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"Hurricane" is a song co-written by Thom Schuyler, Keith Stegall, and Stewart Harris. Levon Helm recorded it for his 1980 album American Son. It was later recorded by American country music singer Leon Everette. It was released in July 1981 as the lead single and title track from Everette's album Hurricane. It is Everette's highest-charting single, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in September 1981. Band of Heathens, an American rock band, also charted a rendition of the song in 2011, which has since been certified gold.

Content

The song is about an old man who lives in the famed New Orleans French Quarter. The man is unfazed when told that a hurricane was about to hit the city; even when "a man from Chicago" claims that the levees need to be raised, he claims that the levees will hold and the man will be "on his way to Illinois".

Critical reception

Jerry Sharpe of The Pittsburgh Press wrote that the song "defeats the standard old formulas for successful country music lyrics — no love story, no sex, no booze, no tragedy." An uncredited review in Billboard said that "Everette's distinctive vocals are the perfect vehicle for this tale of man's struggle against the elements." Dave Marsh was less favorable in The New Rolling Stone Record Guide, calling Everette a "poor man's Johnny Lee" and said the song was "almost an interesting ballad".

Charts

Band of Heathens version

American rock band Band of Heathens released a cover of "Hurricane" in 2011 on their album Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster's Son, reviving interest in the track. It has since charted, reaching number 18 on Hot Rock Songs in 2018. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2024.

Band of Heathens' version of the song is in A Dorian, following a chord pattern of Am-C-D-Am.

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
2. "Search results". Broadcast Music Incorporated. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
3. ^ Sharpe, Jerry (January 31, 1982). "'Hurricane' Storming Country Scene". The Pittsburgh Press. pp. J–6. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
4. "Top Single Picks". Billboard. July 11, 1981. p. 64.
5. Marsh, Dave; Swenson, John (1983). The new Rolling stone record guide. Random House/Rolling Stone Press. p. 167. ISBN 0-394-72107-1.
6. "Leon Everette Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
7. "RPM Country Tracks for November 7, 1981". RPM. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
8. "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
9. "Hot Rock Songs for March 24, 2018". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
10. "The Unsigned Alt Rock Band with a Gold Record". Tennessean. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
11. "'Hurricane' sheet music". MusicNotes.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.

• 1981 singles
• Leon Everette songs
• Songs written by Keith Stegall
• Songs written by Thom Schuyler
• Songs about New Orleans
• Songs written by Stewart Harris
• RCA Records Nashville singles
• 1980 songs