"Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)" gets 'em up every time. It was a huge hit back in early 1972 when it peaked at #2 for two weeks, kept out of the top spot by Gilbert O'Sullivan's poignant "Alone Again (Naturally)". The Hollies got started with Allan Clarke and Graham Nash first meeting back in 1962, with Eric Haycock and Don Rathbone joining soon after. Tony Hicks became the fifth and final member when they were signed to EMI Records in the UK. During that time, they released classic Brit Pop like "Bus Stop", "Stop Stop Stop", "On A Carousel" and "Carrie Anne".
They shifted into the the 70's with Allan testifying to brotherhood of man with "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". Soon, band members quit with Allan Clarke going solo in 1971. After the break up, One track from their final LP "Distant Light" was this rockin' dance tune that did not do well in the UK, and they expected it to tank in the US too. "Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)" did just the opposite, the song proved irresistable to the Americans, who took it to their heart and never forgot about it.
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)
Songwriters: Alan Clarke / Roger Frederick Cook / Roger John Reginald Greenaway
Long Cool Woman lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Carlin America Inc
