Introduction
“Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)” was originally written by Allan Clarke, Roger Cook, and Roger Greenaway, and performed by the British rock group The Hollies. It appeared on their 1971 album Distant Light and was released as a single on 17 April 1972 (Parlophone in the UK, Epic in the US), eventually selling around 2 million copies worldwide, including 1.5 million in the U.S..
At that time, The Hollies were enjoying a resurgence in North America after several years of moderate chart performance. “Long Cool Woman” became their biggest-ever U.S. hit, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in September 1972, only blocked by Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Alone Again (Naturally)” . It also reached number 1 in Canada and South Africa, and number 2 in Australia and New Zealand—though in the U.K. it peaked at only #32 .
Musically and lyrically, the song draws on film‑noir imagery, framing its narrative around an undercover FBI agent in a bootleg speakeasy who becomes infatuated with a glamorous “long cool woman in a black dress” before violence erupts . Clarke has said the song was initially written in a country/rockabilly vein, then reworked into a swamp‑rock style evocative of Creedence Clearwater Revival, with Clarke intentionally mimicking John Fogerty’s vocal delivery on tracks like “Green River” . Clarke has also stated the song was written in about five minutes .
Fast‑forward nearly five decades: Ronnie Dunn, known for his work in Brooks & Dunn and solo country career, included his own version of “Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)” on his 2020 covers album Re‑Dunn. Dunn described the project as a personal “passion” album featuring country and rock classics that had influenced him, and “Long Cool Woman” was one of the standout selections
Video
Lyrics
Saturday night I was down town
Working for the F.B.I.
Sitting in a nest of bad men
Whiskey bottles piling high
Boot legging 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 five nine
Beautiful
Tall
With just one look I was a bad mess
Cause that long cool woman had it all.
Saw her heading to the table
Well a tall walking big black cat
When Charlie said “”I hope that you’re able
Boy””
Well
I’m telling you she knows where it’s at
Well suddenly we heard a siren
And every body started to run
A jumping out of doors and tables
Well I heard somebody shooting a gun.
Well the D.A. was pumping my left hand
And a she a holding my right
And I told her don’t get scared
Cause you’re gonna be spared
I gotta be forgiven
If I want to spend my living with
A long cool woman in a black dress
Just a five nine
Beautiful
Tall
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