Christabel Duah
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s former frontman John Fogerty is sick of one of his most famous songs being abused in the media, and he’s not mincing words.
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The rocker took to Twitter to address Taraji P. Henson’s new movie, “Proud Mary,” for taking on the name of his hit song as its title when it “has nothing to do with [him], or [his] song.”
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“It irks me when people seek to capitalize on the popularity of my music and the good will [sic] it has earned with the public for their own financial gain,” the 72-year-old wrote. “Over the years, I have often found myself directly opposed to these uses. This movie has nothing to do with me, or my song. They simply picked the title and wrote a completely fictitious story around it.”
Fogerty wrote and performed the song in 1969 with his band. Since its release, it’s been featured all over film and television, with covers from famed musicians, including Ike and Tina Turner.
In the film, Henson plays an assassin named Mary; the Turner’s version of the song has been featured in trailers.
“No one ever asked me about using my song this way, or even about the meaning of ‘Proud Mary,’” Fogerty added in his statement. “The movie poster has my lyrics changed to read… ‘killing for the Man every night and day.’ I wrote the song about a mythical riverboat, cruising on a mythical river, in a mythical time… It was obviously a metaphor about leaving painful, stressful things behind for a more tranquil and meaningful life. Far from a story about killing people for money.”
Statement from John Fogerty on the movie "Proud Mary" pic.twitter.com/6bnwkoQtZY
— John Fogerty (@John_Fogerty) January 11, 2018
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Since being blasted by the Fogerty, the film’s studio has since reached out saying:
“We would love Mr. Fogerty to come see the film,” said Screen Gems said in a statement to EW. “He would see that his complaint that the film has nothing to do with the song’s message as ‘a metaphor about leaving painful, stressful things behind for a more tranquil and meaningful life’ is inaccurate. That is precisely what our Mary is looking to do, and Taraji nails it perfectly.”
