Stormy – Classics IV featuring Dennis Yost | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#5); 1968
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
When Soul Train – the follow-up to Spooky – ran out of steam at #97 and Mama’s And Papa’s didn’t chart at all,, the Classics IV released Stormy as its fourth single on Imperial Records. Written by future Atlanta Rhythm Section guitarist J.R. Cobb and ARS producer/ manager Buddy Buie, Stormy stormed to #3 exactly one year after Spooky debuted on the chart. Like another hot band of the day, The Union Gap featuring Gary Puckett, the Classics also added their lead singer’s name to the artist billing. In early 1969 Traces became the Florida group’s biggest hit (at #2), after which Everyday With You Girl reached #19. A further name change to “Dennis Yost and The Classics IV” – again move similar to a Union Gap move that put Puckett’s name up front after a couple of hits – first appeared on Change Of Heart. Although Heart and subsequent singles fell far short of Traces‘ high-water mark on the Top 40, the band’s later records were strong favorites with the easy listening crowd.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Buddy Buie
Lyrics Written by:
- Dennis Yost
- James Cobb
- Buddy Buie
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).