Santana: Stormy

Having been a fan of the music of Dennis Yost and the Classics IV, I’ve also appreciated the covers of their bigger hit releases. This includes today’s Thirty Something Thursday selection of “Stormy” by Santana. Although the original peaked at #5 in 1968, the remake ten years later only made it to 32 on the Hot 100 chart.

From their 1978 “Inner Secrets” album, “Stormy” was the album’s second of three singles. The other two singles included a remake of the Buddy Holly album track “Well All Right” and “One Chain (Don't Make No Prison),” which was penned by the album’s producers, Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter. “Well Alright” basically used the same arrangement employed by Steve Winwood and Blind Faith in 1969.

Like any song by Santana, “Stormy” features the unique overdrive guitar of band leader Carlos Santana. Greg Walker provides the lead vocals. This is an exceptionally well done cover of “Stormy” that perhaps should have charted much higher than 32. “Stormy” was penned by Classics IV guitarist J.R. Cobb and the band's producer/manager Buddy Buie. For the original, see this post from 2014.