This, That, and the Other

For this week’s Song Lyric Sunday, Jim Adams has asked us to find a song with the lyrics “eerie,” “ghost,” “haunting,” “paranormal,” or “spooky,” as suggested by Di of pensitivity101. You know how when you sometimes get a song in your head and it blocks out everything else? Well that’s what happened to me. The song “Spooky” by the Classics IV popped into my head and that was all she wrote. There was no room left for any other song.

“Spooky” was originally an instrumental song performed by saxophonist Mike Sharpe (Shapiro). It was written by Shapiro and Harry Middlebrooks Jr, and first charted in 1967 hitting number 57 on the U.S. pop charts and number 55 in Canada.

The best-known version of “Spooky” was created by James Cobb and producer Buddy Buie for the group Classics IV. Cobb, the Classsic IV’s lead guitarist, heard this song and added lyrics to it with the band’s producer, Buddy Buie. The vocalist was Dennis Yost and the song is noted for its eerie whistling sound effect depicting the spooky woman. In 1968, the vocal version reached number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, number 1 in Canada and number 46 in the UK.

“Spooky” was one of the first songs to get a lot of airplay on the Album Oriented Rock (AOR) format. FM was relatively new, and AOR was a great format for people who wanted to hear songs on rock albums that weren’t necessarily hits.

Cobb left the Classics IV and later formed the Atlanta Rhythm Section along with fellow band member Dean Daughtry and members of a band called The Candymen. In 1979, the Atlanta Rhythm Section released a new version of the song in 1979.

Here are the lyrics to “Spooky.”

In the cool of the evening when ev'rything is gettin' kind of groovy
I call you up and ask you if you like to go and meet and see a movie
First you say no, you've got some plans for the night
And then you stop, and say, "All right"
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you

You always keep me guessin', I never seem to know what you are thinkin'
And if a fella looks at you, it's for sure your little eye will be a-winkin'
I get confused 'cause I don't know where I stand
And then you smile, and hold my hand
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you
Spooky!

If you decide someday to stop this little game that you are playin'
I'm gonna tell you all what my heart's been a-dyin' to be sayin'
Just like a ghost, you've been a-hauntin' my dreams
So I'll propose on Halloween
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you

Spooky
Spooky, oh alright
I said spooky, oh
Hey yeah, I said spooky!
Yeah yeah

Here is the original instrumental recording of the song from saxophonist Mike Sharpe (Shapiro)