
l to r: Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland; image from irishtimes.com
Eddie Holland was born 80 years ago today (10/30/1939) in Detroit Michigan. Along with his brother Brian Holland (born 2/15/1941 in Detroit, Michigan) and Lamont Dozier (born 6/16/1941 in Detroit, Michigan), they formed the famed Holland-Dozier-Holland writing team. They crafted multiple hits for Motown for nearly a decade before leaving in the late 1960s to form Invictus, where they continued their hitmaking ways until 1973, when Dozier started a solo career. You can also check out the individual DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entries of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland.
Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. In the event of multiple versions of a song, only the song ranked highest in Dave’s Music Database is included. Songs which hit #1 on the following charts are noted: Billboard Hot 100 (US), Cashbox (CB), Hit Records (HR), Radio & Records (RR), Billboard R&B chart (RB), Billboard adult contemporary chart (AC), Billboard album rock chart (AR), United Kingdom pop chart (UK), and Canadian pop chart (CN).
Holland-Dozier-Holland typically worked together, but individually they did occasionally collaborate with others and/or pen a song by just one or two of the team. Songs written by each of the three below are indicated: Brian Holland (B), Eddie Holland (E), and Lamont Dozier (L).
DMDB Top 1%:
1. B-E-L: Reach Out (I’ll Be There) (Four Tops, 1966) #1 US, CB, RB, UK
2. B-E-L: Stop! In the Name of Love (The Supremes, 1965) #1 US, CB, HR
3. B-E-L: Where Did Our Love Go (The Supremes, 1964) #1 US, CB, HR, RB, CN
4. B-E-L: Baby Love (The Supremes, 1964) #1 US, CB, HR, RB, UK
5. B-E-L: You Can’t Hurry Love (The Supremes, 1966) #1 US, CB, HR, RB
6. B-E-L: I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) (Four Tops, 1965) #1 US, CB, HR, RB
DMDB Top 5%:
7. E: Ain’t Too Proud to Beg (The Temptations, 1966) #1 RB
8. B-E-L: Baby I Need Your Loving (Four Tops, 1964)
9. B: Please Mr. Postman (The Marvelletes, 1961) #1 US, RB
10. B-E-L: Heat Wave (Martha & the Vandellas, 1963) #1 RB
11. B-E-L: You Keep Me Hangin’ On (The Supremes, 1966) #1 US, CB, HR, RB
12. B-E-L: Roll with It (Steve Winwood, 1988) #1 US, CB, RR, AC, AR, CN
13. B-E-L: How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You (Marvin Gaye, 1964)
14. B-E-L: Come See About Me (The Supremes, 1964) #1 US, CB, HR, CN
16. B-E-L: I Hear a Symphony (The Supremes, 1965) #1 US, CB, HR
18. L: Two Hearts (Phil Collins, 1988) #1 US, CB, RR, AC, CN
19. B-E-L: This Old Heart of Mine (The Isley Brothers, 1966)
20. B-E-L: Back in My Arms Again (The Supremes, 1966) #1 US, CB, RB, CN
DMDB Top 10%:
21. B-E-L: Standing in the Shadows of Love (Four Tops, 1966)
22. E: I Know I’m Losing You (The Temptations, 1966) #1 RB
23. B-E-L: Bernadette (Four Tops, 1967)
24. B-E-L: It’s the Same Old Song (Four Tops, 1965)
25. B-E-L: Reflections (The Supremes, 1967)
27. B-E-L: The Happening (The Supremes, 1967) #1 US, CB, HR
28. E: Beauty Is Only Skin Deep (The Temptations, 1966) #1 RB
29. B-E-L: Can I Get a Witness (Marvin Gaye, 1963)
30. B-E-L: Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While) (The Doobie Brothers, 1975)
DMDB Top 20%:
31. B-E-L: Jimmy Mack (Martha & the Vandellas, 1967) #1 RB
32. B-E-L: When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes (The Supremes, 1963)
33. B-E-L: Give Me Just a Little More Time (Chairmen of the Board, 1970)
34. B-E-L: Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart (The Supremes, 1966)
35. B-E-L: I’m a Road Runner (Jr. Walker & the All-Stars, 1966)
36. B-E-L: My World Is Empty Without You (The Supremes, 1965)
37. B-E-L: Heaven Must Have Sent You (Bonnie Pointer, 1979)
38. B-E-L: In and Out of Love (The Supremes, 1967)
39. B-E-L: Forever Came Today (The Supremes, 1968)
40. B-E-L: You’re a Wonderful One (Marvin Gaye, 1964)
41. B-E-L: Nothing But Heartache (The Supremes, 1965)
42. E: Too Many Fish in the Sea (The Marvelettes, 1964)
43. B-E-L: Come “Round Here, I’m the One You Need (The Miracles, 1966)
44. B-E: We’re Almost There (Michael Jackson, 1975)
Beyond the DMDB Top 20%:
45. B-E-L: You Keep Running Away (Four Tops, 1967)
46. B-E-L: Run, Run, Run (The Supremes, 1964)
47. E: Girl, Why You Wanna Make Me Blue (The Temptations, 1964)
48. B-E-L: Come and Get These Memories (Martha & the Vandellas, 1963)
49. E: He Was Really Sayin’ Something (The Velvelettes, 1965)
50. B-E-L: Leaving Here (Eddie Holland, 1964)
51. E: All I Need (The Temptations, 1967)
52. E: Loneliness Made Me Realize It’s You That I Need (The Temptations, 1967)
53. B-E-L: Mickey’s Monkey (The Miracles, 1963)
54. B-E-L: Baby Don’t You Do It (Marvin Gaye, 1964)
55. B-E-L: 7 Rooms of Gloom (Four Tops, 1967)
56. B-E: Just a Little Bit of You (Michael Jackson, 1975)
57. B-E-L: Something About You (Four Tops, 1965)
58. B-E-L: Little Darling, I Need You (Marvin Gaye, 1966)
59. B-E-L: Shake Me, Wake Me When It’s Over (Four Tops, 1966)
60. B-E-L: You’ve Got Me Dangling on a String (Chairmen of the Board, 1970)
61. B-E-L: Everything’s Tuesday (Chairmen of the Board, 1970)
62. B-E: I’m Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking (The Supremes, 1976)
63. B-L: Chairman of the Board (The Chairmen of the Board, 1971)
64. B-E: Keep Holding On (The Temptations, 1975)
65. B-E-L: I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying (The Miracles, 1963)
66. B-E-L: Love Makes Me Do Foolish Things (Martha & the Vandellas, 1965)
67. E: The Girl’s Alright with Me (The Temptations, 1964)
68. B-E-L: Your Unchanging Love (Marvin Gaye, 1966)
69. B-E-L: I’m Ready for Love (Martha & the Vandellas, 1966)
70. B-E-L: You Lost the Sweetest Boy (Mary Wells, 1963)
71. B-E-L: I’m in a Different World (Four Tops, 1968)
72. B-E-L: Deeper and Deeper (Freda Payne, 1970)
73. B-E-L: Why Can’t We Be Lovers (Holland-Dozier, 1972)
74. B: Playboy (The Marvelletes, 1962)
75. B-E: You’re My Driving Wheel (The Supremes, 1976)
76. B-E-L: I Guess I’ll Always Love You (The Isley Brothers, 1966)
77. B-E-L: Helpless (Kim Weston, 1966)
78. B-E-L; Quicksand (Martha & the Vandellas, 1963)
79. B-L: Cherish What Is Dear to You While It’s Near to You (Freda Payne, 1971)
80. B: Twistin’ Postman (The Marvelettes, 1962)
81. B: Greetings, This Is Uncle Same (The Monitors, 1966)
82. B-E-L: There’s a Ghost in My House (The Fall, 1987)
83. B-E-L: Locking Up My Heart (The Marvelettes, 1963)
84. B-L: Forever (The Marvelettes, 1963)
85. B-E-L: Without the One You Love, Life’s Not Worthwhile (Four Tops, 1964)
86. E: Gotta See Jane (R. Dean Taylor, 1968)
87. E: Everything Is Good About You (The Lettermen, 1971)
88. B-E-L: Put Yourself in My Place (The Elgins, 1966)
89. B-E-L: In My Lonely Room (Martha & the Vandellas, 1964)
90. B-E-L: Live Wire (Martha & the Vandellas, 1964)
91. B-E-L: Just Ain’t Enough (Eddie Holland, 1964)
92. B-E-L: Candy to Me (Eddie Holland, 1964)
93. E: All I Do Is Thing of You (Troop, 1990) #1 RB
94. E: Everybody Needs Love (Gladys Knight & the Pips, 1967)
95. B-E-L: Westbound #69 (The Flaming Ember, 1970)
96. B-E-L: The Day I Found Myself (The Honey Cone, 1972)
97. B-E-L: Crumbs Off the Table (Glass House, 1969)
98. B-E-L: Girls It Ain’t Easy (The Honey Cone, 1969)
99. B-E-L: While You’re Out Looking for Sugar (The Honey Cone, 1969)
100. B-L: You Brought the Joy (Freda Payne, 1971)
Awards: