It was such a wonderful feeling when Centerfield was released in 1985. Fogerty produced the album himself and played most of the instruments, building the record track by track in his studio. The sound was familiar without trying to copy the past. Songs like The Old Man Down the Road, Rock and Roll Girls, and the title track Centerfield put him back on the radio and back in front of a large audience. The album went to No. 1 in the U.S., something Fogerty had not done since the Creedence era. I was SO happy to hear that riff to Old Man Down The Road. Only one man could have written that riff.
It had that same Fogerty voice and rhythm guitar sound, but it also felt like a fresh start. The baseball theme helped, too. Even people who didn’t follow rock closely knew the chorus of “Put me in, coach.” The record proved that Fogerty still had what he had with CCR. In 1985, he showed he could step back up to the plate and still hit one out of the park so to speak. I was so happy to hear THAT sound again in the middle of the 1980s.
His next album, Eye of the Zombie, I didn’t appreciate as much because he had one foot in the 80s and the other in his old music. I see why he did it, though, because great artists take chances, and some liked it. His next albums would go back to the swampy music he was known for. I did like the title track Eye of the Zombie somewhat.
Sometimes the interesting songs in an artist’s catalog are the ones that slip in as B-sides. That’s the case with this one. Fogerty recorded the song in 1985 during a trip to Louisiana, and it was later released in 1986 as the B-side of the single Change in the Weather. It didn’t appear on one of his studio albums at the time, so unless you were buying singles in the mid-80s, it was easy to miss. Funny thing, I first heard of this song in the Stephen King book, IT. He quotes a few lines at the beginning of a chapter.
When John Fogerty recorded this song in the mid-1980s, it felt like a left turn to some listeners who knew him mainly from his days with Creedence Clearwater Revival. The song was not a Fogerty original. It was written and first recorded by Louisiana musician Rockin’ Sidney in 1984, when it became a regional hit. Fogerty heard the song and liked the rhythm and humor in it. Instead of turning it into straight rock, he kept the loose spirit of the original.
Fogerty always loved American roots music, and zydeco is part of that same map. This song shows that side of him, a musician who could step outside his usual style and still sound completely at home.
My Toot Toot
Don’t mess with my toot toot, don’t mess with my toot toot,
Well you can have the other woman, but don’t mess with my toot toot.
She was born in her birth suit, the doctor slap her behind, (slap!)
Say you’re gonna to be special, you sweet little toot toot.
Well you can look as much, but if you much as touch,
You’re gonna have yourself a case – I’m gonna break your face!
Oh toot, hey!
Whoa, mama was the same way too, all the fellas didn’t know what to do,
And papa never had a chance, with a sweet little toot toot.
She was born in her birth suit, the doctor slap her behind, (slap!)
Said you’re gonna to be special, you sweet little toot toot.
Don’t mess with my toot toot, don’t mess with my toot toot,
Well you can have the other woman, but don’t mess with my toot toot.
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such a great talent, i loved him in ccr, and really enjoyed his cover of ‘you put a spell on me’
Oh I love that one as well Beth! He is great on covers as well as originals.
Love that Fogerty did this song! I think we can give some credit to Dave Edmunds and Rockpile as they covered Sydney’s “You Ain’t Nothing But Fine” a few years earlier and Edmunds covered Fogerty’s “Almost Saturday Night” that brought the two together. Some new background stuff in there. Always an education for me, even on songs like this I know a lot about!
Edmunds and Fogerty really do go together so well. Almost Saturday Night…is a great over lookeded song. Another good version of it is by Georgia Satellites…that is the first version I heard.
Wow. Max. I never heard of this recording. My Toot Toot was a regional hit here in in LA, as well as Louisiana. Got lots of play. Always enjoyed it.
THANKS
And who can miss the point of your post? You are completely on target.
Didn’t know this one but I had both of those ’80s albums of his and liked them, it was quite different for the ’80s. Forgot how much I liked ‘Change in the Weather’ too
I did like Change in the Weather and Eye of the Zombie but not even half as much as Centerfield….I just did not like the sound of it.
it was a little uneven. ‘Soda Pop’ was another one I liked a lot from it
Yea…like I said…I liked some of the songs but just put them in a Centerfield situation.
Oh…do you know why he didn’t release another album for 11 years? M.Y. and me were talking about that. He released this album in 1986 and the next in 1997!
Denise La Salle had a UK top 20 hit with the same song in 1985….. I think?
I just looked it up…you are right!
I thought it might be. It was a one hit wonder.
John Fogerty’s “Centerfield” album is great. I got it on vinyl shortly after it had come out in 1985. If I recall it correctly, it was the single “Rock and Roll Girls,” which prompted me to get it. “My Toot Toot” has cajun and swamp written all over it – I love this style of music!
I do as well…this was a little different but it suited him fine.
New to me, but very enjoyable Max.
I actually have the Sidney version. A bit of a Zydeco guy over here. Sax helps this one out. Dont remember if I ever caught the video but that’s Sid in the vid. John helped out his wallet.
Yes he did and that is a great thing. I’m glad the guy got paid for this. I didn’t know about it until I read the King book.
King uses a lot of music in his writing.
John’s voice can absolutely handle zydeco. Very catchy! Gets me in the party frame of mind.
It is a feel good song!
A fun song all right. That’d even have me up and (trying, in my two left feeted way) dancing.
I liked’Sail Away’ and ‘Goin’ Back Home’ most on ‘Zombie.’ Not his best, a bit off-centre, but better than most other artists best efforts.
Yes…I agree with that. My only problem with it was the sound. I know I’m a huge stickler on that…probably shouldn’t be but I am lol.
An appropriate number for someone “Born On The Bayou”. The swamp accent rides again. I have heard the Rockin’ Sidney version and one by Fats Domino that I think Doug Kershaw guests on. Centerfield is such a great album. Was this a bonus track on a reissue or something? I never really heard Eye Of The Zombie, maybe the title track. There was another album after those that was good that I can’t remember the name of, but he’s on a motorcycle on the cover. Good post.
I think it was just a B side on Change of the Weather…but it could have been and probably was a bonus track!
It’s very odd…he wated 11 years to release Blue Moon Swamp in 1997 and then in 2004 he released the one you are talking about… Deja Vu All Over Again
Yes, Deja Vu…, for some reason I thought that came out Before Blue Moon Swamp. Blue Moon Swamp is a great album too. I love “110 In The Shade”. All the songs are great.
I liked it as well…I wonder why he took so long again to release something? Oh…maybe it was his brother’s death in the late 80s or early 90s.
This sounds super familiar. Verging on banal but he’s able to pull it off. Have you heard Paul Simon’s That Was Your Mother, similar zydeco zibe in 1986.
Yes…I remember that from the Graceland album.
Fogerty fan, for sure!
I honestly didn’t know much about Fogerty. I grew up a baseball fan and I’ve listened to the song Centerfield approximately 1,482 times in my life (I’m guessing) but I didn’t know a single other song on the album. After reading your post, I’m definitely going to throw it on as I clean some carpet tomorrow. Thanks for sharing!
Sorry for the delay…my spam caught this for some reason. Yes I’m a huge baseball fan…it’s a good album! I think you would like it. Old Man Down the Road, Rock and Roll Girls, and others.
I didnt know John Fogerty had covered Toot Toot, the UK hit version was by Denise LaSalle – sung by a woman it sounded a bit racey!
Someone else brought that up…it’s a good version though!