz attempted to do. Fogery put out Zaentz. Fogerty knows how to play ball ⚾️ in the San Francisco federal court system ⚖ L 🤣L
I’ve always thought about this song as a boy or a man going to watch a baseball game with the man believing he could play, so put him in coach, or the boy dreaming of playing in the big leagues. Great song. Most American boys grew up playing baseball where size didn’t matter.
An anthem to America's love of baseball!! It's inborn, and every little boy's dream. I very highly recommend the movie "A League of their Own". During WW2, the men were all off fighting... so to keep up morale, the WOMEN played! The game must go on! It's a must see.
This was when baseball was a sport not a big business. From the mid 60s to 70 I had 100% interest in baseball now 0. Big money ruined it for me players have agents . Very good song this was Johns comeback song in the 80s. Old Man down the Road is good also.
When he wrote this he was still fighting his label to regain the rights to the songs he wrote for Creedane ~ it's crazy to be accused of stealing from your own songs ~ All the songs on the Centerfield album were great,but like baseball the songs used a lot of reference to things you had to grow up in America in the 50's to understand
Love John, CCR and this song and video
Love this song.
Great tune.
❤❤❤❤❤
As an “older” American who’s always loved baseball, this video is so rich with clips from my childhood, and well before my childhood of classic, famous ball players, coaches, and moments that were already legendary when I was a kid. Yes, a great song, but Fogerty and thus video maker captured MAGIC. This is nostalgic as heck - from an era when baseball was absolutely king in America.
You may like book about last baseball stadium, got it for my dad, we would go to games and he had his transistor radio on to follow all the other game's going on. Blessed memories
Not just can I play centerfield, but I can BE centerfield!
This song is in the Baseball Hall of Fame
It's the only song they play .
John Fogerty was CCR. He did a Live concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 07. He was there in 1970. Legendary 🏆. Good Family.
first things first. the riff in this song is based off the same scale notes as la bamba (both are in the key of C).
After leaving CCR, Fogerty recorded two albums in the mid 70s. The Blue Ridge Rangers and self titled John Fogerty. After that he stop recording basically fell out of the publc eye, refusing to play any CCR material in concert a protest to his legal battles with Fantasy Records and his prior band mates. In the 80s he started to warm up to his past and began writing music, the results were this album. He realized that eventhough he wrote the CCR hits, the songs belong to his fans. with this mentality, he began playing ccr songs live again.
This album was a huge hit and contained several hits. Centerfield, Old Man Down The Road, and Rock N Roll Girls
Great song. John's very talented. He'll of a great game
Absolutely awesome song and showing baseball in great times. ❤
You need to go down the John Fogerty hole sir. I have always thought that he was one of the most underated guitar players ever in rock n roll
From John's first solo album, " Centerfield" released in 1985, this is a upbeat and catchy tune, which reflects on John's love of baseball launched during his childhood.
With a choppy percussion effect leading the way, joined by a slide quitar, bouncy organ and a thumping bass, John's voice is spot on in this great tune. He even donated a bat shaped guitar he used for the song to The Baseball Hall of Fame. Just a great tune. Great reaction Harri. Thanks Harri and Jami. 👏👏 Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦
I think you meant 1985. I had this album.
His first solo album came out in 73
@dagmar.6954 Thank you. Typo. 👍✌️🎶🇨🇦
@@Michael-mv3kcTypo. Thank you. 👍✌️🎶🇨🇦
I think you mean a bat-shaped guitar not ball-shaped.
As someone who grew up playing cricket I was introduced to baseball in my late teens. I really began to appreciate the game when sportscasters like Joe Morgan, who were former players, would explain the intricacies of the game during their broadcasts. Center field is a great song by a real American treasure John Fogerty. The opening guitar lick is very similar to that of La Bamba, good observation Harri.⚾🎶🎸
Just put me in coach!!
This song and John Fogerty are a national treasure. Baseball will always be the American pastime and marks our history as the game moves on.
After CCR broke up the people who retained the rights to the name and music took John to court for copying their music and tried to shut him down. After deliberation the judge came out and said that John didn’t copy the sound of CCR because he was the sound of CCR and since that was his sound nobody could tell him not to sing. He went on to have much success with his music but it was a long time before he would willingly play any of his old songs at his concerts.
My dad loved this song and always sang it on Baseball opening day
Great request and reaction
I had this CD. it’s fantastic. Thanks for playing this great song. ❤ it mentions all the old great players. Mickey the Duke and joe DiMaggio
I saw John playing this song on tv and his guitar bas built like a baseball bat. It was so cool. Great song.
The bat guitar is shown before the video starts.
I wonder who played the clapping wood, reminiscent of Louisville sluggers clapping together? This was recorded in his post ccr solo career. And just from the tone likely when he met his wife and won his rights back so he could sing his own songs again. First time I saw him in concert was about then. It was..a rebirth. He was so full of joy that it was not surprising to me that a happy song like this would emerge.
The song was from the 80s, tge photos 40s to 50s, tge video clips of the Dodgers was the 50s. Some of the players mentioned were earlier than that, like Ty Cobb
Great pick JamiA and perfect timing during baseball playoffs !!!👍👍👍
Looks like most moving pictures are from late 1940s through early 1960s. Joe DiMaggio, (say hey) Willie Mays, and other Hall of Famers
What a wonderfully joyful song. Fogerty is the G. O. A. T.
Edit: the brown-eyed handsome man is a reference to the great Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball's "color barrier" in the 50's by being the first Black player ever in the majors.
And a reference to the Chuck Berry song
@@tkingsley5761Wow, I haven't heard that song in years...
@@tkingsley5761 An homage to Chuck Berry and Jackie Robinson. Can you get any more epic?
great song
Awe back when the MLB was pure and fun....no more.
You're right Harri. This was Fogarty's calling card that he was playing centrefield (taking centre stage) and he did. One of his best albums. Check out 'I saw it on tv' or 'Zantz can't dance' from the same album.
Wow I wasn't aware that American baseball wasn't sometimes broadcast in the UK! Shocked!
Just to get you up to speed on some of the great Center Fielders ( A Primary Defensive position in baseball usually manned by one of the teams best athletes ) name checked & featured in the video . Obviously Joe DiMaggio of the Yankees & a triumvirate of men to play the position for the then 3 teams that called New York home in the 1950's , Mickey Mantle (Yankees) Willie Mays (The Giants , now of San Francisco) and Duke Snyder ( The Dodgers now of Los Angeles from their days in their original home , Brooklyn ) . In one of the longer clips , that is Jackie Robinson stealing home in a World Series game & that's Yogi Berra , the catcher , going berserk on the umpire , believing he had tagged him out . There are also several great snippets of the Great Bambino , George Herman "Babe" Ruth too, like the one of him in cowboy gear "riding" the front of a car 🙂
Great choice Jami. I’ve always loved this song. I absolutely love John Fogerty’s voice. Good reaction. Thanks Harri and Jami 🌺✌️
Yes Harri you said it perfectly! Joe DiMaggio was one of the greatest overall centerfielders of all time on perhaps the best baseball team of all time during his career.
like your take on this song even though you don’t know baseball. I agree, the guitar riff is very reminiscent of La Bamba, another great song.
You asked about the era. John was lead singer for Creedance Clearwater Revival in the sixties and early seventies. This was during his single career and probably from the late seventies although the film clips were from much earlier.
No comment on Fogerty's vocals? It was around this time that his former record company (who still had the rights to CCR) sued him for "sounding too much" like himself.
Yes you are absolutely right it was in the late eighties when this song was out with the whole album and other songs by John Fogerty just a story about Joe DiMaggio he was married in the early sixties to Marilyn Monroe and when she died suddenly unexpectedly in 1963 she had a funeral in California and somehow she had something to do with the president that was going to be shot that same year Kennedy and he came to the funeral in the special Cadillac that he had and the driver got out and talked to Joe and he said no I do not want any of the Kennedys here and so they had to leave again it's on a silent video from the 60s on RUclips
I remember this song, I think it was late 70's or early 80's. 😊 glad you enjoyed my stroll down memory lane.
This album was released in 1985
This is a love letter to baseball: America's pastime.❤ We'll forgive you for not understanding, our friend across the pond. 🙂
I saw it on tv..... is another one from the Centrefield album worth checking out...One of my all time favourite albums
John Fogerty has one of the most unique & recognizable voices around. His first solo album "The Blue Ridge Rangers" in 1973 had the hit "Jambalaya" & "Hearts Of Stone". His self-titled album "John Fogerty" in 1975 had the song "Rockin' All Over The World". His album "Centerfield" in 1985 did well & has some great songs such as "Old Man Down The Road", "Rock & Roll Girls" & "Centerfield".
I have family in Vero Beach. So ive seen games during spring training in the local fields.
Look up "Walk of Lufe" by Dire Straits, sowcifically their sports blooper version. It will brighten your day! Bless you.
I never thought about it since I spent a huge portion of my life on a baseball field but somebody from another country would have a hard time making sense of this.
"Well, I spent some time in the Mudville Nine
Watching it from the bench
You know I took some lumps
When the Mighty Casey struck out
So say, "Hey Willie, tell Ty Cobb and Joe DiMaggio"
Don't say it ain't so you, know the time is now"
i use to be able to sticoto pluck the end solo from la bamba on my violin, thatswhen i relised music is fun, i was about 12 at the yime
You've got to do CCR "Midnight Special" and "Some Day Never Comes"
Don't worry about not knowing the game. It's nothing like it used to be, but it's all we got. I'll always love baseball....
That being said, Phillies/Rangers looking good for this year.
All the players mentioned are famous past players from past decades......
With a few exceptions John Fogerty played all the instruments on this album.
Really great song, and you nailed it Harri. It was an homage to baseball and how every spring every team is reborn with a chance to make this 'THEIR' year. But it was also Fogerty wanting to take center stage again as well.
And using 'Centerfield' as the position was a natural choice for someone of his generation. He grew up in a time when the 3 best centerfielders were all in New York City - Duke Snider (Dodgers), Willie Mays (Giants) and Dimaggio (Yankees). That was the golden era of baseball. Of course Fogerty grew up in California - but tuning into the national game of the week on a Saturday in the 1950s you were almost guaranteed to see one of those teams playing.
Maybe hard for a Brit to understand, but this game is a welcome respite from the daily world...the quintessential American sport...good job of reviewing...and yes, DiMaggio was our hero...
Baseball is the greatest game ever.. so sad it has been so mutilated over time. It used to be the only game that didn’t have a time clock. That was what was so beautiful about the game. It went along at its own pace and time. I just can’t understand why you’d want to shorten a baseball game! It’s the only game where the Defense has the ball. I just love it. No matter how the stupid suits try to wreck it, I’ll always love it. Also a shame that you virtually have to pay extra to watch it, now. Not all teams, but a number of them.
MLB baseball comes to London every year now and the English National team made it to the semi-finals in the World Baseball Classic this year. So there is more baseball than you think is over there
It's just like soccer for European countries my grandson has played since he's been 3 and a half that's the age they begin here
Or hockey in Canada. If you can't skate by age 2 your parents didn't teach you right!
Harri: I always enjoy your reactions. Glad to see that the baseball song still translates to listeners across the pond. And you’re right, it seems like the theme of the song is “I can’t wait to show everyone what I can do - it’s going to be great!” etc. another note: The lyric “Brown eyed handsome man” refers to a song by that name which is an homage to Jackie Robinson, who was the first African-American to play in the major leagues, thus de-segregating the sport. American history isn’t very pretty regarding this topic, but Robinson’s story is one we should continue to celebrate and tell our kids.
John made a great comeback in his later years. I saw his band on PBS 10 yrs ago or so and they were great ! His son was so good on guitar I thought maybe he was better than his Dad.
Try "I Saw it on TV" from the same album (Centerfield). The famous explanation of Baseball is "You throw the ball, you hit the ball, you catch the ball"
No, it's about someone wanting to get out there and play centerfield.
Written by John Fogerty. He played all the instruments in this album, same name.
He wrote many of his songs for this album while he was at a BART station 🚉. I did ride the BART but did not know that was him! L 🤣 L He got Dwayne Murphy, the Oakland Athletics Centerfielder in 1985, to present the music video on MTV.
Nobody plays baseball ⚾️ in boots 👢.
I did try Centerfield when I played baseball ⚾️ in grade school and high school 🏫. I later moved to other positions. I had the arm 💪 but was too slow for Centerfield! L 🤣 L
Controversy. 1 song Old Man Down the Road provoked Saul Zaentz, owner if Fantasy Studios , leading to a lawsuit, he vs Fogerty. But proving that that song has the same chorus as Run through the Jungle backfired. 🙄 This was proven to be true for the match. Thus, the judge ruled that a person cannot sue himself. This was what Zaentz attempted to do. Fogery put out Zaentz. Fogerty knows how to play ball ⚾️ in the San Francisco federal court system ⚖ L 🤣L
I’ve always thought about this song as a boy or a man going to watch a baseball game with the man believing he could play, so put him in coach, or the boy dreaming of playing in the big leagues. Great song. Most American boys grew up playing baseball where size didn’t matter.
This was around the time when John was accused of plagiarizing himself from when he was the leader of CCR. I always found that hilarious.
An anthem to America's love of baseball!! It's inborn, and every little boy's dream. I very highly recommend the movie "A League of their Own". During WW2, the men were all off fighting... so to keep up morale, the WOMEN played! The game must go on! It's a must see.
A loving tribute to a great sport! Go Dodgers!
This was when baseball was a sport not a big business. From the mid 60s to 70 I had 100% interest in baseball now 0. Big money ruined it for me players have agents . Very good song this was Johns comeback song in the 80s. Old Man down the Road is good also.
the vids didnt match the time of the song--vids were from the 30s40s 50s..song was from 80s. it was nostalgia...DiMaggio,Mays ,Ruth etcetcetc
When he wrote this he was still fighting his label to regain the rights to the songs he wrote for Creedane ~ it's crazy to be accused of stealing from your own songs ~ All the songs on the Centerfield album were great,but like baseball the songs used a lot of reference to things you had to grow up in America in the 50's to understand
CCR baby!!!
John Fogerty solo
No ,to la bambana.