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Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress

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"Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress"
Cover of the 1972 French single
Single by the Hollies
from the album Distant Light
B-side
  • "Cable Car" (UK)
  • "Look What We've Got" (US)
Released17 April 1972[1]
Recorded16–30 July 1971[2]
StudioAIR, London[2]
GenreSwamp rock
Length3:15
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The Hollies singles chronology
"The Baby"
(1972) 		"Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress"
(1972) 		"Magic Woman Touch"
(1972)

"Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" (also titled "Long Cool Woman" or "Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress)") is a song written by Allan Clarke, Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway, and performed by the British rock group the Hollies. In an interview with Johnnie Walker on BBC Radio 2 on Sounds of the 70s in April 2023, Clarke said it had been written by himself and Cook. Cook had a long-standing agreement with Greenaway that any songs written by one of them should be credited to both.

Originally appearing on the album Distant Light, it was released as a single on 17 April 1972 (on Parlophone in the United Kingdom),[1] selling 2 million copies worldwide, including 1.5 million in the United States.[3] It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1972 for two weeks, behind Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)". Billboard ranked it as the No. 24 song for 1972.

Background and recording

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On the day "Long Cool Woman" was recorded at AIR Studios, the group's producer, Ron Richards, was ill and, as a result, the song was produced by the group. "Long Cool Woman" is different from most other Hollies songs in that there are no three-part vocal harmonies. Allan Clarke's lead vocal is the only voice prominently heard. It also features lead guitar by Clarke. Upon his return, Richards mixed the recording.[2]

The lyrics set a scene similar to a film noir crime-drama. The singer, who is an FBI agent, is in a speakeasy filled with criminals. He falls for an attractive 5’9" woman in a black dress and helps rescue her when gun shots ring out.[4]

The song was initially written in the country/rockabilly style of Jerry Reed [citation needed], then adapted more to the swamp rock[5][6] style of Creedence Clearwater Revival, in terms of rhythm, vocal and melodic style. Clarke imitated John Fogerty's vocal style, which was based on the Creedence song "Green River". According to Clarke, the song was written "in about five minutes".[2]

Reception

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U.S. music-business magazine Cash Box said of the song: "rockin' in the tradition of Creedence and T Rex, the Hollies at their most commercial since 'He Ain't Heavy.'"[7] In the Hollies' native United Kingdom, the song was only a modest success, peaking at number 32 on the charts. However, it was a much bigger hit in the United States, peaking at number 2 for two weeks, making it the group's highest-charting single ever in the U.S. It topped the charts in South Africa, and also reached number 2 in Australia and New Zealand. By that time Clarke had left the band, but he feels that "it wasn't unfortunate", for he had co-written the song.[2] Clarke rejoined the Hollies in the summer of 1973, partly due to the success of the song.

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Believing that the song was too similar to the "trademark sound" of "Green River", as performed by his band Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR), John Fogerty sued The Hollies for copyright infringement in 1972. The suit was settled by paying Fogerty an undisclosed sum[8].

Personnel

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Chart performance

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[21] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

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  1. ^ a b "'Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress' single release information". Hollies.co.uk. 2011. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e The Hollies – Epic Anthology: From the Original Master Tapes, Epic Records EGK 46161, liner notes
  3. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2, illustrated ed.). Barrie & Jenkins. ISBN 0-214-20480-4. Hot Butter Popcorn single sold million copies 1972.
  4. ^ YouTube.com "Hollies - Long Tall Woman in A Black Dress" with lyrics
  5. ^ Horowitz, Hal (2014). "The Hollies: 50 At Fifty". American Songwriter. Retrieved 15 June 2015. to swamp rock ("Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)"
  6. ^ Dean, Maury (1 January 2003). Rock and Roll: Gold Rush. Algora Publishing. p. 178. ISBN 978-0-87586-227-9.
  7. ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 3 June 1972. p. 20. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  8. ^ Deakin, Bob (20 October 2023). "Long Cool Woman in a Green River Part II". bobdeakin.com. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  9. ^ a b Steffen Hung. "Forum - 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  10. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  11. ^ Steffen Hung. "The Hollies - Long Cool Woman". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  12. ^ "flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  13. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  14. ^ "Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. 20 October 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  15. ^ "The Hollies - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  16. ^ "Cash Box Top Singles - 1972". Cashboxmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 5 March 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  17. ^ "Best of 1972 songs and music, on". Musicandyears.com. 12 November 2010. Archived from the original on 16 September 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1972". Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  19. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1972/Top 100 Songs of 1972". Musicoutfitters.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  20. ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles – 1972". cashboxmagazine.com. 30 December 1972. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  21. ^ "American single certifications – The Hollies – Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  22. ^ "Cover Girl - Phantom, Rocker & Slick". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  23. ^ "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress Every Time Played". Phish.net. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  24. ^ "Primer - Rockapella". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  25. ^ "Nothin on But the Radio - T.G. Sheppard". AllMusic. 18 November 1997. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  26. ^ "Remember the Titans (2000) Soundtracks". IMDb. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  27. ^ Echevarría, Emilio; Bernal, Gael García; Toledo, Goya; Guerrero, Álvaro (13 April 2001), Amores Perros, IMDb, retrieved 24 March 2017
  28. ^ "The Longest Yard (2005) Soundtracks". IMDb. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  29. ^ "The Lovely Bones (2009) Soundtracks". IMDb. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  30. ^ "Trouble with the Curve (2012) Soundtracks". IMDb. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  31. ^ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016), IMDb, retrieved 20 January 2018
  32. ^ Hiddleston, Tom; Jackson, Samuel L.; Larson, Brie; Reilly, John C. (10 March 2017), Kong: Skull Island, IMDb, retrieved 24 March 2017
  33. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. pp. 50–51. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  34. ^ Greg Prato (22 June 2010). "Tattoos & Tequila - Vince Neil". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
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