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| cover      = Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo's Factory.jpg
| cover      = Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo's Factory.jpg
| alt        =
| alt        =
| released  = {{Start date|1970|07|08}}<ref>Cash Box July 16, 1970, page 42</ref>
| released  = {{Start date|1970|07|08}}<ref>Cash Box July 25, 1970, page 42</ref>
| recorded  = 1969–1970
| recorded  = 1969–1970
| venue      =
| venue      =
| studio    = [[Wally Heider Studios|Wally Heider]] ([[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]])
| studio    = [[Wally Heider Studios|Wally Heider]] ([[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]])
| genre      = [[Rock music|Rock]]<ref name=PF/>
| genre      = {{hlist|[[Rock music|Rock]]<ref name=PF/>|[[swamp rock]]}}
* [[Swamp rock]]
| length    = {{Duration|m=42|s=28}}
| length    = {{Duration|m=42|s=28}}
| label      = [[Fantasy Records|Fantasy]]
| label      = [[Fantasy Records|Fantasy]]
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}}
}}


'''''Cosmo's Factory''''' is the fifth studio album by the American [[Rock music|rock]] band [[Creedence Clearwater Revival]], released by [[Fantasy Records]] on July 8, 1970. Six of the album's eleven tracks were released as singles in 1970, and all of them charted in the top 5 of the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]. The album spent nine consecutive weeks in the number one position on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart and was certified 4x [[RIAA certification|platinum]] by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA) in 1990. ''[[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|Rolling Stone]]'' ranked it number 413 on its 2020 list of the "[[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|500 Greatest Albums of All Time]]".
'''''Cosmo's Factory''''' is the fifth studio album by the American [[Rock music|rock]] band [[Creedence Clearwater Revival]], released by [[Fantasy Records]] on July 8, 1970. Six of the album's eleven tracks were released as singles in 1970, and all of them charted in the top 5 of the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]. The album spent nine consecutive weeks in the number one position on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart and was certified [[RIAA certification|platinum]] by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA) in 1990. ''[[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|Rolling Stone]]'' ranked it number 413 on its 2020 list of the "[[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|500 Greatest Albums of All Time]]".


==Background==
==Background==
With the release of ''Cosmo's Factory'' in July 1970, Creedence Clearwater Revival hit their commercial zenith. It was their fifth album in two years and became an international success, topping the album charts in six countries.<ref name="Kent">{{cite book |title=Australian Chart Book 1970-1992 |last=Kent |first=David |year=1993 |publisher=Australian Chart Book |author-link=David Kent (historian) |isbn=0-646-11917-6}}</ref><ref name="RPM">{{cite journal |date=August 29, 1970 |title=100 Albums |journal=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]] |volume=14 |issue=2 |format=PHP |access-date=April 13, 2011 |url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.4196&type=2&interval=20&PHPSESSID=m89iq841abagb37ld9c0fdc1f3 |archive-date=October 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020074946/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.4196&type=2&interval=20&PHPSESSID=m89iq841abagb37ld9c0fdc1f3 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ID">{{cite web |url=http://www.infodisc.fr/Album_C.php |title=Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste |work=InfoDisc |language=fr |format=PHP |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150720203219/http://www.infodisc.fr/Album_C.php |archive-date=July 20, 2015 }} Look for "CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL" under the drop-down menu.</ref><ref name="VG">{{cite web |url=http://lista.vg.no/album_info.php?AlbumOp=show&albumId=3239&albumtype=album |title=Album Info: ''Cosmo's Factory'' – Creedence Clearwater Revival |work=[[VG-lista]] |language=no |format=PHP |access-date=April 13, 2011}}</ref><ref name="AMC">{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=creedence-clearwater-revival-p3985/charts-awards/billboard-albums|pure_url=yes}} |title=Creedence Clearwater Revival – Billboard Albums |work=[[AllMusic]] |publisher=Rovi Corporation |access-date=November 11, 2010}}</ref><ref name="UK">{{cite web |url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/creedence%20clearwater%20revival/ |title=Artist Chart History: Creedence Clearwater Revival |work=[[The Official Charts Company]] |access-date=April 13, 2011}}</ref> The band also toured Europe in 1970, playing London's [[Royal Albert Hall]] among other venues, and had emerged as the most popular band in America by largely ignoring the trippy [[acid rock]] that was typical of the era.{{fact|date=June 2023}} However, despite the band's blend of [[rockabilly]], folk, and R&B, some peers and rock critics dismissed them as a singles band with no substance.{{fact|date=June 2023}} In a 2012 cover story, ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]'' observed: "While San Francisco longhairs across the bridge scoffed at their commercialism, Creedence henceforth made a point of releasing double A-sides. And invariably both songs{{clarify|date=June 2023}} would have an uncanny knack of cutting through to all sections of the population." Singer and lead guitarist John Fogerty, who had seemingly arrived out of nowhere, but had actually struggled with his bandmates throughout most of the 1960s as the Blue Velvets and the [[Golliwogs]], composed the group's songs and generally steered the band artistically, although his grip on the band – including his dubious{{clarify|date=June 2023}} role as manager – irritated the others, especially his older brother [[Tom Fogerty]], who left the band by the end of 1970. This was the final album that featured John’s [[Rickenbacker 325]] “ACME” guitar with it only appearing on “Who’ll Stop The Rain” with that was recorded way earlier than the rest of album in September 1969, it was after this that John abandoned his Ric 325 in favor of a pair Les Paul Customs. The rest of the album was recorded with a pair of 1968 [[Gibson Les Paul Custom]]s one stock for Open D Tuning and the other heavily modified with a 3/4 scale and Bigsby B5 Vibrato bar for standard tuning. These two Les Pauls were his main guitars from September 1969 all the way to band’s disbandment in 1972.
''Cosmo's Factory'' was CCR's fifth album in two years to became an international success, topping the album charts in six countries.<ref name="Kent">{{cite book |title=Australian Chart Book 1970-1992 |last=Kent |first=David |year=1993 |publisher=Australian Chart Book |author-link=David Kent (historian) |isbn=0-646-11917-6}}</ref><ref name="RPM">{{cite journal |date=August 29, 1970 |title=100 Albums |journal=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]] |volume=14 |issue=2 |format=PHP |access-date=April 13, 2011 |url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.4196&type=2&interval=20&PHPSESSID=m89iq841abagb37ld9c0fdc1f3 |archive-date=October 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020074946/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.4196&type=2&interval=20&PHPSESSID=m89iq841abagb37ld9c0fdc1f3 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ID">{{cite web |url=http://www.infodisc.fr/Album_C.php |title=Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste |work=InfoDisc |language=fr |format=PHP |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150720203219/http://www.infodisc.fr/Album_C.php |archive-date=July 20, 2015 }} Look for "CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL" under the drop-down menu.</ref><ref name="VG">{{cite web |url=http://lista.vg.no/album_info.php?AlbumOp=show&albumId=3239&albumtype=album |title=Album Info: ''Cosmo's Factory'' – Creedence Clearwater Revival |work=[[VG-lista]] |language=no |format=PHP |access-date=April 13, 2011}}</ref><ref name="AMC">{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=creedence-clearwater-revival-p3985/charts-awards/billboard-albums|pure_url=yes}} |title=Creedence Clearwater Revival – Billboard Albums |work=[[AllMusic]] |publisher=Rovi Corporation |access-date=November 11, 2010}}</ref><ref name="UK">{{cite web |url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/creedence%20clearwater%20revival/ |title=Artist Chart History: Creedence Clearwater Revival |work=[[The Official Charts Company]] |access-date=April 13, 2011}}</ref>  


==Songs==
==Songs==
Perhaps more than any other Creedence album, ''Cosmo's Factory'' displays the wide range of musical ingredients that provided the foundation for their "[[swamp rock]]" sound: [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] ("[[Before You Accuse Me]]", "[[My Baby Left Me]]"), soul ("[[I Heard It Through the Grapevine]]", "[[Long As I Can See the Light]]"), country ("[[Lookin' Out My Back Door]]"), rockabilly and classic rock and roll ("[[Ooby Dooby]]", "[[Travelin' Band]]"), and psychedelia ("[[Ramble Tamble]]").
''Cosmo's Factory'' displays the wide range of musical ingredients that provided the foundation for their "[[swamp rock]]" sound: [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] ("[[Before You Accuse Me]]", "[[My Baby Left Me]]"), soul ("[[I Heard It Through the Grapevine]]", "[[Long As I Can See the Light]]"), country ("[[Lookin' Out My Back Door]]"), rockabilly and classic rock and roll ("[[Ooby Dooby]]", "[[Travelin' Band]]"), and psychedelia ("[[Ramble Tamble]]").


"Travelin' Band" was inspired by 1950s rock 'n' roll songs, particularly those by [[Little Richard]]. In October 1972, the company that held the publishing rights to Richard's "[[Good Golly, Miss Molly]]" felt "Travelin' Band" bore enough similarities to warrant a plagiarism lawsuit that was later settled out of court. The song's flip side, "[[Who'll Stop the Rain (song)|Who'll Stop the Rain]]", could not have been more different, with Fogerty telling ''Uncut'' in 2012: "'Travelin' Band' was my salute to Little Richard, but 'Who'll Stop The Rain?' was part of the fabric of the times. From '68 to '74, [[Vietnam]] was probably the most important thing on the minds of young people." "[[Run Through the Jungle]]" mined similar territory, with many listeners believing the lyrics to be about the war (although the song was actually about the prevalence of guns in the United States).<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Grow |first=Kory |date=2016-01-12 |title=John Fogerty: 'Run Through the Jungle' Plea for Gun Control |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/john-fogerty-run-through-the-jungle-is-plea-for-gun-control-60581/ |access-date=2025-03-17 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> According to the band's bassist [[Stu Cook]], the song's opening and closing both feature jungle [[sound effects]] created by "lots of backwards recorded guitar and piano."<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2997|title=Run Through the Jungle by Creedence Clearwater Revival Songfacts|website=www.songfacts.com|access-date=December 14, 2015|archive-date=December 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222143736/http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2997|url-status=live}}</ref> The song was rhythm guitarist [[Tom Fogerty]]'s favorite CCR song: "My all-time favorite Creedence tune was 'Run Through the Jungle'. It's like a little movie in itself with all the sound effects. It never changes key, but it holds your interest the whole time. It's like a musician's dream. It never changes key, yet you get the illusion it does."<ref>The Global Satellite Network, 60's Legends</ref>
"Travelin' Band" was inspired by 1950s rock 'n' roll songs, particularly those by [[Little Richard]]. In October 1972, the company that held the publishing rights to Richard's "[[Good Golly, Miss Molly]]" felt "Travelin' Band" bore enough similarities to warrant a plagiarism lawsuit that was later settled out of court. The song's flip side, "[[Who'll Stop the Rain (song)|Who'll Stop the Rain]]", could not have been more different, with Fogerty telling ''Uncut'' in 2012: "'Travelin' Band' was my salute to Little Richard, but 'Who'll Stop The Rain?' was part of the fabric of the times. From '68 to '74, [[Vietnam]] was probably the most important thing on the minds of young people." "[[Run Through the Jungle]]" mined similar territory, with many listeners believing the lyrics to be about the war (although the song was actually about the prevalence of guns in the United States).<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Grow |first=Kory |date=2016-01-12 |title=John Fogerty: 'Run Through the Jungle' Plea for Gun Control |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/john-fogerty-run-through-the-jungle-is-plea-for-gun-control-60581/ |access-date=2025-03-17 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> According to the band's bassist [[Stu Cook]], the song's opening and closing both feature jungle [[sound effects]] created by "lots of backwards recorded guitar and piano."<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2997|title=Run Through the Jungle by Creedence Clearwater Revival Songfacts|website=www.songfacts.com|access-date=December 14, 2015|archive-date=December 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222143736/http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2997|url-status=live}}</ref> The song was rhythm guitarist [[Tom Fogerty]]'s favorite CCR song: "My all-time favorite Creedence tune was 'Run Through the Jungle'. It's like a little movie in itself with all the sound effects. It never changes key, but it holds your interest the whole time. It's like a musician's dream. It never changes key, yet you get the illusion it does."<ref>The Global Satellite Network, 60's Legends</ref>
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"Lookin' Out My Back Door" was a direct tribute to the [[Bakersfield Sound]], a style of music that influenced John Fogerty and the Creedence sound – [[Buck Owens]], one of the architects of the Bakersfield Sound, is even mentioned in the lyrics. The song is known for its upbeat tempo, its down-home feel, and a change in key and tempo towards the end. The lyrics, filled with colorful, dream-like imagery, led some to believe the song was about drugs (according to the drug theory, the "flying spoon" in the song was a [[cocaine spoon]], and the crazy animal images were an [[acid trip]]). Fogerty, however, has repeatedly stated in interviews that the song was actually written for his son Josh, who was three years old at the time, and said the reference to a parade passing by was inspired by the [[Dr. Seuss]] book ''[[And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bordowitz|first=Hank|title=Bad Moon Rising: The Unauthorized History of Creedence Clearwater Revival|year=1998|publisher=Chicago Review Press|page=98|isbn=9781569769843|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zDDKxvnPy7cC&q=lookin%27+out+my+back+door+mulberry+street&pg=PA98|access-date=December 9, 2020|archive-date=April 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425174909/https://books.google.com/books?id=zDDKxvnPy7cC&q=lookin%27+out+my+back+door+mulberry+street&pg=PA98|url-status=live}}</ref>
"Lookin' Out My Back Door" was a direct tribute to the [[Bakersfield Sound]], a style of music that influenced John Fogerty and the Creedence sound – [[Buck Owens]], one of the architects of the Bakersfield Sound, is even mentioned in the lyrics. The song is known for its upbeat tempo, its down-home feel, and a change in key and tempo towards the end. The lyrics, filled with colorful, dream-like imagery, led some to believe the song was about drugs (according to the drug theory, the "flying spoon" in the song was a [[cocaine spoon]], and the crazy animal images were an [[acid trip]]). Fogerty, however, has repeatedly stated in interviews that the song was actually written for his son Josh, who was three years old at the time, and said the reference to a parade passing by was inspired by the [[Dr. Seuss]] book ''[[And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bordowitz|first=Hank|title=Bad Moon Rising: The Unauthorized History of Creedence Clearwater Revival|year=1998|publisher=Chicago Review Press|page=98|isbn=9781569769843|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zDDKxvnPy7cC&q=lookin%27+out+my+back+door+mulberry+street&pg=PA98|access-date=December 9, 2020|archive-date=April 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425174909/https://books.google.com/books?id=zDDKxvnPy7cC&q=lookin%27+out+my+back+door+mulberry+street&pg=PA98|url-status=live}}</ref>


Although CCR was well-known for its concise, tightly arranged songs, ''Cosmo's Factory'' features two longer cuts: the seven-minute opener, "[[Ramble Tamble]]", and an 11-minute cover of [[Marvin Gaye]]'s "[[I Heard It Through the Grapevine]]". The band had dabbled with [[psychedelia]] on their debut single, "[[Susie Q (song)|Susie Q]]", but "Ramble Tamble" is more ambitious, beginning with a rockabilly part before transitioning into a psychedelic wall of sound that lasts nearly four minutes and then transitioning back into the original rockabilly section near the end. The song has been singled out for critical praise,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Larson|first1=Jeremy D.|title=Pitchfork – The Spirit of "Ramble Tamble"|url=http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/58-the-spirit-of-ramble-tamble/|website=Pitchfork|date=September 4, 2013 |access-date=August 13, 2015|archive-date=August 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808160628/http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/58-the-spirit-of-ramble-tamble/|url-status=live}}</ref> with music journalist [[Steven Hyden]] calling it "the most rockin' song of all time".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hyden|first1=Steven|title=The AV Club Blog – The most rockin' song of all time|url=http://www.avclub.com/article/the-most-rockin-song-of-all-time-10761|website=The AV Club|date=September 6, 2007 |access-date=August 13, 2015|archive-date=August 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810141805/http://www.avclub.com/article/the-most-rockin-song-of-all-time-10761|url-status=live}}</ref> As Cook explained to Bill Kopp of musoscribe.com: "Each album had a longish track on it, but they were never jams, per se...'Heard It Through the Grapevine' had a little jammy character to it, but they were all pretty structured. There was no space to noodle. Live, there was a little bit of noodling, but in the studio we always tried to nail the arrangement."
Although CCR was well-known for its concise, tightly arranged songs, ''Cosmo's Factory'' features two longer cuts: the seven-minute opener, "[[Ramble Tamble]]", and an 11-minute cover of [[Marvin Gaye]]'s "[[I Heard It Through the Grapevine]]".  


Several songs on the album pay tribute to the band's blues and rock and roll roots, including Big [[Arthur Crudup]]'s "My Baby Left Me" (a notable cover of which had previously been recorded by [[Elvis Presley]]), [[Bo Diddley]]'s "Before You Accuse Me", and the rockabilly classic "Ooby Dooby".
Several songs on the album pay tribute to the band's blues and rock and roll roots, including Big [[Arthur Crudup]]'s "My Baby Left Me" (a notable cover of which had previously been recorded by [[Elvis Presley]]), [[Bo Diddley]]'s "Before You Accuse Me", and the rockabilly classic "Ooby Dooby".
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| rev5Score = {{rating |5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/creedence-clearwater-revival/albumguide|title=Creedence Clearwater Revival: Album Guide|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=August 26, 2017|archive-date=June 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628203351/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/creedence-clearwater-revival/albumguide|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev5Score = {{rating |5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/creedence-clearwater-revival/albumguide|title=Creedence Clearwater Revival: Album Guide|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=August 26, 2017|archive-date=June 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628203351/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/creedence-clearwater-revival/albumguide|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}
}}
In its original review, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' opined: "It should be obvious by now that Creedence Clearwater Revival is one great rock and roll band. ''Cosmo's Factory'', the group's fifth album, is another good reason why."
In its original review, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' wrote: "It should be obvious by now that Creedence Clearwater Revival is one great rock and roll band. ''Cosmo's Factory'', the group's fifth album, is another good reason why."


[[AllMusic]] states: "On 'Long as I Can See the Light', the record's final song, he again finds solace in home, anchored by a soulful, laid-back groove. It hits a comforting, elegiac note, the perfect way to draw ''Cosmo's Factory'' – an album made during stress and chaos, filled with raging rockers, covers, and intense jams – to a close." An editorial review from [[Amazon.com]] calls the album "the peak of a prolific streak."<ref>{{cite web|title=Cosmo's Factory|url=https://www.amazon.com/Cosmos-Factory-Creedence-Clearwater-Revival/dp/B001AKTZOQ|website=Amazon|access-date=July 18, 2017|date=September 30, 2008|archive-date=November 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118120008/https://www.amazon.com/Cosmos-Factory-Creedence-Clearwater-Revival/dp/B001AKTZOQ|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[AllMusic]] rates the album 5 out of 5 stars: "On 'Long as I Can See the Light', the record's final song, he again finds solace in home, anchored by a soulful, laid-back groove. It hits a comforting, elegiac note, the perfect way to draw ''Cosmo's Factory'' – an album made during stress and chaos, filled with raging rockers, covers, and intense jams – to a close."  


===Accolades===
===Accolades===
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{{Album chart|Netherlands|2|artist=Creedence Clearwater Revival|album=Cosmo's Factory|rowheader=true|accessdate=July, 8 2023}}
{{Album chart|Netherlands|2|artist=Creedence Clearwater Revival|album=Cosmo's Factory|rowheader=true|accessdate=July, 8 2023}}
|-
|-
{{Album chart|Germany4|4|artist=Creedence Clearwater Revival|album=Cosmo's Factory|id=19899|rowheader=true|accessdate=July, 8 2023}}
{{Album chart|Germany|4|artist=Creedence Clearwater Revival|album=Cosmo's Factory|id=19899|rowheader=true|accessdate=July, 8 2023}}
|-
|-
! scope="row"| Finnish Albums ([[The Official Finnish Charts]])<ref name=FINI>{{cite book|last=Pennanen|first=Timo|title=Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972|edition=1st|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava|location=Helsinki|year=2006|isbn=978-951-1-21053-5| language= fi}}</ref>
! scope="row"| Finnish Albums ([[The Official Finnish Charts]])<ref name=FINI>{{cite book|last=Pennanen|first=Timo|title=Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972|edition=1st|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava|location=Helsinki|year=2006|isbn=978-951-1-21053-5| language= fi}}</ref>
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==Certifications==
==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for ''Cosmo's Factory''}}
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for ''Cosmo's Factory''}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Finland|artist=Creedence Clearwater Revival|title=Cosmo's Factory|type=album|award=Gold|number=1|salesamount=20,000|certyear=1971|accessdate=August 28, 2013}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=album|award=Platinum|certyear=2025|accessdate=October 2, 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Finland|artist=Creedence Clearwater Revival|title=Cosmo's Factory|type=album|award=Gold|salesamount=20,000|certyear=1971|accessdate=August 28, 2013}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|award=Gold|artist=Creedence Clearwater Revival|title=Cosmo's Factory|relyear=1970|certyear=2024|accessdate=March 1, 2024|id=16955-1136-2}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|award=Gold|artist=Creedence Clearwater Revival|title=Cosmo's Factory|relyear=1970|certyear=2024|accessdate=March 1, 2024|id=16955-1136-2}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Creedence Clearwater|title=Cosmo's Factor|number=4|award=Platinum|accessdate=July 18, 2017|refname=RIAA}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Creedence Clearwater|title=Cosmo's Factor|number=4|award=Platinum|accessdate=July 18, 2017|refname=RIAA}}

Latest revision as of 15:32, 18 December 2025

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Cosmo's Factory is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released by Fantasy Records on July 8, 1970. Six of the album's eleven tracks were released as singles in 1970, and all of them charted in the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100. The album spent nine consecutive weeks in the number one position on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified 4× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1990. Rolling Stone ranked it number 413 on its 2020 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".

Background

Cosmo's Factory was CCR's fifth album in two years to became an international success, topping the album charts in six countries.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Songs

Cosmo's Factory displays the wide range of musical ingredients that provided the foundation for their "swamp rock" sound: R&B ("Before You Accuse Me", "My Baby Left Me"), soul ("I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Long As I Can See the Light"), country ("Lookin' Out My Back Door"), rockabilly and classic rock and roll ("Ooby Dooby", "Travelin' Band"), and psychedelia ("Ramble Tamble").

"Travelin' Band" was inspired by 1950s rock 'n' roll songs, particularly those by Little Richard. In October 1972, the company that held the publishing rights to Richard's "Good Golly, Miss Molly" felt "Travelin' Band" bore enough similarities to warrant a plagiarism lawsuit that was later settled out of court. The song's flip side, "Who'll Stop the Rain", could not have been more different, with Fogerty telling Uncut in 2012: "'Travelin' Band' was my salute to Little Richard, but 'Who'll Stop The Rain?' was part of the fabric of the times. From '68 to '74, Vietnam was probably the most important thing on the minds of young people." "Run Through the Jungle" mined similar territory, with many listeners believing the lyrics to be about the war (although the song was actually about the prevalence of guns in the United States).[7] According to the band's bassist Stu Cook, the song's opening and closing both feature jungle sound effects created by "lots of backwards recorded guitar and piano."[8] The song was rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty's favorite CCR song: "My all-time favorite Creedence tune was 'Run Through the Jungle'. It's like a little movie in itself with all the sound effects. It never changes key, but it holds your interest the whole time. It's like a musician's dream. It never changes key, yet you get the illusion it does."[9]

"Lookin' Out My Back Door" was a direct tribute to the Bakersfield Sound, a style of music that influenced John Fogerty and the Creedence sound – Buck Owens, one of the architects of the Bakersfield Sound, is even mentioned in the lyrics. The song is known for its upbeat tempo, its down-home feel, and a change in key and tempo towards the end. The lyrics, filled with colorful, dream-like imagery, led some to believe the song was about drugs (according to the drug theory, the "flying spoon" in the song was a cocaine spoon, and the crazy animal images were an acid trip). Fogerty, however, has repeatedly stated in interviews that the song was actually written for his son Josh, who was three years old at the time, and said the reference to a parade passing by was inspired by the Dr. Seuss book And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.[10]

Although CCR was well-known for its concise, tightly arranged songs, Cosmo's Factory features two longer cuts: the seven-minute opener, "Ramble Tamble", and an 11-minute cover of Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".

Several songs on the album pay tribute to the band's blues and rock and roll roots, including Big Arthur Crudup's "My Baby Left Me" (a notable cover of which had previously been recorded by Elvis Presley), Bo Diddley's "Before You Accuse Me", and the rockabilly classic "Ooby Dooby".

Album title and artwork

The name of the album comes from the warehouse in Berkeley where the band rehearsed early in their career, which was dubbed "The Factory" by drummer Doug "Cosmo" Clifford, because bandleader John Fogerty made them practice there almost every day.[11] In 2013, Clifford recalled to Goldmine that "John knew the press would be all over us for the album, so he said that he would name the album after me and that I would have to deal with it. He wanted the pressure off of him. It was our biggest album ever and I tell people that they named it after me, so it had to be a hit [laughter]. That's a joke!"[12]

The cover photo was taken by Bob Fogerty, brother of John and Tom. As David Cavanagh of Uncut wrote in 2012: "The album's front cover showed the four of them caught by a camera in an off-duty moment, a proudly uncool quartet who looked more like lumberjacks than rock stars." The handwritten sign affixed to the support post at the left of the photo that reads "3RD GENERATION" is an ironic reference to something rock music critic Ralph Gleason wrote in the liner notes of the band's debut album: "Creedence Clearwater Revival is an excellent example of the Third Generation of San Francisco bands".[13]

Critical reception

Template:Music ratings In its original review, Rolling Stone wrote: "It should be obvious by now that Creedence Clearwater Revival is one great rock and roll band. Cosmo's Factory, the group's fifth album, is another good reason why."

AllMusic rates the album 5 out of 5 stars: "On 'Long as I Can See the Light', the record's final song, he again finds solace in home, anchored by a soulful, laid-back groove. It hits a comforting, elegiac note, the perfect way to draw Cosmo's Factory – an album made during stress and chaos, filled with raging rockers, covers, and intense jams – to a close."

Accolades

In 2014, Cosmo's Factory was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. [14]

In 2003, the album was ranked number 265 on Rolling StoneTemplate:'s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time; it was re-ranked number 413 on the revised 2020 list.[15][16]

Commercial performance

In January 1970, the double A-sided "Travelin' Band"/"Who'll Stop the Rain" single[17] peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[18] In April, the band released the double A-sided "Up Around the Bend"/"Run Through the Jungle" single,[17] which reached number four on the Hot 100,[18] and started their first tour of Europe. Cosmo's Factory was released in July 1970, as was the band's ninth single, "Lookin' Out My Back Door"/"Long as I Can See the Light", which reached number two on the Hot 100.[17][18]

The album was certified gold (500,000 units sold) by the Recording Industry Association of America on December 16, 1970. Almost 20 years later, on December 13, 1990, it received a certification of four times platinum, indicating sales of over four million copies.[19]

Track listing

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Personnel

Source:[20]

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Production

Charts

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Certifications

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Release history

Release history and formats for Cosmo's Factory
Region Date Label Format Catalog
North America July 1970 Fantasy Stereo LP 8402
Cassette 58402
8-track 88402
Reel to Reel M 8402
United Kingdom 1970 Liberty Stereo LP LBS 83388
Germany 1970 Bellaphon stereo LP BLPS 19005
Various March 1973 Fantasy stereo LP FT 502
United States 1980 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab Half-speed LP MFSL 1-037
United States 1983 Fantasy Stereo LP ORC-4516
United States August 1987 Fantasy CD CDFE 505
Various 2008 Fantasy Expanded CD FAN-30880-02

References

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  9. The Global Satellite Network, 60's Legends
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  20. Kitts, T M, 2015. John Fogerty: An American Son. 1st ed. U.S.A: Routledge.
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External links

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