Help Top Ten: I Cant Help Myself (#2)

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No, not “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch.” Instead, I’m turning to an old favorite to start off the month of April. By the way, my birthday is this month and if anyone’s interested, I take a size Key West Sunset Cruise in birthday presents. Just kidding (it is April 1, after all). Here’s today’s song. #2: I Can’t Help Myself - John Fogerty Into each person’s life some rain must fall. After a ten-year absence, caused by legal problems fostered by CCR’s record label owner, John Fogerty came roaring back in 1985 with Centerfield. That album was, is, and probably ever shall be one of my favorite albums from the 80s. Just listen to this song, for instance (song three, side two, not that I ever had the album or anything ). That is ONE. HAPPY. DUDE. However…. Fogerty has never been shy about speaking his mind in song. The opening song, for instance, is “The Old Man Down the Road,” which was speculated to be about President Reagan. He closed the album with another pointed (and not subtle) jab, “Zanz Kant Danz.” It was aimed directed at the aforementioned record company owner, Saul Zaentz, who — if you know anything about CCR’s history — stole their money just like Fogerty mentioned in the song. After the album was released, Fogerty thought Zaentz might not be amused, so he had the title of the song changed to ”Vanz Kant Danz.” Wanna hear something hilarious? Zaentz didn’t say a thing about the closing song on the album. No, instead, he sued Fogerty for copyright infringement. Zaentz claimed that “The Old Man Down the Road” plagiarized the CCR song “Run Through the Jungle.” You see, while Fogerty wrote “Run Through the Jungle,” he didn’t own the rights to his own song. Zaentz, as the publisher, did. Long story short: Fogerty won the lawsuit. Zaentz had to be content with his three “Best Picture” Oscars (as producer of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Amadeus, and The English Patient). He died in 2014, and I’m sure Fogerty did NOT send flowers to the funeral. That’s a long-winded backstory for an album cut, isn’t it? Fogerty survived all of that. So celebrate his happiness with this great rocking tune. I Can’t Help Myself Written by John Fogerty Recorded by John Fogerty From Centerfield, 1985 Ride the wild stampede: