How a WELDER & His Fishing Buddy CREATED the SPOOKIEST Hit of the 60s! | Professor of Rock
115,451
Published 2024-03-20
Thank you to this episode’s sponsor, Zenni
GET ZENNI Glasses HERE: imp.i279709.net/vn5gLd
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive Producer
Brandon Fugal
Honorary Producers
Jason Walker, Mike Masson, Steve Maddox, Thomas French, John Tanner, Robert Coen
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out my Hand Picked Selection Below
Professor's Store
- Van Halen OU812 Vinyl Album amzn.to/3tLsII2
- The 80s Collection amzn.to/3mAekOq
- 100 Best Selling Albums amzn.to/3h3qZX9
- Ultimate History of 80s Teen Movie amzn.to/3ifjdKQ
- 80s to 90s VHS Video Cover Art amzn.to/2QXzmIX
- Totally Awesome 80s A Lexicon amzn.to/3h4ilrk
- Best In Ear Headphones (I Use These Every Day) amzn.to/2ZcTlIl
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check Out The Professor of Rock Merch Store -bit.ly/ProfessorMerch
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check Out Patron Benefits
bit.ly/ProfessorofRockVIPFan
Help out the Channel by purchasing your albums through our links! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you, thank you for your support.
Click here for Premium Content: bit.ly/SignUpForPremiumContent
bit.ly/Facebook_Professor_of_Rock
bit.ly/Instagram_Professor_of_Rock
#classicrock #60smusic #vinylstory #60srock
Hey music junkies, Professor of Rock, always here to celebrate the greatest artists and the greatest songs of all time. If you ever had a dual cassette deck so you could record your friends' albums you’re going to love his channel make sure to subscribe below right now.] We also have a Patreon you'll want to check out. There you’ll find an additional catalog of exclusive content and you can even become an honorary producer to help us curate this music history.
It’s time for another edition of our series…#1 in our hearts. where we break down a song that should’ve been at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 but due to different circumstances, fell short…Today we cover a song so classic the band was named after the word… One of the coolest pop hits of the 60s and 70s was “Spooky” by the Classics IV and the Atlanta Rhythm Syndicate.
The song was originally recorded as an instrumental that was a moderate regional hit in the Atlanta, Georgia area- composed by the Georgia-based duo of saxophonist Mike Shapiro Sharpe, and pianist Harry Middlebrooks in 1967. As an instrumental, “Spooky” didn’t make much noise outside of the American Southeast- stalling at #57 on the Billboard Hot 100.
But, the track’s catchy melody caught the imagination of a young welder & guitarist named J.R. Cobb. Cobb went to his fishing buddy, and songwriting partner, Buddy Buie, with the idea of putting lyrics to the track and turning the sax instrumental into a pop song.
In the early '60s, Cobb was a pretty darn good player that was largely unknown beyond the local bar scene in Atlanta before he joined the Classics- later renamed the Classics IV. On the other hand, Buddy Buie was a colorful good ol’ boy that quickly made a name for himself in the music business. He was a songwriter, band manager, producer, publisher, record label executive, concert promoter, and virtual ringleader.
It was Buie’s lovable southern charm & wild ambition that propelled his notoriety as the PT Barnum of Southern Rock. The story that really exemplifies Buddy Buie’s one-of-a-kind persona, was the time he booked the great Roy Orbison for a concert in Dothan, Alabama in the early 60s. Orbison agreed to do the show that Buie offered, with the caveat, that in order to play the show, he needed an orchestra to play with him. Buie explained to Orbison that they didn’t have an “orchestra," but he would have a killer backing band called the Webs, that could play ALL of Roy’s music.
Roy arrived in Dothan to play the concert, and when he joined the band for rehearsal he was stunned by how perfectly they played his songs. Orbison was so blown away by how good the band was, he wanted to take them with him on tour...
All Comments (21)
-
Poll: If you had to listen to the same song for the rest of your life...What would it be?
-
This almost 73-year old grandmother lived through the 60's TWICE... first when I was a teenager in the 1960s decade and second when I was in my 60s age-wise. When I was pregnant with each of my kids, I listened to the classic 50s, 60s, and early 70s rock and roll music. As adults today, they still love that music and can sing along with the songs! They just don't make music that wonderful anymore.
-
Adam, I think the best part of your videos is where you talk about your family. Music is what brings us together. Good music is timeless. My boys, 15 and 11, listen to the classics with me. I hope when I am gone they speak as lovingly about me as you do about your dad.
-
My dad raced go-karts in the 80s and one night a kitten ran up under his trailer right as they were leaving the race track. My mom made him crawl under it to fish out the cat so she could take it home. When they started the car, this song had just started, so Spooky the calico kitty got a home AND a name in a matter of minutes and then proceeded to live 18 long years being serenaded by this song countless times.
-
Adam, you are a one of the most professional journalists/historians I've ever heard speak, and it doesn't hurt that your delivery is passionate and compelling. Thanks for what you are doing.
-
ARS, the southern Steely Dan... totally agree. Spooky is forever etched into my 70's teen brain and still today in my 60's "seasoned" brain! Thanks Professor...
-
The Stevie Nicks story that parallels the song "Imaginary Lover" Is so entertaining. A southern California Disc Jockey accidentally plays Imaginary Lover at 45rpm instead of 33 & 1/3. The radio station gets flooded with phone calls saying "Was that Stevie Nicks?? Was that Fleetwood Mac??" Stevie took it one step further. She puts Imaginary Lover at the end of a demo tape as a joke at 45RPM and Christine McVie congratulated her on PRESENTING THE BAND WITH A HIT!
-
BONUS EPISODE!!!!! Thanks Professor. You are a treasure. Your presence is a good thing for us.
-
The thing that never ceases to entertain me with your videos is that no matter if it's a band/song that I know and love, or something that has always just been a part of the musical landscape to me, I learn something new. Combined with an engaging style of story telling and it's always a good time when a new video drops.
-
In 1979, my brother-in-law turned me on to ARS. I've been a fan ever since. Their version of Spooky is an astonishing piece of music history. I purchased their Greatest Hits CD just about 30 years ago, and enjoy it whenever the bluetooth shuffle god strikes while driving to work. Thank you Professor!
-
Know what I miss...Bands Jammin' Know what I miss...Musicians.
-
Halloween keeps the song alive. That’s not really a bad thing at all.👍🏻
-
I'm 70 and this song always takes me back to happy times when all my loved ones were alive and life was so good. The Classics IV performed in Hamilton Ohio, Dennis Yosts hometown. Huge hit around here and everywhere
-
Spooky (ARS version) is one of my favorite jams. I even named my black cat (of 17 yrs) after that song.
-
I first heard Spooky in grade school in the 1960's. Dennis Yost had such a beautiful voice. He made the song unforgettable. It is sad that he fell down the stairs and suffered so much in his last years. He added something really special to music.
-
I love Classics 4! Especially their classic hit Stormy - I play it in my car daily
-
Anyone remember - Angie Baby - by Helen Reddy ? Pretty eerie lyrics - I liked it tho.
-
Im 66 and this song has a big spot in my heart! Years ago I found a tiny black longhaired kitten. My then young son who is now an Audiophile Btw he's the one who turned me on to you,couldn't come up with a good name. I started singing "Spooky" ,it stuck! Every song these guys made is part of my younger years,i still remember all the words,and sometimes brings a tear!😢😊😊😊
-
Still one of my favorite bands of all time. I played "Spooky" in several bands and it was always so much fun; you didn't want it stop! Thanks so much for doing this.
-
Thanks for giving ARS some love. My favorite all-time southern rock band. Been listening to them since the mid-seventies. Ronnie Hammond was an underappreciated singer and lost amid the likes of Van Zant, Greg Allman, etc. Enjoy your videos!
