Rock: Lean, Clean and Bluesy

Unlike many rock groups today, the Creedence Clearwater Revival is not much interested in talking up a revolution. Its four clean-cut, plaid-shirted members prefer to sing songs about where they came from and about problems among people, not social movements. As performers, they come on with a simple, bluesy, rhythmic, straight-ahead sound. That's not bad. San Francisco-based Creedence is riding the crest of today's strongest pop wave—blues-oriented rock. The group's first single, Susie Q., rose to No. 11 on the Billboard charts last fall. Proud Mary was hit No. 2 in March,...