Eye of the Zombie
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Eye of the Zombie
| type = studio
| artist = John Fogerty
| cover = Eyeofthezombiecover.jpg
| alt =
| released = September 29, 1986
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Heartland rock|Americana|{{nowrap|rock and roll}}}}
| length = 44:07
| label = Warner Bros. (first pressing)
DreamWorks/Interscope/Universal (second pressing)
| producer = John Fogerty
| prev_title = Centerfield
| prev_year = 1985
| next_title = Blue Moon Swamp
| next_year = 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,{{Cite journal |last=Cullman |first=Brian |date=December 1986 |title=Eye of the Zombie review |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FL-rqqrDxb8C&pg=PA16 |journal=SPIN |volume=2 |issue=9 |pages=29–30 |via=Google Books}} 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.{{Cite web |title=John Fogerty Chart History |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/john-fogerty/chart-history/hsi/ |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}}{{Cite journal |last=Leland |first=John |date=December 1986 |title=Singles - review |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FL-rqqrDxb8C&pg=PA46 |journal=SPIN |volume=2 |issue=9 |pages=46 |via=Google Books}}
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's next album was not until 1997 when Blue Moon Swamp was released.
Reception
Billboard called the title track a "dark, shivery tale."{{Cite magazine |date=August 30, 1986 |title=Reviews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GSQEAAAAMBAJ |magazine=Billboard |page=83 |accessdate=2022-08-04}} Cash Box called it "dirty and gritty" and "rock and roll with a vengeance."{{Cite magazine |date=August 30, 1986 |title=Single Releases |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1986/CB-1986-08-30.pdf |magazine=Cash Box |page=9 |accessdate=2022-08-04}}
Cash Box called "Change in the Weather" a "swampy, grundgy, soulful groove that could have been a CCR hit."{{Cite magazine |date=November 15, 1986 |title=Single Releases |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1986/CB-1986-11-15.pdf |magazine=Cash Box |page=9 |accessdate=2022-08-07}} Billboard called it a "swampy down-tempo swayer [with] apocalyptic social predictions."{{Cite magazine |date=November 22, 1986 |title=Reviews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9SQEAAAAMBAJ&q=reviews |magazine=Billboard |page=79 |accessdate=2022-08-07}} Brian Cullman in SPIN called it the 'strongest, most passionate record of his career'.
{{Music ratings
| rev1 =Allmusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{Cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=John Fogerty Eye of the Zombie review |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/eye-of-the-zombie-r7566/review |access-date=2011-09-13 |website=Allmusic |publisher=Rovi Corporation}}
| rev2 =Rolling Stone
| rev2Score = (Mixed){{Cite magazine |last=DeCurtis |first=Anthony |date=20 November 1986 |title=John Fogerty - Eye of the Zombie |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/johnfogerty/albums/album/127909/review/5942835/eye_of_the_zombie |url-status=dead |magazine=Rolling Stone |accessdate=2011-09-13 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071204234725/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/johnfogerty/albums/album/127909/review/5942835/eye_of_the_zombie |archivedate=2007-12-04}}
| rev3 =Kerrang!
| rev3Score = {{Rating|2.5|5}} {{Cite book |last=Henderson |first=Paul |title=Kerrang! |date=30 October 1986 |publisher=United Magazines ltd. |volume=132 |location=London, UK |pages=21 |chapter=John Fogerty 'Eye of the Zombie'}}
| noprose = yes
}}
Track listing
All songs written by John Fogerty. Song times taken from original LP sticker.
;Side one
{{track listing
| title1 = Goin' Back Home
| length1 = 3:25
| title2 = Eye of the Zombie
| length2 = 4:35
| title3 = Headlines
| length3 = 4:30
| title4 = Knockin' on Your Door
| length4 = 4:35
| title5 = Change in the Weather
| length5 = 6:50
}}
;Side two
{{track listing
| title1 = Violence Is Golden
| length1 = 5:21
| title2 = Wasn't That a Woman
| length2 = 4:13
| title3 = Soda Pop
| length3 = 5:53
| title4 = Sail Away
| length4 = 4:45
}}
Personnel
- John Fogerty – vocals, guitar, keyboards
- Alan Pasqua – keyboards (4)
- Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar
- John Robinson – drums, percussion
- Bobby King, Willie Greene Jr., Terry Evans – background vocals
Chart performance
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| Chart (1986)
! Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{Cite book |last=Kent |first=David |title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 |publisher=Australian Chart Book |year=1993 |isbn=0-646-11917-6 |edition=Illustrated |location=St. Ives, New South Wales |author-link=David Kent (historian)}}
| 17 |
| {{album chart|Austria|15|artist=John Fogerty|album=Eye of the Zombie|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 4, 2016}} |
| {{album chart|Netherlands|61|artist=John Fogerty|album=Eye of the Zombie|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 4, 2016}} |
| {{album chart|New Zealand|34|artist=John Fogerty|album=Eye of the Zombie|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 4, 2016}} |
| {{album chart|Norway|9|artist=John Fogerty|album=Eye of the Zombie|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 4, 2016}} |
| {{album chart|Sweden|7|artist=John Fogerty|album=Eye of the Zombie|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 4, 2016}} |
| {{album chart|Switzerland|15|artist=John Fogerty|album=Eye of the Zombie|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 4, 2016}} |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|26|artist=John Fogerty|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 4, 2016}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.johnfogerty.com John Fogerty official site]
- [http://www.wbr.com Warner Bros. Records]
{{Clear}}
{{John Fogerty}}
{{Authority control}}