The second song of the eleven track record, it is a powerful example of vocal rock harmonies and rhythmic guitar, piano and percussion syncopation, with an overlay of vocal tracks that bury the lyrics within the push and pull of the music.

[1] The song was reviewed in Rolling Stone magazine positively, but Richards never explained the lyrics.

The song started with a guitar riff, as is usual for Keith Richards, and he quickly came up with the refrain.

[2] The music video for the song shows Richards and the X-Pensive Winos- the name for Richards' backing band- in the ruins of a sports stadium playing in the nuclear dust after an atomic bomb has destroyed everyone but the cat-like musician.

"Take It So Hard" led off the 1988 concert tour sets, and was played in the 1992–1993 Main Offender dates as well.