The seeds of what was to become The Classics IV were sown in Jacksonville, Florida in the early 1960s when a young drummer named Dennis Yost joined some high school classmates in a band called "The Echoes". By 1965, he had moved on to form a another group with James Cobb, Wally Eaton, and Joe Wilson, calling themselves "The Classics". Wilson was eventually replaced in the group by Dean Daughtry.
The group achieved their first taste of success with a local hit titled "Pollyanna" written by Joe South. The band started to attract attention, not only for their soulful sound, but Dennis was one of the few drummers to play while standing up and also singing lead. When the band learned of a New York City group that had a small amount of success with a song titled "Till Then," using the same name, they changed their handle to "The Four Classics" and eventually "The Classics IV".
By 1967, the band had moved to Atlanta, Georgia and were soon approached by Bill Lowery of The Lowery Music Group, who secured a recording contract with Capitol Records. For their first release, guitarist James Cobb and producer Buddy Buie added lyrics to an instrumental called "Spooky", a regional hit for saxophonist Mike Sharpe. After the record's release, it was picked up by a radio station in Louisville, Kentucky and began to get airplay. The song's popularity spread nationally and it climbed to number 3 on Billboard's Hot 100 in early in 1968, although it only reached number 46 in the UK.
Now in demand for TV and live appearances, the group hired drummer Kim Venable and brought Dennis Yost to the front to sing. A follow up song called "Soul Train" failed to match the success of "Spooky", but another tune written by James Cobb and Buddy Buie, "Stormy" shot up the chart to number 5 in 1969, becoming the band's second million seller. Later the same year, they scored a number 2 hit and a third gold record with "Traces Of Love", also written by Cobb and Buie. Touring with the hottest acts of the day, Dennis Yost and The Classics IV scored two more hits in late 1969, a number 12 hit called "Every Day With You Girl" and "Change Of Heart" which reached number 25.
They changed their name again, to Dennis Yost and the Classics IV, and had one last minor hit, "What Am I Crying For?" (1972, #39) on the MGM South label.
As musical tastes changed, guitarists James Cobb and Dean Daughtry, along with producer Buddy Buie left The Classics IV to team up with some former members of Roy Orbison's back up band. The result was The Atlanta Rhythm Section, who would go on to have an impressive string of hits in the 70s, including two Top 10 records, "So In To You" and "Imaginary Lover" along with their own cover version of "Spooky".
An attempt to feature Dennis Yost as a solo artist never got off the ground and he could only muster minor success with, "Midnight" and "Where Did All The Good Times Go", as he switched labels to Imperial in 1972. One last top forty entry, "What Am I Crying For?" was released on the MGM South label and a final effort, "Rosanna" stalled at number 95 in March of 1973.
Although he could no longer make a hit record, Yost never stopped touring, and continued to appear with the likes of Gary Lewis and The Playboys, Chuck Berry, The Drifters, The Coasters, The Turtles, Paul Revere and The Raiders, Eric Clapton and many others. After moving to Nashville in 1993, he added writing and record production to his list of accomplishments. He currently has twenty-seven published works to his credit and produced Barbara Lewis ("Hello Stranger," "Baby, I'm Yours," and "Make Me Your Baby") on a song called "Donor" to help the cause of organ donation awareness.
At the turn of the millennium, Dennis underwent successful throat surgery for a condition that had severely impaired his singing voice. He also won a trademark dispute which gave him exclusive rights to the name "The Classics IV" for both performing and recording purposes.
Stormy
Classics IV Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whenever you smiled
But I call you stormy today
All of a sudden that old rain's fallin' down
And my world is cloudy and gray
You've gone away
Oh, stormy, oh, stormy
Yesterday's love was like a warm summer breeze
But like the weather, you changed
New things are dreary, baby, and it's windy and cold
And I stand alone in the rain, callin' your name
Oh, stormy, oh, stormy
bring back that sunny day
Oh, stormy, oh, stormy
bring back that sunny day
Bring back that sunny day
Oh, stormy, oh, stormy
The lyrics of "Stormy" by Classics IV featuring Dennis Yost portray the feeling of loneliness and sadness one experiences after losing their loved one. The singer compares his lover to sunshine as she brightened up his world whenever she smiled. However, suddenly everything turns upside down, and the rainfall starts, causing his world to become cloudy and gray. The singer is facing an emotional storm with the absence of his love, and he is calling out her name in the rain. He misses the warmth and bliss of the past when their love was like a warm summer breeze.
As the weather changes, just like their love, new things become mundane, and the singer is left alone in the rain thinking about the love he has lost. He calls out to the storm to bring back the sunny day, asking for a second chance at love with his partner. The chorus, "Oh, stormy, oh, stormy, bring back that sunny day," repeats, emphasizing the longing and desperation the singer feels in his heart.
The song has resonated with many listeners over the years due to its timeless message of lost love and longing to rekindle the flame.
Line by Line Meaning
You were the sunshine, baby
You brought warmth and brightness to my life
Whenever you smiled
Your smile was a source of joy and happiness for me
But I call you stormy today
However, today I see you as tumultuous and tumultuous as a storm
All of a sudden that old rain's fallin' down
Suddenly, I am experiencing a heavy downpour of sadness
And my world is cloudy and gray
My view of the world has become bleak and lacking in color
You've gone away
You have left me alone and heartbroken
Oh, stormy, oh, stormy
Oh, how I wish things were different and you were still by my side
bring back that sunny day
I long for the return of happier times
Yesterday's love was like a warm summer breeze
Our love in the past was comforting and enjoyable, like a gentle breeze on a summer day
But like the weather, you changed
However, you, like the weather, underwent a transformation and became different
New things are dreary, baby, and it's windy and cold
My life has become unexciting and mundane, and it feels unforgiving and harsh
And I stand alone in the rain, callin' your name
I am left alone in the midst of my sorrow, yearning for your presence
Bring back that sunny day
I plead for the return of brighter and happier times
Oh, stormy, oh, stormy
Oh, how I wish things were different and you were still by my side
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Buddy Buie, James B. Cobb Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind