Hard to Handle (song)

"Hard to Handle"
Song by Otis Redding
from the album The Immortal Otis Redding
ReleasedJune 1968
Recorded1967
Genre
Length2:17
LabelAtco
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Steve Cropper
Official audio
Hard To Handle (Official Lyric Video) on YouTube

"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 number 38 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 51 on the pop chart.[2]

American rock band the Black Crowes covered the song for their 1990 debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, reaching number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 with their rendition.

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[3] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

The Grateful Dead version

Hard To Handle was performed by the Grateful Dead about 90 times between March 1969 and August 1971 with Piegpen (Ronald McKeran) taking the lead vocals. It was subsequently performed only twice, on December 30 and 31, 1982, with Etta James taking the vocals and support from the Tower of Power horns.


The Black Crowes version

[edit]
"Hard to Handle"
Single by the Black Crowes
from the album Shake Your Money Maker
B-side
ReleasedAugust 13, 1990 (1990-08-13)
GenreHard rock[4]
Length3:08
LabelDef American
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)George Drakoulias
The Black Crowes singles chronology
"Jealous Again"
(1990) 		"Hard to Handle"
(1990) 		"Twice As Hard"
(1990)

American rock band the Black Crowes covered the song for 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, available on the 30th Anniversary edition of Shake Your Money Maker.[5] The album version was first released as a single in the United Kingdom in August 1990 and was issued in the United States later the same year.

The song peaked at number 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, and number 45 on the UK Singles Chart. Following the success of the band's first top-40 hit, "She Talks to Angels", the song re-entered the Hot 100 and peaked at number 26 in August 1991, becoming the Black Crowes' highest position on the chart. The same month, the song was re-released in the UK and reached a new peak of number 39.

Track listings

[edit]

US 7-inch and cassette single (1990)[6][7]

A. "Hard to Handle" (album version) – 3:08
B. "Waitin' Guilty" – 3:02

International 7-inch and cassette single (1990)[8][9]

A. "Hard to Handle" (album version) – 3:06
B. "Jealous Again" (acoustic version) – 4:37

UK 12-inch single and Japanese maxi-CD single (1990)[10][11]

  1. "Hard to Handle"
  2. "Jealous Again" (acoustic version)
  3. "Twice As Hard" (live at the Paradiso, June 5, 1990)
  4. "Stare It Cold" (live at the Paradiso, June 5, 1990)

UK CD single (1990)[13]

  1. "Hard to Handle"
  2. "Jealous Again" (acoustic version)
  3. "Twice as Hard" (remix)

UK 7-inch single (1991)[14]

A. "Hard to Handle" (album version)
B. "Sister Luck" (live at the Greek Theatre)

UK 7-inch picture disc (1991)[15]

A. "Hard to Handle" (album version)
B. "Stare It Cold" (live at the Greek Theatre)

UK 12-inch single (1991)[16]

A1. "Hard to Handle"
B1. "Dreams" (live at the Greek Theatre)
B2. "Stare It Cold" (live at the Greek Theatre)

UK CD single (1991)[17]

  1. "Hard to Handle"
  2. "Sister Luck" (live at the Greek Theatre)
  3. "Stare It Cold" (live at the Greek Theatre)

Japanese mini-CD single (1991)[18]

  1. "Hard to Handle"
  2. "Jealous Again" (acoustic version)

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Release history and formats for "Hard to Handle"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom August 13, 1990
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • cassette
 Def American [28]
August 28, 1990 12-inch picture disc [29]
United States 1990
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • cassette
Japan November 25, 1990 Maxi-CD [30]
May 25, 1991 Mini-CD [31]
United Kingdom August 12, 1991
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
 [32]

Other versions

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Cartwright, Garth (2015). "Otis Redding - "Hard to Handle". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die. New York: Universe. p. 227.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 486.
  3. ^ "British single certifications – Otis Reading – Hard to Handle". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  4. ^ Kemp, Mark (2004). "The Black Crowes". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 75–76. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  5. ^ "'Shake Your Money Maker' 30th Anniversary Box Set". theblackcrowes.com. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  6. ^ Hard to Handle (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). The Black Crowes. Def American Recordings. 1990. 7-19245.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ Hard to Handle (US cassette single cassette notes). The Black Crowes. Def American Recordings. 1990. 19245-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ Hard to Handle (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). The Black Crowes. Def American Recordings. 1990. DEFA 6, 878 132–7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Hard to Handle (UK cassette single sleeve). The Black Crowes. Def American Recordings. 1990. DEFAM 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Hard to Handle (UK 12-inch single sleeve). The Black Crowes. Def American Recordings. 1990. DEFA 612, 878 133-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Hard to Handle (Japanese maxi-CD single liner notes). The Black Crowes. Def American Recordings. 1990. PHCR-8004.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Hard to Handle (UK 12-inch picture disc sleeve). The Black Crowes. Def American Recordings. 1990. DEFAP 612.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Hard to Handle (UK CD single liner notes). The Black Crowes. Def American Recordings. 1990. DEFAC 6, 878 133–2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Hard to Handle (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). The Black Crowes. Def American Recordings. 1991. DEFA10, 868 838-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Hard to Handle (UK 7-inch picture disc sleeve). The Black Crowes. Def American Recordings. 1991. DEFAP 10, 868 840-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ Hard to Handle (UK 12-inch single sleeve). The Black Crowes. Def American Recordings. 1991. DEFA 1012, 868 839-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ Hard to Handle (UK CD single liner notes). The Black Crowes. Def American Recordings. 1991. DEFAC10, 868 839-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ Hard to Handle (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). The Black Crowes. Def American Recordings. 1990. PHDR-21.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  20. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9091." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  21. ^ "The Black Crowes – Hard to Handle" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  22. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  23. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  24. ^ "The Black Crowes Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  25. ^ "The Black Crowes Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  26. ^ "The Year in Music 1991: Top Album Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. December 21, 1991. p. YE-41.
  27. ^ "British single certifications – Black Crowes – Hard To Handle". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  28. ^ "New Singles". Music Week. August 11, 1990. p. 27.
  29. ^ "New Singles". Music Week. August 25, 1990. p. 23.
  30. ^ "ジェラス・アゲイン | ブラック・クロウズ" [Jealous Again | Black Crowes] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  31. ^ "ハード・トゥ・ハンドル | ブラック・クロウズ" [Hard to Handle | Black Crowes] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  32. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. August 10, 1991. p. 19.
  33. ^ "Tony Joe - Tony Joe White | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  34. ^ "All Funked Up – Snafu | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  35. ^ "BBC - Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - 28/08/1975 Snafu".
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