"Centerfield" was a long-needed breath of fresh air for the music scene in 1985. At the height of synthesizers, hair metal, and glam-pop, John Fogerty's first original album in nearly a decade was a down-home piece of work, as rustic as a Top Ten record could get in 1985. Sure there are little dashes of 80s technology here and there as needed (bits of keyboards and some clinical drum work show up on some songs), but for the Decade of Decadence, "Centerfield" was a rescue. The most relief was probably for Fogerty himself; after the disheartening breakup of Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1972, he recorded some now-obscured albums but his musical career was put to silence by overwhelming business disputes with CCR's old label, which would hault Fogerty for nine years until 'The Old Man Down the Road' appeared at the end of 1984 and became a smash hit. The album "Centerfield" followed and hit Number 1, much to the disdain of the hot shot executives with whom Fogerty had been battling.

Even though there were even some legal turmoils surrounding this album, it was John Fogerty who had the personal satisfaction (for both he and his fans) that the years of legal and contractual turmoil had not wrinkled his musical talent. The opening hit single is worthy of the "repeat" button on the stereo, and Fogerty follows suit with a string of memorable, down-home, personal, and celebratory songs. There's the carefree joy of 'Rock and Roll Girls,' 'I Can't Help Myself,' and the title track (which in some corners was ruined by those who constantly used it for a novelty baseball anthem). There's also the reflective sadness of 'I Saw It On T.V.,' and even personal demons and a desire for redemption in 'Searchlight.' 'Big Train From Memphis' is seemingly autobiographical, reflecting upon Fogerty's youth in which he was bored with his California surroundings and rather took an interest in a mythical bayou world and southern creoles (which was the source of CCR's legendary sound). And of course Fogerty doesn't forget to burn those who kept him down with the legal disputes as he lashes out in slick style with 'Mr. Greed' and the notorious 'Vanz Kant Danz.'