Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress

"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), selling 2 million copies worldwide, including 1.5 million in the United States. 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

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.

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.

The song was initially written in the country/rockabilly style of Jerry Reed , then adapted more to the swamp rock 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".

Reception

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.'" 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. Clarke rejoined the Hollies in the summer of 1973, partly due to the success of the song.

Personnel

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts

Chart (1972)	Peak position
Australia	2
Canada (RPM 100 Singles)	1
Netherlands (Gfk Top 100 Singles)	21
New Zealand (Listener)	2
South Africa (Springbok)	1
UK Singles Chart	32
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	2
U.S. Cash Box Top 100	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1972)	Rank
Australia	16
Canada	19
South Africa	10
U.S. Billboard	24
U.S. Cash Box	20

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)	Platinum	1,000,000
Shipments figures based on certification alone.

In popular culture and cover versions

Phantom, Rocker & Slick released their version on their 1986 album Cover Girl.
"Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" was the first song played by the band Phish. They also played the song at their 15th and 20th anniversary concerts.
A cappella group Rockapella released a version on their 1995 album Primer. Their version often accompanied the map round on Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?.
Country music singer T. G. Sheppard covered the song on his 1997 album Nothin' on But the Radio.
The song was used in the films Air America, Downsizing, Remember the Titans, Amores Perros, The Longest Yard, The Lovely Bones, Trouble with the Curve, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, and Kong: Skull Island.
Country music singer Clint Black released his version of the song to country radio on 19 February 2008, under the title "Long Cool Woman". Black's version charted on the Hot Country Songs chart at No. 58.
Heavy metal rocker Vince Neil released a heavier version of "Long Cool Woman", along with other covers and original material, on his third studio album, Tattoos & Tequila, on 22 June 2010.

References

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

v t e The Hollies
Allan Clarke Graham Nash Tony Hicks Eric Haydock Don Rathbone Bobby Elliott Bernie Calvert Terry Sylvester Mikael Rickfors Peter Howarth Carl Wayne Ian Parker
Studio albums	Stay with the Hollies Here I Go Again In the Hollies Style Hollies Would You Believe? Bus Stop For Certain Because Evolution Butterfly Dear Eloise / King Midas in Reverse Hollies Sing Dylan Hollies Sing Hollies Confessions of the Mind Distant Light Romany Out on the Road Hollies Another Night Write On Russian Roulette A Crazy Steal Five Three One - Double Seven O Four What Goes Around...
Live albums	Hollies Live Hits
Extended plays	The Hollies Just One Look Here I Go Again I'm Alive
Compilations	The Hollies' Greatest Hits Hollies' Greatest The Hollies' Greatest Hits The Hollies: 20 Golden Greats
Box sets	Clarke, Hicks & Nash Years: The Complete Hollies April 1963 – October 1968
Singles	"Searchin'" "Stay" "Just One Look" "Here I Go Again" "Yes I Will" "I'm Alive" "Look Through Any Window" "If I Needed Someone" "I Can't Let Go" "Bus Stop" "Stop Stop Stop" "On a Carousel" "Carrie Anne" "King Midas in Reverse" "Jennifer Eccles" "Listen to Me" "Sorry Suzanne" "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" "I Can't Tell the Bottom from the Top" "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" "The Air That I Breathe" "Sandy (4th July, Asbury Park)" "Heartbeat" "Stop! In the Name of Love"
Other songs	"Tell Me to My Face"
Related	Discography Members

v t e Clint Black singles
Killin' Time	"A Better Man" "Killin' Time" "Nobody's Home" "Walkin' Away" "Nothing's News"
Put Yourself in My Shoes	"Put Yourself in My Shoes" "Loving Blind" "One More Payment" "Where Are You Now"
The Hard Way	"We Tell Ourselves" "Burn One Down" "When My Ship Comes In"
No Time to Kill	"A Bad Goodbye" (with Wynonna Judd) "No Time to Kill" "State of Mind" "A Good Run of Bad Luck" "Half the Man"
One Emotion	"Untanglin' My Mind" "Wherever You Go" "Summer's Comin'" "One Emotion" "Life Gets Away"
Greatest Hits	"Like the Rain" "Half Way Up"
Nothin' but the Taillights	"Still Holding On" (with Martina McBride) "Something That We Do" "Nothin' but the Taillights" "The Shoes You're Wearing" "Loosen Up My Strings" "You Don't Need Me Now"
D'lectrified	"When I Said I Do" (with Lisa Hartman Black) "Been There" (with Steve Wariner) "Love She Can't Live Without"
Spend My Time	"Spend My Time"
Other songs	"Desperado" "Are You Sure Waylon Done It This Way" (with Waylon Jennings) "Hey, Good Lookin'" (with Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait) "Long Cool Woman"

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