Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Christgau's Record Guide	C[2]

How Hard It Is is the fourth and final studio album by Big Brother and the Holding Company, released in August 1971. The track "Buried Alive in the Blues" was originally written by guest singer Nick Gravenites for Janis Joplin, who died before she could record her vocal. It was included as an instrumental by the Full Tilt Boogie Band on her final album Pearl, released the previous year.

1. "How Hard It Is" (David Getz, Sam Andrew) – 4:21
2. "You've Been Talkin' 'Bout Me, Baby" (Ray Rivera, Gale Garnett, Walter Hirsch) – 3:27
3. "House on Fire" (Getz, Louis Rappaport) – 3:56
4. "Black Widow Spider" (Andrew) – 3:32
5. "Last Band on Side One" (Roscoe Segel, Andrew) – 1:57
6. "Nu Boogaloo Jam" (Dan Nudelman, Andrew) – 3:24
7. "Maui" (Segel, Andrew) – 3:27
8. "Shine On" (Getz, Peter Albin, Andrew) – 5:25
9. "Buried Alive in the Blues" (Nick Gravenites) – 3:59
10. "Promise Her Anything but Give Her Arpeggio" (David Schallock) – 3:55

Big Brother and the Holding Company

• Sam Andrew - guitar, vocals
• David Schallock - lead guitar
• James Gurley - bass
• Peter Albin - guitar, bass, mandolin, vibraslap
• David Getz - drums, percussion, marimba, piano

with:

• Kathi McDonald - vocals on "Black Widow Spider"
• Mike Finnigan - vocals, keyboards on "How Hard It Is", "You've Been Talkin' 'Bout Me, Baby", "House on Fire", "Shine On" and "Buried Alive in the Blues"
• Nick Gravenites - vocals on "Buried Alive in the Blues"

Technical

• David Brown, George Engfer, George Horn, Mike Larner - recording
• Dennis Nolan - artwork