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Hard Headed Woman

Rating:
4.6 / 5

Words & Music: Claude DeMetrius

Well a hard headed woman,
a soft hearted man
been the cause of trouble
ever since the world began.
Oh yeah, ever since the world began
a hard headed woman been
a thorn in the side of man.

Now Adam told to Eve,
"Listen here to me,
don't you let me catch you
messin' round that apple tree."
Oh yeah, ever since the world began
a hard headed woman been
a thorn in the side of man.

Now Samson told Delilah
loud and clear,
"Keep your cotton pickin' fingers
out my curly hair."
Oh yeah, ever since the world began
a hard headed woman been
a thorn in the side of man.

I heard about a king
who was doin' swell
till he started playing
with that evil Jezebel.
Oh yeah, ever since the world began
a hard headed woman been a thorn in the side of man.

I got a woman,
a head like a rock.
If she ever went away
I'd cry around the clock.
Oh yeah, ever since the world began
a hard headed woman been
a thorn in the side of man.

Recordingdate: 1958/01/15, first released on: single (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Hard Headed Woman:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(bass)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(bongos)
(cymbals)
(clarinet)
(sax)
(trombone)
(trumpet)
(tuba)

Availability

Find available albums with Hard Headed Woman.

ElvisDayByDay wrote on May 04, 2008
A great song with the "aggression" and (up)tempo a rock and roll song needs.
JLpResLey wrote on October 03, 2008
A great song. I wonder if Elvis ever sang faster than this. Unfortunately it does not get the credit it deserves. It´s never mentioned among Elvis´ greatest rock tunes. And the movie, as I recall it, the song was only heard in the background, we never get the chance to see Elvis perform the whole song
Rob Wanders wrote on October 03, 2008
one of the best rocksongs from the 50's.
bajo wrote on October 03, 2008
Heard Headed Woman is ranked up there among Hound Dog, Jailhouse Rock and Blue Suede Shoes in my book. Fantastic rocker!
ta2k wrote on October 03, 2008
For years i thought 'ever since the world began' was in fact 'Elvis is wild again'...FOR YEARS !!! Great rocking song. TCB
old shep wrote on October 03, 2008
A great Elvis rocker with incomprehensable lyrics
Natha wrote on October 03, 2008
One of the top songs on my list. I always felt sorry that he did not perform it visually in King Creole. It would have been smashing! It is a pity that this number is not so well known to the general public. Wish he had performed this one a few time in the late sixties and early seventies! I am sure people would have been crazy about it. So full of spunk.
Steve V wrote on October 03, 2008
Great underrated rock & roll song as only can be sung by Elvis. Yes its too bad there is no footage of him performing this in King Creole. Strange as it was the only single release from that movie and footage would have been a natural. I believe this is the first recognized gold record by the RIAA for Elvis.
Jumpin Jehosaphat wrote on October 03, 2008
a real cool rocker
sitdown68 wrote on April 02, 2009
oh yeah, uhuhu! that was the power song of his fourth and great movie. I love the way biblical narrative as the one of Adam and Eve and Samson and Delilah as well was taken into the context of the 20th century focussing on the everlasting men-women theme by using poignant and ironical verses. songwriter's talent at its best. chapeau!
ger wrote on April 02, 2009
Elvis at his rocking Best
dgirl wrote on April 02, 2009
One of his best recordings and one of his most overlooked. Perhaps because it was lost in the film. I remember when it came out, a DJ saying how Elvis was growing as an artist exploring new sounds with rock & roll & brass instruments. It sounded as if Elvis would never stop exploring new sounds. The 50's were truly his best period.
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on April 02, 2009
This song came from a fabulous LP,unsurpassed.Yes the 50s undoubtly his best period,but the rest weren't that bad either,I must point out.
NONE000000 wrote on May 28, 2009
An absolute classic! This might have been the 1st song I had ever heard by Elvis, though I did not know it at the time. Growing up in New Orleans, the King Creole soundtrack got a lot of play, and my school fair used to play music throughout and I remember this great song from before I discovered Elvis. When I finally got the King Creole soundtrack I was happily surprised to hear this great track and realize it was Elvis all along!
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on May 28, 2009
I was never sure of the last verse,now I know. Fabulous soundtrack from a great film. 10 Stars
Dixieland Rock wrote on May 29, 2009
Ooooo Yes. Unbridled Rock N Roll at it's finest. I can only imagine a black leather "68 Comeback" version of this would have been way too cool. I just hope that there is a lost film footage of this waiting to be discovered, filmed in it's ENTIRETY from "King Creole". Wouldn't that be nice.
Swen wrote on December 30, 2009
Can´t be better! The King then and now!
derekd wrote on December 30, 2009
Some Elvis recordings are ok, some are good, others very good, some go even further, like HHW. Truely one of the 50's greatest rock songs, preformed by the King of R'R. Oh for movie soundtrack like KC. I liked the early 60's but the 50's were good as well.
Deano1 wrote on December 30, 2009
A great rock n' roll classic from Elvis' 4th movie "King Creole" rattled off at a break neck pace by the best rock singer of all time. Elvis holds nothing back and creates pure, unrestrained magic that is equal to his many other legendary rock n' roll songs ("Jailhouse Rock", "Santa Claus Is Back In Town, "A Big Hunk O' Love" and "Little Sister"). When you compare songs like these to most of the other "rock" songs of the time, it is almost laughable how much better, grittier and intense Elvis' records are. Released as single in 1958, it went to number one on the best seller chart for two weeks and easily sold a million copies in the U.S. alone. For reasons I will never understand, it and it's flipside ("Don't Ask Me Why") were left off the 1959 LP "50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong (Elvis' Gold Records Vol 2)" because Colonel Parker did not like to duplicate material? The songs were on the LP "King Creole" and the Colonel thought it was unfair to the buying public to release the same song on two different LP's. Funny thing is that "Teddy Bear" and "Loving You" were released on both the "Loving You" and "Elvis' Golden Records" LP's and no one seemed to think they were being treated unfairly.
JerryNodak wrote on December 30, 2009
I've always liked it. But I've never been in love with it.
Jim Hoff wrote on December 30, 2009
Pure machine gun rock'n roll with sideburns and tongue-in-cheek hipswaying Presley charisma. Go get them, Tiger Man!
Marty_TCE wrote on May 10, 2012
Absolutely awesome; Five stars all day long from me
ElvisSacramento wrote on October 27, 2012
This is such a spectacular, electrifying, energetic, groovy, exciting and catchy song and it rightfully was a #1 hit for Elvis here in the United States back in 1958. It's such a fun song to dance to as well. It's one of the very finest Rock 'N' Roll recordings in history.
Gorse wrote on December 04, 2012
A totally awesome performance from Elvis. Frantic exciting, going along at breakneck speed, this has to be one of the greatest rock songs in rock 'n roll history.
sugartummy wrote on March 08, 2013
Not too long ago Deep Purple was asked who had the best rock voice ever. Fifties Elvis was the answer. They must have heard Hard Headed Woman.
Cruiser621 wrote on April 07, 2013
Not one of my favorites and for the all too brief appearance in the movie of "King Creole", which was basically heard well in the background, and very, very brief at that, it still is a memorable song if only for the brass sections, which to be honest, I don't really care for but considering the movie location - New Orleans, I can understand why.
bajo wrote on January 22, 2014
It doesn't get much better than this! I rank this along with Hound Dog, A Big Hunk O' Love, Jailhouse Rock and Baby Let's Play House and more.
Pedro Nuno wrote on January 22, 2014
Long Live Rock'n'Roll! Long Live Elvis The Pelvis.
alanfalk wrote on January 22, 2014
I rate this 5*5*5*5 stars (that's not illegal, is it ? :). ) Elvis is a hard rocking man, on this.
skipsaweirdo wrote on June 11, 2015
As a radio disc jockey said here in austin after the playing of this Elvis classic...."You just can't get anymore innovative than that"....First fusion of jazz rock and I personally think King Creole album is the official first rock "concept" album....great great great
JerryNodak wrote on December 14, 2017
I can listen to it, but it's never been one of my favorites. Sometimes I hit the skip button. A ha hoo. A ha hoo.
Milky White Way wrote on March 26, 2023
Perfection, nothing more to add 5 stars
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