Cold Hard Bitch

"Cold Hard Bitch" is the fourth single (second in the United States) by the Australian rock group Jet from their 2003 album Get Born. It was released in March 2004 and was written by band-members Chris Cester, Nic Cester, and Cameron Muncey.[2][3] On the ARIA Singles Chart in the group's native country, it reached the top 40.[2]

"Cold Hard Bitch"
Single by Jet
from the album Get Born
Released	2 March 2004
Recorded	2003
Genre	Alternative rock[1]
Length	4:03
Label	Elektra
Songwriter(s)	Chris Cester Nic Cester Cameron Muncey
Producer(s)	Dave Sardy
Jet singles chronology
"Look What You've Done" (2004) "Cold Hard Bitch" (2004) "Get Me Outta Here" (2004)

Heavily inspired by prior heavy bands such as AC/DC, the song is one of the heaviest in the group's catalog, being a tough hard rock tune with a simplistic chord structure.[4] Besides doing well in Australia, it also garnered major airplay both in the U.K. and in the U.S. For example, it peaked at the No. 55 slot on the Billboard Hot 100.[5]

Background and single history

Band-members Chris Cester, Nic Cester, and Cameron Muncey composed the tune. An embryonic version of it appeared on Jet's 2002 release Dirty Sweet (also known as Dirty Sweet EP), a four-song work from the band's early days.[6] "Cold Hard Bitch" received a large scale release when the group's debut studio album, Get Born, came out on 14 September 2003.

The group's debut single, "Are You Gonna Be My Girl", became their signature song and gained significant chart success in the U.S., making it their most successful hit there.[5] That song had considerable pop radio airplay and peaked No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100.[5] "Cold Hard Bitch" came out several months later and peaked No. 55 on the Hot 100, yet it was more successful on rock and roll radio stations, reaching No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks for three weeks. "Cold Hard Bitch" ended up giving the band their only number-one Modern Rock hit in the U.S.: their prior hit, "Are You Gonna Be My Girl", had peaked at No. 3.[5][7] The single also became their sole No. 1 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, spending eight weeks at the top, whereas their prior hit peaked at No. 7.[5][8]

Strongly influenced by past hard rock groups such as AC/DC, "Cold Hard Bitch" features a simplistic chord structure that emphasizes the guitar playing and bassline. In terms of a critical response, the song received praise from AllMusic's MacKenzie Wilson, who viewed it as having a "sultry" edge.[6] However, in his other positive review of Get Born, music critic Tim Sendra, also of AllMusic, panned "Cold Hard Bitch". He argued that it was the "only track that really falters" on the release due to it being "silly and mean-spirited", constituting "an ill-advised trip down Nazareth lane" that "leaves the listener with a foul taste in their mouth".[9]

At the APRA Music Awards of 2005, "Cold Hard Bitch" was nominated for Most Performed Australian Work Overseas but lost to "Are You Gonna Be My Girl".[10] In the following year, three Jet tracks were nominated for the same category with "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" again winning over "Cold Hard Bitch" and "Look What You've Done".[11] The music video for the single shows the band performing in a bar, playing pinball, and talking to women, generally giving off a 'guys night out' atmosphere.

The song was produced by the Hothouse team, Craig Harnath and Finn Keane. When the song was performed at Live 8 in Canada in 2005, the name was changed to "You're Like This". It is believed that this was done to cover up the word 'bitch', as they were playing for a benefit concert. Track two, "Ever Lovin' Man", is a cover version of The Loved Ones' hit from July 1966. Track three, "Ain't That a Lotta Love", is a cover of a song written by Homer Banks and William Parker.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Chris Cester, Nic Cester, Cameron Muncey;[3] unless otherwise shown.

Australian CD enhanced single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Cold Hard Bitch"	4:03
2.	"Ever Lovin' Man" (Ian Clyne, Gerry Humphrys, Gavin Anderson, Rob Lovett, Kim Lynch)
3.	"Ain't That a Lotta Love" (Homer Banks, William Dean Parker)
4.	"You Don't Look the Same (demo)" (Chris Cester, Nic Cester)
5.	"Cold Hard Bitch (live)"

Chart performance

Chart (2004)	Peak position
ARIA Singles Chart[2]	33
Canada Rock Top 30 (Radio & Records)[12]	2
UK Singles Chart[13]	34
US Billboard Hot 100[5]	55
US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[5]	1
US Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks[5]	1

References

1. https://consequenceofsound.net/2017/07/ranking-every-alternative-rock-hit-from-worst-to-best/3/
2. Hung, Steffen. "Jet – 'Cold Hard Bitch'". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
3. "'Cold Hard Bitch' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 13 August 2014. Note: User may have to click 'Search again' and provide details at 'Enter a title:' e.g Cold Hard Bitch; or at 'Performer:' Jet
4. https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=1193
5. "Jet – Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 December 2008.
6. http://www.allmusic.com/album/dirty-sweet-ep-mw0000032344
7. "Jet – Chart History: Alternative Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
8. "Jet – Chart History: Mainstream Rock Tracks". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
9. Sendra, Tim. "Get Born – Jet". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
10. "2005 APRA Music Awards – Most Performed Australian Work Overseas". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 14 August 2014.
11. "2006 APRA Music Awards – Most Performed Australian Work Overseas". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 14 August 2014.
12. "RR Canada Rock Top 30" (PDF). p. 65. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
13. "everyhit.com search results". Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2008.