Hard to Handle (song)

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"Hard to Handle" is a 1968 song written by American soul singer Otis Redding along with Al Bell and Allen Jones. Originally recorded by Redding, it was released in 1968 as the B-side to "Amen" (shortly after the singer's sudden death in 1967). The song also appears on the 1968 album The Immortal Otis Redding. Redding's version reached No. 38 on the Billboard R&B charts and No. 51 on the pop charts.^[1]

The Black Crowes covered the song on their 1990 debut album Shake Your Money Maker and it became their first hit single.

The Black Crowes version[]

"Hard to Handle"
Single by the Black Crowes
from the album Shake Your Money Maker
B-side	"Waitin' Guilty" "Jealous Again" (acoustic) "Sister Luck" (live)
Released	1990
Recorded	1989
Genre	Hard rock blues rock
Length	3:08
Label	Def American
Songwriter(s)	Allen Jones Al Bell Otis Redding
Producer(s)	George Drakoulias
The Black Crowes singles chronology
"Jealous Again" (1990) "Hard to Handle" (1990) "Twice As Hard" (1990)

Perhaps the most notable cover is by American rock band the Black Crowes, for whom it was a breakout hit single from their 1990 debut album Shake Your Money Maker. Two versions of the song exist: the original album version and the hit single remixed with an overdubbed brass section.^{[citation needed]} The Crowes' version reached number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100.

A cover version in the style of the Black Crowes is available as a downloadable track for the music video game series Rock Band. Another covered version by Steve Ouimette is in the video game Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.

Track listings[]

Charts[]

Other uses[]

• Reggae artist Capleton used the ascension / descension for "Wings of the Mourning" (remix) 1992 on the Def Jam label Masta Ace samples this song's bass line for "Four Minus Three", a song from his debut album Take a Look Around.
• The Lemon Jelly 2001 song "Rock", from a rare limited edition (1000 copies) single called "Soft/Rock" (which came in a pair of Levi's jeans with a condom in the pocket), features sampled elements of "Hard to Handle".
• The hip-hop producer Marley Marl sampled the five-note ascension and descension intro for his song "The Symphony" from his 1988 album In Control, Volume 1. This was re-sampled for the 1992 Wreckx-N-Effect song "Hard" and the 1999 Snoop Dogg song "Ghetto Symphony" from his 1999 album No Limit Top Dogg.
• Rapper Frankie Cutlass also uses the five ascending notes^{[clarification needed]} on his song "The Cypher Pt III" from his 1997 album Politics & Bullsh*t.
• German hip-hop band Fünf Sterne deluxe used the melody and samples in their 1998 song "Willst du mit mir gehn"
• The Grateful Dead performed the song on occasion in the late 1960s and early 1970s, typically sung by keyboardist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan. The song appears on the Grateful Dead live albums History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice), Fallout from the Phil Zone, Ladies and Gentlemen... the Grateful Dead, Dick's Picks Volume 35, Dave's Picks Volume 6, Dave's Picks Volume 10, Dave's Picks Volume 19, and Dave's Picks Volume 30.
• Mae West, as Leticia Van Allen, sings the song in the 1970 film Myra Breckenridge.^{[citation needed]}

References[]

External links[]

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics