Wrote a Song for Everyone


Wrote a Song for Everyone is the ninth solo studio album by John Fogerty, released on May 28, 2013 in the United States. The album is a collection of Creedence Clearwater Revival classics and deep tracks from his canon of hits as well as some brand new songs, performed alongside an array of notable musicians, including Foo Fighters, Bob Seger, Dawes, Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert, Kid Rock, Keith Urban, My Morning Jacket, Alan Jackson, Jennifer Hudson, and more. The album also features two new songs, "Mystic Highway" and "Train of Fools".

Recording

Fogerty began recording the album in 2011, with a planned release on Vanguard Records.

Promotion

The newly recorded version of "Born on the Bayou" featuring Kid Rock, debuted during the NFL broadcast on Super Bowl Sunday, February 3, 2013.

Critical reception

Wrote a Song for Everyone received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 using reviews and ratings from selected mainstream critics, the album's score is 71. At American Songwriter, Lynne Margolis found that "the result, is, at times, revelatory." At Country Weekly, Bob Paxman exclaimed that "this should be a must for Fogerty followers." At The Oakland Press, Gary Graff proclaimed it to be "a successful experiment, and celebration, that only adds to the legacy of Fogerty and these songs." At Paste, Holly Gleason highlighted that the release "may provide a pupu platter of genres, but the country/rock/progressive duet partners more often serve as a reminder of Fogerty’s singular potency." At Rolling Stone, David Fricke called it "a testament to the continuing truth and power in Fogerty's greatest hits." At the Toronto Star, Nick Krewen called this "fun for what it is." At USA Today, Brian Mansfield told that "the breadth of his impact shows in the guest list for Wrote a Song for Everyone."
At AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine criticized it because "no matter how much fun he's having elsewhere on the record, Fogerty doesn't need any guests to sound alive." At the Chicago Tribune, Greg Kot noted that "with songs this good, no gimmicks necessary", but this had some "mostly underwhelming results." At Exclaim!, Jason Schneider evoked that the release "illustrates Fogerty's wide-ranging influence; he may not often get credit for creating what's now known as Americana, but no one was as naturally adept at making it their signature sound."
Wrote a Song for Everyone was number 10 on Rolling Stones 50 Best Albums of 2013 list.

Track listing

Charts