About The Song
– “Hard Headed Woman” was recorded on the RCA label backed by “Don’t Ask Me Why,” and written by the black songwriter Claude Demetrius; it was his biggest hit, although Mr. Presley went on to even bigger an greater things.
– This short song, running to less than 2 minutes, was a #1 hit for Elvis Presley in his native US. Notably, it became the first rock and roll single to earn the RIAA designation of Gold Record. But in 1958 it was banned from airplay in the UK by that self-appointed guardian of public morals the BBC. The Beeb’s Puritanical attitude over such matters is why it became known as Auntie.
– This song finds Elvis using famous biblical figures to back up his assertion about uppity women: Adam and Samson kept a firm hand with Eve and Delilah, but Jezebel led the more lenient King Ahab astray. It’s all very tongue-in-cheek, of course: Elvis was always respectful and appreciative of the women in his life.
Video
Lyric
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.
Barbara Desetto