Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress
The Hollies
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Saturday night I was downtown Working for the FBI Sitting in a nest of bad men Whiskey bottles piling high Bootlegging boozer on the west side Full of people who are doing wrong Just about to call up the DA man When I heard this woman singing a song A pair of 45s made me open my eyes My temperature started to rise She was a long cool woman in a black dress Just a 5-9 beautiful tall With just one look I was a bad mess 'Cause that long cool woman had it all I saw her heading to the table Well a tall walking big black cat When Charlie said I hope that you're able, boy Well I'm telling you she knows where it's at Well then suddenly we heard the sirens And everybody started to run Jumping under doors and tables Well I heard somebody shooting a gun Well the DA was pumping my left hand And she was holding my right Well I told her, "Don't get scared 'Cause you're gonna be spared" Well I'm gonna be forgiven If I want to spend my living With a long cool woman in a black dress Just a 5-9 beautiful tall With just one look I was a bad mess 'Cause that long cool woman had it all Had it all, had it all, had it all...
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.png/300px-The_Hollies_(1965).png "The Hollies")
4 fans
Written by: Alan Clarke, Roger Frederick Cook, Roger John Reginald Greenaway
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Round Hill Music Big Loud Songs
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Creation and Release"Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" was composed and performed by the British rock band, The Hollies. It was first released in the United Kingdom on February 17, 1972, as a single and later included in their album "Distant Light."
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Chart SuccessThe song was one of The Hollies' most successful singles, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart and number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in September 1972. It was the band's highest charting song in the U.S.
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Band's LineupAt the time of recording, The Hollies included Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, Terry Sylvester, Bobby Elliott, and Bernie Calvert. Notably, although "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" is distinctively remembered for Clarke's lead vocal, founding band member Graham Nash had left the band by that time.
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Unique StyleThe song is known for its distinctive, hard-boiled, bluesy rock sound, which was atypical of The Hollies' usual pop rock style. The style of the song was more similar to the southern rock style popularized by CCR.
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InspirationInspired by a movie, Allan Clarke, Roger Cook, and Roger Greenaway wrote "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" to mimic the theme and style of Prohibition-era America. It tells an intrigue-filled story of an F.B.I. agent, himself operating in the shadow of the law, and his encounter with a femme fatale.
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MisidentificationDue to its musical style and vocal delivery, many listeners originally thought the song was by Creedence Clearwater Revival, and this misconception still sometimes persists today.
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Recording ProcessInteresting to note, the song was recorded in just two takes, with the first being deemed too fast. The final version was the second take.
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Commercial Use"Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" has been used in various commercials and movies. For example, it was featured in a 1997 Miller Beer commercial, as well as in the movie "Remember the Titans" (2000) and in the TV movie "Perfect Body" (1997).
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Later PerformancesAllan Clarke, The Hollies' original lead vocalist, would often perform "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" during his solo concerts after leaving the group. Despite occasional modifications to the lyrics, these performances maintained the song's iconic sound.
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PopularityEven decades after its release, "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" continues to be popular, frequently appearing on classic rock stations and maintaining a high streaming count on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
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Citation
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"Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/33292648/The+Hollies/Long+Cool+Woman+in+a+Black+Dress>.
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