Hard to Handle (song)

"Hard to Handle" is a 1968 song written by American soul star 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 #38 on the Billboard R&B charts and #51 on the pop charts.

"Hard to Handle"
Song by Otis Redding
from the album The Immortal Otis Redding
LanguageEnglish
ReleasedJune 1968
Recorded1967
GenreSoul
Length2:17
LabelAtco
Songwriter(s)Allen Jones, Al Bell, and Otis Redding
Producer(s)Steve Cropper

Numerous covers of the song exist, most notably a 1990 blues rock take on the track by band The Black Crowes.

"Hard to Handle"
Single by The Black Crowes
from the album Shake Your Money Maker
B-side"Waitin' Guilty"
(non-album track)
Released1990
Recorded1989
GenreHard rock, blues rock
Length3:08
LabelDef American
Songwriter(s)Allen Jones, Al Bell, and Otis Redding
Producer(s)George Drakoulias
The Black Crowes singles chronology
"Jealous Again"
(1990)		 "Hard to Handle"
(1990)		 "Twice As Hard"
(1990)

Cover versions

The song has been covered by many artists, including Patti Drew (with perhaps the earliest cover in 1968), King Floyd, Grateful Dead, The Black Crowes, Tom Jones, Toots and the Maytals, Rustix, Band from TV, Harpers Bizarre, Gov't Mule, Tony Joe White, Magic Slim and the Teardrops, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Matt Giraud, Etta James and Snafu as well as by Mae West in the film Myra Breckinridge. It was covered by the band Liquid Smoke in 1969 in a style very similar to The Black Crowes version.

The Black Crowes version

Perhaps the most notable cover is by 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. 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.

Charts
Chart (1990–1991) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[1] 79
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[2] 40
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[3] 56
Poland (LP3)[4] 45
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[5] 45
US Billboard Hot 100[6] 26
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[7] 1

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 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"
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References
  1. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  2. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9091." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  3. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Black Crowes – Hard to Handle" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  4. "Notowanie nr512" (in Polish). LP3. December 13, 1991. Retrieved February 22, 2018. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  5. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  6. "The Black Crowes Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  7. "The Black Crowes Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
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