Music Blog

Long Cool Woman

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for Song Lyric Sunday  
where the challenge is to write
about a song with ‘black’ in
the title. This is my song.

This week the suggestion for Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday comes from our friend Melissa Lemay of Mom With a Blog. The theme is “Black Sunday”  and the challenge is to write about a song with ‘black’ in the title.

When it comes to hit songs, the Hollies from Manchester, UK, have an extraordinary track record spanning 30 years plus over 50 years of being on the road. While they never really rose to great heights with their studio albums, they were one of the prominent singles bands of their generation and combined some wonderful cover versions with their own self-penned hits. For anyone who was around back then, the Hollies were up there alongside the likes of the Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Who, Animals, Manfred Mann, etc., with hits such as “Bus Stop”, “On A Carousel”, “Stop Stop Stop”, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”, “Carrie Anne” and others.

In 1972, the Hollies’ single recording of “Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress” made a splash by reaching the #2 spot on the US charts. The lyrics set a scene similar to 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.

U.S. music magazine Cash Box called the song “rockin’ in the tradition of CCR and T Rex”, adding that the Hollies were at their most commercially successful since “He Ain’t Heavy.” In the Hollies’ native UK, the song was only a modest success, peaking at #32. Billboard ranked it as the #24 song for 1972.

The Hollies are one of the few UK groups of the early 60s, along with the Rolling Stones, who have never disbanded and continue to record and perform. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

This is “Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)” by the Hollies


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 D.A. man
When I heard this woman singing a song

A pair of forty fives 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 ‘n’ tall
Just one look I was a bad mess
‘Cause that long cool woman had it all

I saw her heading to the table
Well, a tall walking big black cat
Charlie said, I hope that you’re able, boy
‘Cause I’m telling you she knows where it’s at

Well, suddenly we hear the sirens
And everybody started to run
Jumping under doors and tables
Well, I heard somebody shooting a gun

Well, the D.A. was pumping my left hand
She was 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 ‘n’ tall
Well with just one look I was a bad mess
‘Cause that long cool woman had it all
Had it all, had it all, had it all
Had it all, had it all, had it all (she had it all)

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Alan Clarke/Roger Frederick Cook/Roger John Reginald Greenaway
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) (1999 Remaster) lyrics © Evolution Media Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group

Black Sunday

Big thanks to Jim Adams for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday this week and every week. Be sure to follow the link and check out Jim’s site.

Thanks for stopping by and listening to my music pick today.

That’s all she wrote. See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2025

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy’s Notes 🖊️🎶, The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, The Rhythm Section, et al., and are not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.

50 thoughts on “Long Cool Woman”

  1. This is such a great song! Thank you for the share, DJ. A timeless tune. One that reminds me of driving to the lake with my parents when I was a kid. Some songs are made for windows down and wind blowing. 🖤

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  3. This was the Hollies stepping out of their comfort zone and it worked! I have always loved this song Nancy. In fact I think I used it for sn SLS prompt a few years back. Its awesome! Thanks folr sharing it today ☺️💕

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    1. Thanks for a great comment, Christine! The Hollies had a string of hits, all featuring their tight harmony. Long Cool Woman was their first song to feature the solo voice of lead singer Allan Clarke taking center stage and a departure from their well-known harmonies. I’m so pleased to know you like this song as much as I do. Thanks, Christine!

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    1. That must be a great album, Lisa.

      It’s the same whenever an important band member leaves; the group either carries on well without that person or it falls apart. Had Graham stayed, who knows if they would have recorded their successful hit “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”. Everything happens for a reason. Thanks, Lisa.

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  13. I always loved this song, Nancy great choice. John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) believed that the Hollies’ song “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” infringed on CCR’s trademark sound, specifically their song “Green River,” and filed a lawsuit against them. The case was ultimately dismissed due to differences in the melody. 

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  16. I decided not to play this today as I was hoping that someone – especially you – might play it. And you didn’t let me down! A great song from a great band, even without Graham Nash.

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    1. Who needs Graham Nash?! 🤣

      I’m so pleased you like this song as much as I do, Clive. Truth is, it wasn’t my first choice but I’m glad I went with it (even if Fandango did, too!). Maybe if no one features my original choice, I’ll write it up later in the week. Maybe.

      Thanks very much.

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  17. What a great song to wake up to. I mean who didn’t want to be a Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress? I would have settled for a mid-length cool woman in a black dress, since that was as close as I was ever gonna get!

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    1. I hear ya, Toots! My immediate family members are stupid tall; even my grandkids are taller than me except for Colette but she’s only 5 yrs old and growing like a wildflower. Good thing I’m as freakin’ cool as I am cos I sure as hell ain’t getting any longer! 😎

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  18. You said it all Nancy the Hollies were just great and as you say still going like the Stones and me 😜! When hubby and I and our best friends Bob and Marilyn ( who are both sadly passed) didn’t have enough money to go out we’d hang out on Bob’s parents front room and listen to the Hollies… happy memories 😊😊💜💜💜

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