Eye of the Zombie

Eye of the Zombie
Studio album by
John Fogerty
ReleasedSeptember 29, 1986
Genre
Length44:07
LabelWarner Bros. (first pressing)
25449
DreamWorks/Interscope/Universal Records (second pressing)
450 307
ProducerJohn Fogerty
John Fogerty chronology
Centerfield
(1985) 		Eye of the Zombie
(1986) 		Blue Moon Swamp
(1997)

Eye of the Zombie is the fourth solo studio album by American singer/songwriter John Fogerty. Released in September 1986, it was his first album with a backing band,[1] and it includes the Creedence-inspired track "Change in the Weather" as well as "Wasn't That a Woman" and "Soda Pop", his first forays into 1960s-1970s Motown-sounding funk and R&B. The title track was released as a single and reached the Billboard charts.[2][3]

The album was not received well by critics and had lukewarm chart success despite a Grammy nomination for Best Male Rock Vocal in 1987. After the Eye of the Zombie tour in 1986, Fogerty did not perform any material from this album in concerts until 2009, when he played "Change in the Weather" at a few shows. The song was also re-recorded in 2009 for The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again and performed live on several late-night TV shows to promote the album.

After Eye of the Zombie, Fogerty would not release another album until Blue Moon Swamp in 1997.

Billboard called the title track a "dark, shivery tale."[4] Cash Box called it "dirty and gritty" and "rock and roll with a vengeance."[5]

Cash Box called "Change in the Weather" a "swampy, grundgy, soulful groove that could have been a CCR hit."[6] Billboard called it a "swampy down-tempo swayer [with] apocalyptic social predictions."[7] Brian Cullman in SPIN called it the 'strongest, most passionate record of his career'.[1]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[8]
Rolling Stone(Mixed)[9]
Kerrang! [10]
  1. ^ a b Cullman, Brian (December 1986). "Eye of the Zombie review". SPIN. 2 (9): 29–30 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "John Fogerty Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  3. ^ Leland, John (December 1986). "Singles - review". SPIN. 2 (9): 46 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "Reviews". Billboard. August 30, 1986. p. 83. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  5. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. August 30, 1986. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  6. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. November 15, 1986. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-08-07.
  7. ^ "Reviews". Billboard. November 22, 1986. p. 79. Retrieved 2022-08-07.
  8. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "John Fogerty Eye of the Zombie review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
  9. ^ DeCurtis, Anthony (20 November 1986). "John Fogerty - Eye of the Zombie". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2007-12-04. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
  10. ^ Henderson, Paul (30 October 1986). "John Fogerty 'Eye of the Zombie'". Kerrang!. Vol. 132. London, UK: United Magazines ltd. p. 21.