Hard To Handle

by

The Black Crowes

Album: Shake Your Money Maker      Released: 1990

US Chart: 26     UK Chart: 45

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This song was written and originally recorded by Otis Redding. His version was released in 1968, the year after his death.

This was one of The Black Crowes' first singles. They had been together for 5 years before signing a record deal with Def American.

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Comments:

A band out of Saratoga Springs called Chet J. Flocko and The Drunks do a cool version on there CD entitled "Sugar Laced Icicles".
- Bender, East West Virginia, VA

thank you Otis, for writing this song. guaranteed to energize the hell outta me everytime i hear it. The Black Crowes... gotta love 'em.
- joycemorrison, PH

Etta James has a fantastic version of this song, too.
- Amy, Rapid City, SD

I have the Grateful Dead cover of it...I personally love the bluesish/light rock guitar messing around stuff about it. they did an excellent job- its great to listen to!
- Jimmy, Birmingham, MI

The Crowes have a horn section on the new 'Freak n' Roll' DVD, and Hard to handle sounds reeal awesome.
- Merve, Stockton-on-Tees, England

I like the version in "the commitments" movie. Pretty close to Otis.
- rob, vancouver, Canada

I have to agree with Shane, I thought it was awesome when I heard her singing it. I've been trying to find a copy of it, anyone have any ideas?
- Rudy, Long Beach, CA

The solo is amazing on the song.
- Johhny, London, MT

the grateful dead version is really long
- Brettt, Voodoo Lounge, TX

Several years ago I heard an alternate mix of "Hard to Handle" which includes a horn section. I've neither heard it nor been able to find it on CD since then.
- Joshua, Twin Cities, MN

I love Ottis redding's version. The Black crows' version rocks to. Where can you find the greatful dead one again? I'm not a huge fan of there's but that'd be cool to here.
- Stefanie magura, Rock Hill, SC

Surely the most surreal version of this song is by Mae West. She performed it in her 70's as a big dance number in the film "Myra Breckenridge".
- Shane, Van Buren, AR

It's not so hard to find Grateful Dead covering this song anymore. You can find it among the bonus tracks on the "Festival Express" DVD. A very cool DVD to add to your collection, and there is a lot of Dead material on it circa 1970.
- Andy, Cleveland, OH

The Crowes version is vitually note-for-note the same as SNAFU's from their album "All Funked Up" c.1975. I had a vinyl copy back then (long gone and now regarded as 'rare', sob!) and played it to death - when I first heard the Crowes version, I thought it must be SNAFU's reissued cos it's so close. "All Funked Up" has been reissued on CD by AngelAir, I just found, and I'm ordering one as it was a cracking album. Can't wait!
- Andy, London, England

The Dead were doing down right crazy versions of Hard to Handle in the late 60s and early 70s with Ron "Pigpen" McKernen on vocals, percussion, organ, and god knows what else...This is most likely where the black crowes got their inspiration to cover the Ottis Redding classic.
- barry, chicago, IL

The Greatful Dead did a great cover of this song back in the early eighties. It can only be found on bootlegs, and one of the "backstage pass" videos
- matthew, raleigh, NC

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