Single:
Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress entered the Australian singles chart* on 17 July 1972 and peaked at #2. It was #22 on the Top 100 of 1972.
Album:
The song is on Distant Light which entered the Australian albums chart* on 28 August 1972 and peaked at #28.
Songwriters:
Allan Clarke, Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway
Producers:
The Hollies, Ron Richards
Record label of Australian release:
Parlophone
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
Wikipedia:
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. The song is different from most other Hollies songs in that there are no three-part vocal harmonies, and the song features lead guitar and lead vocal work by Allan Clarke. Upon his return, Ron Richards mixed the recording.
Read more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Cool_Woman_in_a_Black_Dress
Songfacts:
The Distant Light album was out for a year before this song was released as a single. Before the single was released, lead singer Allan Clarke left the group, replaced by Swedish singer Michael Rickfors (another founding member, Graham Nash, left in 1968). After Long Cool Woman became a hit in the US, Clarke rethought his solo career and came back. The group released one album with Rickfors, Romany in 1972, before Clarke took back his position.
Read more: www.songfacts.com/facts/the-hollies/long-cool-woman-in-a-black-dress
Lyrics:
Saturday night, I was downtown
Working for the FBI
Sitting 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 singin′ a song
Click for full lyrics
This song is also on our Spotify playlist Bang a Gong – the 70s
Other songs by The Hollies on Bang a Gong:
The Air That I Breathe
Bus Stop
Carrie Anne
Gasoline Alley Bred
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother
Magic Woman Touch
On a Carousel
Sorry Suzanne
Stop Stop Stop
Too Young to be Married
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