Hard To Handle | Chords + Lyrics (Otis Redding)
Intro
||: Bb | Bb :||
Verse 1
||: Bb7 | Bb7 (A7 Bb7 Eb6) :||
Baby, here I am, I’m a man on the scene.
I can give you what you want but you gotta go home with me.
I have got some good old lovin’, and I got some in store.
When I get through throwin’ it on you, you gotta come back for more.
Chorus 1
| F7 | F7 |
Boys and things will come by the dozen, but that ain’t nothin’ but drugstore lovin’.
| Bb7 N.C |
Pretty little thing let me light your chemical.
| N.C | Eb F | Ab Eb Bb |
Mama, I’m sure hard to handle now, yes around.
Verse 2
||: Bb7 | Bb7 (A7 Bb7 Eb6) :||
Action speaks louder than words and I’m a man of a great experience.
I know you got you another man, but I can love you better than him.
Take my hand, don’t be afraid, I’m wanna prove every word I say.
I’m advertising love for free, so won’t you place your ads with me.
Chorus 2
| F7 | F7 |
Boys will come a dime by the dozen, but that ain’t nothing but ten cents love.
| Bb7 N.C |
Pretty little thing let me light your chemicals.
| N.C |
Mama, I’m sure hard to handle now, yes around.
Instrumental 1
||: Ab Eb Bb | Ab Eb Bb :||
Verse 3
||: Bb7 | Bb7 (A7 Bb7 Eb6) :||
Baby, here I am, I’m a man on the scene.
I can give you what you want but you gotta go home with me.
I have got some good old lovin’, and I got some more in store.
When I get through throwin’ it on you, you gotta come back for more.
Chorus 3
| F7 | F7 |
Boys will come a dime by the dozen, that ain’t nothin’ but drugstore love.
| Bb7 N.C |
Pretty little thing, let me light your chemical.
| N.C |
Mama, I’m sure hard to handle now, yes around.
Instrumental 2
||: Ab Eb Bb | Ab Eb Bb :||
Outro
||: Bb7 | Bb7 :||
Uh, give it to me. I got to have it.
Give it to me, good old lovin’. Some of that good old lovin.
I’m a big old man, mama. Well I’m too hard to handle.
Hard To Handle | Chords + Lyrics (The Black Crowes)
Intro
| N.C | N.C B riff | B riff | B riff | B riff |
Verse 1
||: B E/G# | B E/G# :||
Baby, here I am, I’m the man on the scene.
I can give you what you want but you gotta come home with me.
I’ve got some good old lovin’, and I got some more in store.
When I get through throwin’ it on you, you gotta come back for more.
Chorus 1
| F#5 | F#5 |
Boys and things that come by the dozen, that ain’t nothin’ but drugstore lovin’.
| B5 N.C |
Hey little thing, let me light your chemicals.
| N.C | D5 E5 | A5 E5 B5 |
‘Cause, oh, mama, I’m sure hard to handle now, gets around.
Verse 2
||: B E/G# | B E/G# :||
Action speaks louder than words and I’m a man of great experience.
I know you got another man but I can love you better than him.
Take my hand, don’t be afraid, I’m gonna prove every word I say.
I’m advertising love for free, so you can place your ads with me.
Chorus 2
| F#5 | F#5 |
Boys will come along, a dime by the dozen, that ain’t nothing but ten cent lovin’.
| B5 N.C |
Hey little thing, let me light your chemicals.
| N.C | Oh, mama, I’m sure hard to handle now, gets around.
Chorus tag 1
||: A5 E5 B5 :|| x4
Yeah, hard to handle now. Oh, baby.
Verse 3
||: B E/G# | B E/G# :||
Baby, here I am, I’m the man on your scene.
I can give you what you want but you gotta come a home with me.
I have got some good old lovin’, and I got some more in store.
When I get through throwin’ it on you, you gotta come a-runnin’ back for more.
Chorus 3
| F#5 | F#5 |
Boys will run along, a dime by the dozen, that ain’t nothin’ but drugstore lovin’.
| B5 N.C |
Hey little thing, let me light your chemicals.
| N.C |
Oh, mama, I’m sure hard to handle now, gets around.
Chorus tag 2
||: A5 E5 B5 :|| x4
Hard. Hard to handle now. Oh yeah, yeah, hey, yeah. Play it.
Solo
||: B E/G# :|| x8
Chorus 4
| F#5 | F#5 |
Boys will run along, a dime by the dozen, that ain’t nothing but ten cent lovin’.
| B5 N.C |
Hey little babe, let me light your chemicals.
| N.C |
Oh, mama, I’m sure hard to handle now, gets around.
Chorus tag 3
||: A5 E5 B5 :|| x4
Yeah. So hard to handle now. Oh, yeah.
Outro
||: B E/G# :|| x8
Baby, good lovin’. Baby. Baby.
Oh, good lovin’. I need good lovin’
I got to have it, oh yeah.
Chorus tag 4
||: A5 E5 B5 :|| x4
Yeah. Yeah. So hard to handle, now, yeah. Mm-mm.
You should learn both versions of Hard To Handle
In 1968, Otis Redding‘s Hard To Handle was released as a B-side to the single Amen, just one year after his unexpected death. A year later it was also included on the album The Immortal Otis Redding.
At the time, Hard To Handle didn’t have much chart success, instead, it has over time become famous from various bands covering it.
Most famously, The Black Crowes did a version on their 1990 album Shake Your Money Maker. It would become their biggest hit.
Hard To Handle is such a standard on the cover band setlist, you are expected to know both versions.
As they vary in arrangement, lyrics, and key, it is a good idea to look into both versions properly, use the chords and lyrics above to achieve this.
Hard To Handle chords | Related pages
Intermediate Electric
The intermediate electric tunes will help you with learning the CAGED system all over the fretboard, both for chords and pentatonic scales.
Learn these Motown/Soul classics, and you’ll not just improve dramatically but also gain yourself a repertoire.
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The Black Crowes
American The Black Crowes are best known for their own tune Remedy and their Otis Redding cover of Hard To Handle.
These two classics were released over two albums in the early 90s and made The Black Crowes famous worldwide.
The Black Crowes on the web
Otis Redding
Dubbed the King Of Soul, Otis Redding was an American singer-songwriter who wrote some of the most famous tunes of all time.
His career was tragically cut short only five years after his first studio album was released as he tragically died in a plane crash in 1967.
Otis Redding on the web
Motown & Soul
You can learn how to play these Motown & Soul tunes, and in doing so, gain yourself a repertoire so you can jam with, or even join a working band.
Study these tunes in-depth and you will map out the fretboard, master the CAGED system, and learn how to design a rhythm guitar part that works in a band.
Pop & Rock
Whenever a tune doesn’t fit into a specific genre, it tends to end up here, in the Pop & Rock section.
Learn tunes from Tom Petty, Eagles, Toto, Oasis, Elvis, Clapton, John Mayer, Kings Of Leon, R.E.M., Radiohead, Bruno Mars, and more.
