Spooky (Classics IV song)
1967 song originally performed by Mike Sharpe
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"Spooky" is an instrumental song, originally performed by saxophonist Mike Sharpe (Shapiro) and written by Shapiro and Harry Middlebrooks Jr, which first charted in 1967 hitting No. 57 on the US pop charts and No. 55 on the Canadian charts.[4][5] Its best-known version was created by songwriter James Cobb and producer Buddy Buie for the group Classics IV when they added lyrics about a "spooky little girl". The vocalist was Dennis Yost.[6] The song is noted for its eerie whistling sound effect depicting the spooky woman. It has become a Halloween favorite.[7][unreliable source?] In 1968, the vocal version reached No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100,[8] No. 1 in Canada,[9] and No. 46 in the UK.[10]
| "Spooky" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Single by Classics IV | ||||
| from the album Spooky | ||||
| B-side | "Poor People" | |||
| Released | October 1967 | |||
| Recorded | late summer/early fall 1967 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:50 | |||
| Label | Imperial | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Producer | Buddy Buie | |||
| Classics IV singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Charts
Atlanta Rhythm Section version
| "Spooky" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Atlanta Rhythm Section | ||||
| from the album Underdog | ||||
| B-side | "It's Only Music" | |||
| Released | August 1979 | |||
| Genre | Soft rock | |||
| Length | 4:57 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Composers | Mike Shapiro, Harry Middlebrooks Jr., James Cobb, Buddy Buie | |||
| Producer | Buddy Buie | |||
| Atlanta Rhythm Section singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
James Cobb and bandmate Dean Daughtry later became part of Atlanta Rhythm Section and re-recorded "Spooky" in 1979, also produced by Buie. It was the second of two singles released from their Underdog LP.
ARS's version hit No. 17 in the US on Billboard and No. 15 on Cash Box.[16] It also charted minorly internationally.[17]
Charts
Other versions
- A version of "Spooky" was recorded by UK singer Dusty Springfield in 1968 and was released as a single worldwide except in the US. This gender-flipped version was featured prominently in the Guy Ritchie film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, as well as in Jim Jarmusch's Father Mother Sister Brother. Springfield's version was certified gold by BPI in 2024.[20] The song has gone on to become probably the most recognisable recording of the song, having gained over 10 million views on YouTube[21] over 280 million streams on Spotify, and regular use on TikTok.[citation needed]
- Lydia Lunch released a version of the song on her 1980 album Queen of Siam. The lyrics are addressed to "a spooky little boy".[citation needed]
- Another gender-flipped version was recorded by Martha Reeves and released on the album In the Midnight Hour in 1986. In this version, the line "spooky little girl like you" is changed to "spooky old lady like me".[citation needed]
- A big band Latin Jazz version of the song appears on the 2024 Grammy-nominated double CD Vox Humana, recorded live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola in NYC by the Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band. It features Janis Siegel on vocals highlighting the genre switch, along with Peter Brainin on tenor saxophone over authentic Cuban cha-cha, son montuno rhythm, with a jazz-oriented arrangement by Jeremy Fletcher.[citation needed]