The Who – It's Hard

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Genre:	Rock
Style:	Pop Rock
Year:	1982

Tracklist

		Athena
		It's Your Turn
		Cooks County
		It's Hard
		Dangerous
		Eminence Front
		I've Known No War
		One Life's Enough
		One At A Time
		Why Did I Fall For That
		A Man Is A Man
		Cry If You Want

Credits (5)

John Entwistle
Horns [All]
Graham Hughes (2)
Photography By, Design Concept [Concept]
Glyn Johns
Producer [Produced], Engineer [Engineered By]
John Entwistle
Written-By
Pete Townshend
Written-By

Notes

It's Hard is the 10th studio album by English rock band Endless Wire).

Recorded June 1982 at Glyn Johns' home studio) in Surrey, England. First released in the UK on September 3, 1982.

This was the first Who album to be released as a compact disc, shortly after its LP release, as Polydor 800 106-2, pressed in West , and it was the last Who album to be released as an 8-track.

Reissued as an expanded version with live bonus tracks in 1997. And expanded again in 2022 with additional bonus tracks as a 40th anniversary edition.

Versions

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118 versions

Image	,	–			In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory	Version Details	Data Quality
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – 2311 180	Netherlands	1982	Netherlands — 1982	Recently Edited
	It's Hard LP, Album, Jacksonville Pressing	Warner Bros. Records – 1-23731	US	1982	US — 1982	Recently Edited
	It's Hard LP, Album, Cinram Pressing	Warner Bros. Records – 92 37311	Canada	1982	Canada — 1982	Recently Edited
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – 2311 180	Scandinavia	1982	Scandinavia — 1982	Recently Edited
	It's Hard LP, Album, Stereo	Polydor – 2311 180	UK	1982	UK — 1982
	It's Hard LP, Album, West- (Made In)	Polydor – 2311 180		1982	— 1982	Recently Edited
	It's Hard Cassette, Album, Club Edition	Warner Bros. Records – W4-23731	US	1982	US — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album, Gatefold	Polydor – 2311 180		1982	— 1982	Recently Edited
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – 2311 180	Brazil	1982	Brazil — 1982	Recently Edited
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – 2311 180	Italy	1982	Italy — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album, Club Edition, Pitman Pressing	Warner Bros. Records – 9 23731-1	US	1982	US — 1982	Recently Edited
	It's Hard Cassette, Album, Stereo	Polydor – 3100 659	Scandinavia	1982	Scandinavia — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – 28MM 0220	Japan	1982	Japan — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – 2311 180	Spain	1982	Spain — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – 2311 188	New Zealand	1982	New Zealand — 1982	Recently Edited
	It's Hard Cassette, Album, Stereo	Polydor – 3100 659	Italy	1982	Italy — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – 2311 180	Greece	1982	Greece — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard Cassette, Album	Polydor – 3100 659	UK	1982	UK — 1982
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – POLY 5595	South Africa	1982	South Africa — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard Cassette, Album	Polydor – 3100 659	Greece	1982	Greece — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album, Limited Edition, Promo, Stereo, Quiex II, Specialty Pressing	Warner Bros. Records – 1-23731	US	1982	US — 1982
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – LPR 16414	Mexico	1982	Mexico — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard 8-Track Cartridge, Album	Warner Bros. Records – 9 23731-8	US	1982	US — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard 8-Track Cartridge, Album, Club Edition	Warner Bros. Records – 23731-8	US	1982	US — 1982	Recently Edited
	It's Hard 8-Track Cartridge, Album, Club Edition	Warner Bros. Records – W8-23731	US	1982	US — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard Cassette, Album, Dolby System	Warner Bros. Records – 4-23731	US	1982	US — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – 2311 180	Portugal	1982	Portugal — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album, Specialty Pressing	Warner Bros. Records – 1-23731	US	1982	US — 1982
	It's Hard LP, Album, Specialty Pressing, No Rim Text	Warner Bros. Records – 1-23731	US	1982	US — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album, Club Edition, Stereo, Columbia House, Specialty Records Pressing	Warner Bros. Records – 9 23731-1	US	1982	US — 1982	Recently Edited
	It's Hard Cassette, Album	Warner Bros. Records – 92 37314	Canada	1982	Canada — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album, Quality Pressing	Warner Bros. Records – 92 37311	Canada	1982	Canada — 1982	Recently Edited
	It's Hard Reel-To-Reel, 3 ¾ ips, 4-Track Stereo, 7" Cine Reel, Album, Club Edition	Warner Bros. Records – 1R1 7469	US	1982	US — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – 2311 180	Ireland	1982	Ireland — 1982
	It's Hard LP, Album, Promo	Polydor – 28MM 0220	Japan	1982	Japan — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard Cassette, Album	Polydor – 3100 659		1982	— 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – 2311 180	Singapore, Malaysia & Hong Kong	1982	Singapore, Malaysia & Hong Kong — 1982	Recently Edited
	It's Hard LP, Album	Polydor – 2311 180	Australasia	1982	Australasia — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album, Winchester Pressing	Warner Bros. Records – 1-23731	US	1982	US — 1982	New Submission
	It's Hard LP, Album, Specialty Pressing	Warner Bros. Records – 1-23731	US	1982	US — 1982	New Submission

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Reviews

Scrade Mar 28, 2025
referencing It's Hard (LP, Album, Specialty Pressing) 9 23731-1

Contents of the album aside, this just sounds alright. Funnily enough the best sounding track is Eminence Front, which sounds super dynamic and gorgeous. Makes me think the muddy sound of the rest of the album is just a case of the other tracks being poorly produced. Whatever the case, you could do worse, but you could also probably do better
melodymaker101 Jan 27, 2025
Edited 4 months ago

referencing It's Hard (LP, Album, Jacksonville Pressing) 9 23731-1

Why this album wasn’t called “It’s Your Turn” (given the cover art) I’ll never know.

Many critics endlessly wail about the supposed awfulness of this album, but I’ve always loved it. “It’s Hard” and “One Life’s Enough” are the only tracks I’ve never warmed up to, but “Athena,” “Dangerous,” and “Cry If You Want” are some of my favorite Who tunes.

P.S. Anyone else notice “Cry If You Want” bears a resemblance to Townshend’s “Communication”?
McHomie Dec 19, 2024
referencing It's Hard (LP, Album, Club Edition, Pitman Pressing) 9 W1-23731

IT'S HARD has a few good songs, but overall, it's probably The Who's weakest studio album. As others have mentioned, this pressing is also a disappointment, there's no oomph to the mix, drums seem muted, and everything sounds rather lifeless and flat. My copy plays nice and clean, with occasional faint surface noise.
Csquare4 Apr 23, 2024
referencing It's Hard (LP, Album, Club Edition, Pitman Pressing) 9 W1-23731

Definitely not audiophile...this thing is dead. So flat...a bit of eq boost on the low end helps. Sounds like the drums and bass were recorded through a high and the snare and cymbals recorded through a low . Stick to the CD or maybe try a different pressing. This one is bad. Side 2 sounds a little better or maybe my ears have adjusted to the dullness.
Christian94discos Oct 29, 2023
referencing It's Hard (LP, Orange, LP, Yellow, All Media, Album, Record Store Day, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, 40th Anniversary Edition) 3894476

A brilliant edition and a very good remaster half speed. Nice sound, rich bass, great dinamics and nice stereo separetion. If i had to Mark a letdown... they shold to be in a gatefold sleeve, specially for the poster inside and the two inner sleeves. OVERALL GREAT RECORD!
Atodaso Apr 29, 2023
referencing It's Hard (LP, Album, Promo) 28MM 0220

Wow, just a fantastic pressing - I have the recent (2022 RSD) remaster, and this smashes it all over the place. If you can find a nice one of these for a decent price, don't hesitate.
Startedwitha45 Mar 3, 2023
referencing It's Hard (LP, Album, Club Edition, Carrollton Pressing) 9 W1-23731

This Columbia House pressing sounds very flat and somewhat muffled compared to the Specialty pressing.
VinylWire Dec 29, 2022
referencing It's Hard (LP, Album, West- (Made In)) 2311 180

good sound quality on this release. Pressing is good too.
I made a needledrop of one of the tracks from this vinyl record - You can find it on the right side in the videos - Under the name:
The Who - Eminence Front (1982 German Vinyl)
David_Mauricio Dec 17, 2022
referencing It's Hard (LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered) B0022557-01

Not impressed with this recent re-issue. Sounds murky and veiled with squashed dynamics. I don’t own an original so I can’t compare but I swear Eminence Front sounds better from my local classic rock FM station.
AdamSG Nov 28, 2022
referencing It's Hard (LP, Orange, LP, Yellow, All Media, Album, Record Store Day, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, 40th Anniversary Edition) 3894476

Juat listened to this half speed mastered pressing of It’s Hard. Have to say this is quite an enjoyable album. Not sure why it is gets such bad reviews. Not sure if you need to crank the volume for half speed masters but this album needs to be played loud.