‘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. Originally appearing on the album Distant Light, it was released as a single on 17 April 1972, 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.
The lyrics set a scene similar to that of 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 [citation needed], 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".
This is the only Hollies single without any backing vocals. The reason why Clarke is the only singer on this record is that he didn't intend the song to be released on a Hollies album, but as a record of his own. When the band learned that he intended to do a solo recording, Clarke was issued an ultimatum - he could either remain with The Hollies or pursue a solo career, but not both. Clarke told Rolling Stone in 1973: "I think with me the band feared that if I got a hit I'd leave. How can you stop destiny? Now, if they originally agreed, I might not even have left. 'Long Cool Woman' would have been released a year earlier, and we'd have done a few tours of the States and maybe would have been really big."
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.
Labels – Parlophone (UK), Epic (US)
Songwriters – Allan Clarke, Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway
Producers – The Hollies, Ron Richards
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]Saturday night I was downtown
Working for the FBI
Sittin' 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 sing a song
A pair of 45's 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
[Instrumental Interlude]
I saw her heading to the table
Like a tall walking big black cat
When Charlie said I hope that you're able, boy
Cause I'm telling you she knows where it's at
Then suddenly we heard the sirens
And everybody started to run
A-jumping out of doors and tables
When I heard somebody shootin' a gun
Well the DA was pumping my left hand
And a-she was a-holding my right
Well I told her don't get scared
'Cause you're gonna be spared
I've gotta be forgiven if I wanna spend my living
With a long cool woman in a black dress
Just a 5'9 beautiful tall
Yeah, with just one look I was a bad mess
Cause that long cool woman had it all
Had it all
Had it all