Pendulum, which marked CCR’s second release of 1970 (following Cosmo’s Factory), was a unique title in the band’s catalogue for several reasons. First, the album was the group’s sole LP to feature all original material. Typically, CCR sprinkled covers of blues songs, traditional material, and rock’n’roll standards into each of their albums, putting their own spin on classic favourites. Pendulum also found the guitar-heavy group expanding their sonic palate—experimenting with new sounds (including the use of saxophones, vocal choirs, and keyboards) and even venturing into psychedelia.
The quartet’s musical explorations paid off. Not only was Pendulum a critical success, but it also spawned two global Top Ten hits: the reflective “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” and the upbeat “Hey Tonight”. The singles, released as a double A-side in 1971, peaked at No.8 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other highlights included the stomper “Molina”, the bluesy “Pagan’s Groove” and the twangy “Sailor’s Lament”.