Hard to Handle (song)

"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]

"Hard to Handle"
Song by Otis Redding
from the album The Immortal Otis Redding
Released	June 1968
Recorded	1967
Genre	R&B[1] soul[1]
Length	2:21
Label	Atco
Songwriter(s)	Allen Jones Al Bell Otis Redding
Producer(s)	Steve Cropper
Official audio
Hard To Handle (Official Lyric Video) on YouTube

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

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 Ron "Pigpen" McKernan taking the lead vocals. The band subsequently performed the song 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

"Hard to Handle"
Single by the Black Crowes
from the album Shake Your Money Maker
B-side	"Waitin' Guilty" "Jealous Again" (acoustic) "Sister Luck" (live)
Released	August 13, 1990 (1990-08-13)
Genre	Hard rock[4]
Length	3:08
Label	Def American
Songwriter(s)	Allen Jones Al Bell Otis Redding
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.

The guitar solo was played by Brendan O'Brien on a Gibson Les Paul owned by Rick Rubin.

Track listings

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)

• A 12-inch picture disc was also released, omitting "Stare It Cold".^[12]

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

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Hard to Handle" Chart (1990–1991) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[19] 79 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[20] 40 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[21] 56 UK Singles (OCC)[22] 45 UK Singles (OCC)[23] 1991 re-release 39 US Billboard Hot 100[24] 26 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[25] 1

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Hard to Handle" Chart (1991) Position US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard)[26] 20

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[27]	Silver	200,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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	October 1990	—		[30]
Japan	November 25, 1990	Maxi-CD		[31]
	May 25, 1991	Mini-CD		[32]
United Kingdom	August 12, 1991	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl CD		[33]

Other versions

• A cover of the song appears on Tony Joe White's 1970 album Tony Joe.^[34]
• Mae West performed the song in the 1970 film Myra Breckinridge.^[35]
• British R&B/rock band Snafu included the song on their 1975 album All Funked Up^[36] and performed it for John Peel on his show of 4 September 1975^[37]
• US band Harpers Bizarre recorded and included the song in their fourth album "4" released in 1969 by Warner Bros.-Seven Arts Records.