About the Song
There’s a certain magic to revisiting the music of our youth. It’s like opening a time capsule, filled with memories both sweet and bittersweet. And for those of us who came of age in the late 1960s, few bands evoke that era quite like Creedence Clearwater Revival. Their raw, rootsy sound, coupled with John Fogerty’s distinctive vocals and songwriting, captured the spirit of a generation grappling with change and uncertainty.
One of their lesser-known gems, tucked away on the B-side of their 1967 single “Porterville,” is a song called “Call It Pretending”. It’s a song that, despite its relative obscurity, showcases the band’s early promise and Fogerty’s burgeoning talent as a songwriter.
At its core, “Call It Pretending” is a song about heartbreak and disillusionment. The narrator, grappling with the aftermath of a failed relationship, finds himself caught in a cycle of denial and self-deception. He knows the relationship is over, but he can’t quite bring himself to accept it. Instead, he clings to the hope that things might somehow change, even though deep down he knows it’s just a fantasy.
Fogerty’s lyrics paint a vivid picture of this emotional turmoil. Lines like “I see you walking with him, and I try to look away” and “I hear you talking to him, and I try not to hear” capture the raw pain of witnessing a loved one move on. But it’s the chorus that truly drives home the song’s central theme:
“I’ll call it pretending, That you’re still mine. I’ll go on pretending, ‘Til the end of time.”
There’s a sense of desperation in these lines, a refusal to let go even in the face of overwhelming evidence. It’s a feeling many of us can relate to, that stubborn hope that somehow, against all odds, things might work out.
Musically, “Call It Pretending” is a classic example of Creedence’s signature sound. The driving rhythm section, anchored by Stu Cook’s bass and Doug Clifford’s drums, provides a solid foundation for Fogerty’s guitar work and vocals. The song’s arrangement is simple but effective, allowing the lyrics and melody to take center stage.
While “Call It Pretending” may not be as well-known as some of Creedence’s later hits, it’s a testament to their early talent and a reminder of the power of music to capture the complexities of the human experience. It’s a song that speaks to the universal themes of love, loss, and the struggle to move on. And for those of us who’ve ever found ourselves clinging to a fading hope, it’s a song that resonates on a deeply personal level.