The Hollies’ “Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)” Sums Up Everything We Love About Rock And Roll

The Midnight Special, 1973

Written in 1971 by The Hollies’ Allan Clarke, ‘Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)’ is the biggest hit of The Hollies’ career, and for good reason: it rocks! From that gorgeous, folksy guitar intro that hits you right in the gut with how powerful it is, to the way the rhythm changes immediately after, ‘Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)’ is a fun ride from start to finish – and it’s even better live.

Fun Fact: Allan Clarke rejoined The Hollies later in 1973 after seeing the huge success his song was.

This performance features The Hollies on The Midnight Special in 1973, and what makes this performance so special is the combination of vocalist Terry Sylvester and guitarist Mikael Rickfors; the two stepped up to the plate following the exit of former Hollies vocalist Allan Clarke, and with Rickfors supporting Terry Sylvester’s lead vocal parts with his own deeper backing vocals, there’s no way that this performance of ‘Long Cool Woman’ isn’t one of the band’s best!

+ 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 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”

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

Well, the DA 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’m gonna be forgiven if I wanna spend my living”

With 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
She had it all, she had it all, she had it all
She had it all

You got it all, you got it all, you got it all
You got it all, got it all, got it all, got it all
Pretty long cool woman had it all