Hard to Handle
Redding (Otis) Lyrics
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Here I am
I'm the man on the scene
I can give you what you want
But you got to go home with me
I forgot some good old lovin'
And I got some in store
When I get to throwin' it on you
Boys and things that come by the dozen
That ain't nothin' but drug store lovin'
Pretty little thing, let me light your candle
'Cause mama I'm sure hard to handle, now, gets around
Action speaks louder than words
And I'm a man with 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 wanna prove every word I say
I'm advertisin' love for free
So, won't you place your ad with me
Boys will come a dime by the dozen
But that ain't nothin' but ten cent love
Pretty little thing, let me light your candle'
'Cause mama I'm sure hard to handle, now, gets around
Baby, here I am
I'm a man on the scene
I can give you what you want
Just come go home with me
I forgot some good old lovin'
And I got some in store
When I get through throwin' it on
You got to come back for more
Boy will come a dime by the dozen
But that ain't nothin' but drug store love
Pretty little thing, let me light your candle'
Cause mama I'm sure hard to handle, now, yes around
Give it to me
I got to have it
Give me some good 'ole lovin'
Some of your good lovin'
The lyrics of Otis Redding's "Hard to handle" are about a man who is trying to persuade a woman to go home with him. He is confident that he can give her what she wants, and he promises her a great deal of pleasure if she accompanies him. He tells her that he's more experienced than any other man she has been with and he's willing to prove it to her. He's confident in his abilities and is willing to give her the love she desires without asking for anything in return. He's not interested in a long-term commitment, but he's more than willing to advertise his love for free.
The song is filled with sexual undertones and insinuations, as the man tries to lure the woman into his bed. He uses a lot of playful language to indicate that he's the better choice for her, and he promises her that she won't regret choosing him. The use of repetition, with lines like "I forgot some good old lovin'" and "When I get to throwin' it on you," adds to the playful, teasing tone of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby
Hey, you there
Here I am
I'm present and available
I'm the man on the scene
I'm the one who can make things happen
I can give you what you want
I can fulfill your desires
But you got to go home with me
You have to leave with me
I forgot some good old lovin'
I haven't had satisfying intimacy in a while
And I got some in store
I have an abundance of passion to share
When I get to throwin' it on you
When I show you what I've got
You got to come back for more
You'll want more of it
Boys and things that come by the dozen
Other men and material possessions
That ain't nothin' but drug store lovin'
That's only shallow, meaningless love
Pretty little thing, let me light your candle
Attractive woman, let me ignite your passion
'Cause mama I'm sure hard to handle, now, gets around
I'm a confident and charismatic man who attracts many women
Action speaks louder than words
I demonstrate my abilities rather than just talking about them
And I'm a man with a great experience
I have a lot of practice and skill in love and intimacy
I know you got you another man
I know you're currently with someone else
But I can love you better than him
But I'm confident I can show you a more satisfying love
Take my hand, don't be afraid
Come with me, have faith in me
I wanna prove every word I say
I want to show you that I mean what I say
I'm advertisin' love for free
I'm offering my love without expecting anything in return
So, won't you place your ad with me
So, why not give me a chance to prove myself to you
Give it to me
Give me what I want
I got to have it
I really need it
Give me some good 'ole lovin'
Give me some satisfying intimacy
Some of your good lovin'
Your passionate love
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Otis Redding, Alvertis Isbell, Allen Alvoid Jr. Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SamMKKK
Baby
Here I am
I'm the man on the scene
I can give you what you want
But you got to go home with me
I forgot some good old lovin'
And I got some in store
When I get to throwin' it on you
You got to come back for more
Boys and things that come by the dozen
That ain't nothin' but drug store lovin'
Pretty little thing, let me light your candle
'Cause mama I'm sure hard to handle, now, yessir’am
Action speaks louder than words
And I'm a man with 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 wanna prove every word I say
I'm advertisin' love for free
So, won't you place your ad with me
Boys will come a dime by the dozen
But that ain't nothin' but ten cent love
Pretty little thing, let me light your candle'
'Cause mama I'm sure hard to handle, now, yessir’am
Baby, here I am
I'm a man on the scene
I can give you what you want
Just come go home with me
I forgot some good old lovin'
And I got some in store
When I get through throwin' it on
You got to come back for more
Boy will come a dime by the dozen
But that ain't nothin' but drug store love
Pretty little thing, let me light your candle'
Cause mama I'm sure hard to handle, now, yes sirr’am
Give it to me
I got to have it
Give me some good 'ole lovin'
Some of your good lovin'
Thank you @Charles Robinson for your correction.
@geraldwaybright9171
Who else is here for no other reason but wanting to hear some Otis Redding?
@CynHicks
My mom turned me on to this as a kid. Used to listen to her records all the time. So yeah for real. Otis sounds like home to me. So many great songs.
@tomcooley3778
Big O Soul Brother
@traumatose6003
Me! Bamalama!👍👍👍
@dubsac916
🙋🏾♂️🙋🏾♂️🙋🏾♂️🙋🏾♂️
@rellyrell3991
I had to get that drugstore version out of my ear
@alphashed
Us old folks grew up with this kind of music. Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett, James Brown, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, on and on - all sang thru the turbulent 60's, 70's, 80's. They sang with a lot of heart and touched many, many hearts revolutionizing American music. Their gift to America simply cannot be measured in mortal terms.
@everlearning2
If you had any penchant for music there was no escaping the soul of the 60s!
@anniegaffney8378
WE WERE SO LUCKY❣️
@mctavish23
@@anniegaffney8378 Amen to that