This six-disc set is the definitive Creedence collection, offering superbly remastered versions of all of their studio and live albums and adding a disc's worth of pre-Creedence material. The ultimate blue-collar rock band, John Fogerty and CCR found success by wholly giving in to their fascination with the American South (despite hailing from Northern California) and exploring the turf that connected R&B and country--the same turf that their heroes at Sun studios tilled at rock's birth. As the songs on the first disc prove, they hadn't always taken this approach though perhaps they should have: The first four songs from 1961 (by Tommy Fogerty and the Blue Velvets), original compositions in the classic '50s rock & roll style they loved, hold up better than subsequent Golliwogs tracks that attempt to replicate the British Invasion sound in vogue at the time. Still, the Golliwogs tracks offer hints of John Fogerty's menacing growl and biting guitar that would fully blossom later on.
When diving into CCR's entire body of work, many myths dissipate and a more well-rounded view comes into focus: the quintessential singles band that dominated AM radio was also quite an album band, releasing solid records from top to bottom even though half of the songs were saturating radio long before the LP would hit. Also, they weren't quite as far removed from their Bay Area brethren (who were reared on the same roots music) as is often stated, offering a number of long and loose jams that, while not overtly psychedelic, gave them and their fans a chance to stretch out. Without question, though, CCR were the kings of the three-minute rock single, and it's these now-ubiquitous gems--the consummate AM band now dominates FM radio--that will always define them.

1. Come on Baby
   
2. Oh My Love
   
3. Have You Ever Been Lonely
   
4. Bonita
   
5. The Golliwogs: Don't Tell Me No Lies
   
6. Little Girl (Does Your Momma Know)
   
7. Where You Been ! You Came Walking
   
8. You Can't Be True (first version)
   
9. You Got Nothin' on Me
   
10. I Only Met You Just an Hour Ago
    
11. Brown-Eyed Girl
    
12. You Better Be Careful
    
13. Fight Fire
    
14. Fragile Child
    
15. She Was Mine
    
16. Gonna Hang Around
    
17. Try Try Try
    
18. Instrumental #
    
19. Little Tina
    
20. Walking on the Water
    
21. You Better Get It Before It Gets You
    
22. Tell Me
    
23. You Can't Be True (second version)
    
24. Action USA (promotional spot)
    

1. Call It Pretending
   
2. I Put a Spell on You
   
3. The Working Man
   
4. Susie Q
   
5. Ninety-Nine and a Half
   
6. Get Down Woman
   
7. Porterville
   
8. Gloomy
   
9. Walk on the Water
   
10. Born on the Bayou
    
11. Bootleg
    
12. Graveyard Train
    
13. Good Golly Miss Molly
    
14. Penthouse Pauper
    
15. Proud Mary
    
16. Keep on Chooglin'
    

1. Green River
   
2. Commotion
   
3. Tombstone Shadow
   
4. Wrote a Song for Everyone
   
5. Bad Moon Rising
   
6. Lodi
   
7. Cross-Tie Walker
   
8. Sinister Purpose
   
9. The Night Time Is the Right Time
   
10. Down on the Corner
    
11. It Came Out of the Sky
    
12. Cotton Fields
    
13. Poorboy Shuffle
    
14. Feelin' Blue
    
15. Fortunate Son
    
16. Don't Look Now (It Ain't You or Me)
    
17. The Midnight Special
    
18. Side of the Road
    
19. Effigy
    

1. Ramble Tamble
   
2. Before You Accuse Me
   
3. Travelin' Band
   
4. Ooby Dooby
   
5. Lookin' Out My Back Door
   
6. Run Through the Jungle
   
7. Up Around the Bend
   
8. My Baby Left Me
   
9. Who'll Stop the Rain
   
10. I Heard It Through the Grapevine
    
11. Long As I Can See the Light
    
12. Pagan Baby
    
13. Sailor's Lament
    
14. Chameleon
    
15. Have You Ever Seen the Rain?
    
16. (Wish I Could) Hideaway
    
17. Born to Move
    
18. Hey Tonight
    
19. It's Just a Thought
    

1. Molina
   
2. Rude Awakening #
   
3. Revolutions Per Minute (Part )
   
4. Revolutions Per Minute (Part )
   
5. Lookin' for a Reason
   
6. Take It Like a Friend
   
7. Need Someone to Hold
   
8. Tearin' Up the Country
   
9. Someday Never Comes
   
10. What Are You Gonna Do
    
11. Sail Away
    
12. Hello Mary Lou
    
13. Door to Door
    
14. Sweet Hitch-Hiker
    
15. Born on the Bayou
    
16. Green River
    
17. Tombstone Shadow
    
18. Don't Look Now (It Ain't You or Me)
    
19. Travelin' Band
    
20. Who'll Stop the Rain
    
21. Bad Moon Rising
    
22. Proud Mary
    
23. Fortunate Son
    
24. Commotion
    

1. The Midnight Special
   
2. The Night Time Is the Right Time
   
3. Down on the Corner
   
4. Keep on Chooglin'
   
5. Born on the Bayou
   
6. Green River/Susie Q
   
7. It Came Out of the Sky
   
8. Door to Door
   
9. Travelin' Band
   
10. Fortunate Son
    
11. Commotion
    
12. Lodi
    
13. Bad Moon Rising
    
14. Proud Mary
    
15. Up Around the Bend
    
16. Hey Tonight
    
17. Sweet Hitch-Hiker
    
18. Keep on Chooglin'