Happy 80th birthday to Eddie Holland / Holland-Dozier-Holland: Top 100 Songs

First posted 12/16/2019.

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.

---

Top 100 Songs

---

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:

---

50 years ago: Creedence Clearwater Revival “Fortunate Son” charted

Fortunate Son Creedence Clearwater Revival

Writer(s): John Fogerty (see lyrics here) First Charted: October 25, 1969 Peak: 3 US, 6 CB, 2 GR, 4 HR, 1 CL, 2 CN, 2 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.6 UK Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 351.9 video, 1027.11 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Although Creedence Clearwater Revival were from the Bay area, the band didn’t fit the San Francisco scene. Instead of “unfocused and rambling jams” TC CCR were knocking out “astounding, powerful 45s.” TC Lead singer John Fogerty was from a dysfunctional working-class family, so when he wrote “Fortunate Son” it wasn’t “just another hippie anti-war song” TC but “one of the greatest class-consciousness songs to ever become a hit record.” NRR It “was written with middle finger in full flight to the Nixon administration, the legacy of the ‘silver spoon in hand’ kids, and the contradictions and struggles of a wartime America.” UCR The band’s audience “was precisely the kind of white kids who were in the Vietnam jungles.” TC “In just two and a half minutes, Creedence Clearwater Revival spit out enough venom via ‘Fortunate Son’ to disarm, or at least disorient the enemy.” UCR “The simplicity, urgency and direct message of ‘Fortunate Son’ speaks volumes. In its own way, it’s as punk rock as punk rock ever got.” UCR “That being said, even if you take the politics out of it, ‘Fortunate Son’ remains one hell of a record.” UCR “One of John Fogerty‘s best vocals sends the song through the roof.” UCR “John practically spits out the words ‘It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one.’” NRR John has said he could have done better on the song. “I always thought my singing was a little lacking…I went in to do two songs that day. The first one was ‘Down on the Corner.’ I sang all of the background parts, and then sang the lead. Then with the time we had left at that session, I said: ‘OK, let ‘er rip!’ and I sang the lead on ‘Fortunate Son.’ I’ve just always thought that I maybe should have started with that one that day.” NRR The song was released as a double-A-sided single with “Down on the Corner” and reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It wasn’t their first trip to the upper eschelon of the charts; they’d previously reached #2 on three occasions with “Proud Mary,” “Bad Moon Rising,” and “Green River.” The song appeared on Willy and the Poor Boys, the band’s third album release in 1969 and third consecutive multi-platinum, top-10 album. Resources: TC Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Thunder’s Mouth Press: New York, NY. Pages 847-8. NRR National Recording Registry essay by Hank Bordowitz UCR UltimateClassicRock.com (6/20/2013). “Top 100 Classic Rock Songs” Related Links: First posted 8/3/2022; last updated 7/14/2023.

Dave's Music Database Hall of Fame: Song Inductees (October 2019)

Originally posted 10/22/2019. In honor of the 10th anniversary of the DMDB blog on January 22, 2019, Dave’s Music Database launched its own Hall of Fame. This is the fourth set of song inductees. These are the ten biggest #1 pop songs of the rock era (post-1955), although none is older than 1995. Each of these songs spent 14 weeks or more at #1 on one or more Billboard pop charts, including the Hot 100, airplay, digital, and streaming charts. Not listed here is previous inductee “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston. Note: click on song title for the full blog entry and key for the footnote codes.

Mariah Carey “We Belong Together” (2005) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

Mariah Carey was the singer of the ‘90s with her pop/R&B/AC blend of music, but was quickly derailing in the first half of the next decade. In 2005, however, she found herself back on top when Def Jam signed her and she collaborated with Jermaine Dupri for “We Belong Together.” Not only was it the best-selling song of the decade, SF but Billboard magazine named it the most successful song in history by a female artist WK Read more.

Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men “One Sweet Day” (1995) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

This ballad paired “some of the best R&B ballad singers of their generation” BBC emphasizing Carey’s “vocal gymnastics, artfully supported by the more restrained vocalizing of…Boyz II Men.” JA The song, inspired by the deaths of friends, spent 16 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. The only song of the 20th century to spend more time at the pinnacle was Francis Craig with 1947’s “Near You” (17 weeks). Read more.

Luis Fonsi with Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber “Despacito” (2017) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi not only turned out one of the biggest Spanish-language hits ever (39 weeks atop the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, first #1 predominantely in Spanish since 1996’s “Macarena”), but one of the biggest hits period. The song hit #1 in 47 countries, WK including 16 weeks at the summit in the United States. It became the first video on YouTube to reach three, and then four, billion views. WK Read more.

Goo Goo Dolls “Iris” (1998) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

“Iris” was the Goo Goo Dolls’ contribution to the City of Angels soundtrack and the lead single for their Dizzy Up the Girl album. It spent a whopping 18 weeks atop the Billboard airplay chart, which would have made it the biggest pop chart in history, except that it didn’t qualify for the Hot 100 since it wasn’t available as an actual physical single release until after it had already peaked. Read more.

Elton John “Candle in the Wind 1997 (Goodbye England’s Rose)” (1997) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

Lyricist Bernie Taupin wrote the original song in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe. After Princess Diana was killed in a car crash in 1997, her friend Elton John proposed the idea of revising the lyrics as a eulogy. Elton performed it at her funeral for a worldwide audience of more than 2.5 billion people. BR1 The subsequent single release of the song became the U.K.’s biggest seller ever MG and sold 11 million in the U.S. Only Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” has sold more. Read more.

Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road” (2018) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

Lil Nas X released “Old Town Road” independently in 2018. After it went viral on social video sharing app TikTok, it was picked up by radio stations and initially made Billboard’s R&B and country charts. It was disqualified from the latter chart, provoking some cries of racism. In the wake of the controversy a remix featuring country singer Billy Ray Cyrus sent the song into overdrive. By the end of its run, it became the biggest #1 pop song in Billboard’s history with 19 weeks on top. Read more.

Maroon 5 with Cardi B “Girls Like You” (2017) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

Maroon 5’s fourth trip to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 tied Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” for the most weeks in the top 10 on that chart. It also spent 16 weeks atop the airplay chart and became the biggest hit in the history of the adult contemporary chart with 30 weeks at #1. The video, Vevo’s most-viewed of 2018, WK featured lead singer Adam Levine and a slew of female celebrities dancing and lip-syching around him. Read more.

No Doubt “Don’t Speak” (1995) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

It’s one of the biggest #1 pop songs in history thanks to 16 weeks atop the radio airplay chart, but it never hit the Billboard Hot 100 because it was never given an official single release. It propelled the band into the spotlight and its parent album, Tragic Kingdom spent nine weeks atop the Billboard album chart. Read more.

Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!” (2014) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

Mark Ronson had produced hits such as Bruno Mars’ #1 “Locked Out of Heaven” and Amy Winehouse’s top-ten “Rehab,” but had never hit the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo artist. “Uptown Funk,” featuring Mars on vocals, wasn’t just the hit of Ronson’s career, but one of the biggest #1 hits of all-time. It set the record for most streaks in a week (15 million) WK and was one of only four to top the Hot 100 and the UK charts for at least seven weeks. Read more.

50 years ago: Led Zeppelin released its second album

Led Zeppelin II Led Zeppelin

Released: October 22, 1969 Peak: 17 US, 11 UK, 17 CN, 15 AU Sales (in millions): 12.0 US, 1.2 UK, 24.5 world (includes US and UK) Genre: classic rock/metal

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Whole Lotta Love (Bonham/ Dixon/ Jones/ Page/ Plant) [5:34] (11/7/69, 4 US, 2 CB, 4 HR, 1 CL, 21 UK, 2 CN, 1 AU, sales: 0.5 million) What Is and What Should Never Be [4:45] (3 CL) The Lemon Song (Bonham/ Jones/ Page/ Plant) [6:19] (8 CL) Thank You [4:49] (12/17/94, 3 CL, 8 AR) Heartbreaker (Bonham/ Jones/ Page/ Plant) [4:14] (3/14/70, 65 US, 1 CL) Living Loving Maid (She’s Just a Woman) [2:39] (3/14/70, 65 US, 1 CL) Ramble On [4:24] (1 CL, 66 CN) Moby Dick (Bonham/ Jones/ Page/ Plant) [4:20] (14 CL) Bring It on Home [4:21] (9 CL) Songs written by Jimmy Page & Robert Plant unless noted otherwise. Total Running Time: 41:21 The Players: Robert Plant (vocals) Jimmy Page (guitar) John Paul Jones (bass) John Bonham (drums)

Rating: 4.461 out of 5.00 (average of 28 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: This is “macho metal the way it was meant to sound.” VB When Led Zeppelin burst onto the scene in 1969, their “hard-edged” TM debut “suggested much of the preceding activity in British blues-rock had been child’s play.” TM With demand high for more product, the group their second album in the midst of their first American tours. The resulting Led Zeppelin II “doesn’t have the eclecticism of the group’s debut, it’s arguably more influential.” AMG It “provided the blueprint for all the heavy metal bands that followed it” AMG by foreshadowing “the basic guitar attack of heavy metal.” TM With little opportunity to write new material, the group tapped into the blues tradition of “borrowing” and “recast lyrics and melodic ideas from old blues standards” TM they performed in concert. AMG The Lemon Song reinterpreted Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor” while “the crunching Whole Lotta Love” DBW was a reworking of Willie Dixon’s “You Need Love/Woman You Need Love.” The tune, often associated with Muddy Waters, drew lawsuits settled out of court which gave Dixon co-writing credit on subsequent pressings. TM There was, however, no denying Led Zep’s talent for recrafting blues songs “into a startlingly visceral, grab-you-by-the-throat sound that changed rock forever.” TM They may not have written the songs, but they came “to fully own them.” TM They simplified the riffs, pumped up the volume, and added extended instrumental solos for a sound which is “heavy and hard, brutal and direct.” AMG They “radically revamp the outlines of the music until it speaks with a bold, sometimes brutal fury.” TM “Robert Plant’s irony-free wail, John Bonham’s power drumming, and Jimmy Page’s squeaking, squawking, screaming guitar riffs casued a nation of hippie-dippie longhairs to put down their flowers and grab their crotches.” VB The album ranged from “heavy rock songs…like Living Loving Maid” JA to “lighter, folk-tinged tunes, such as What Is and What Should Never Be…[which would] anticipate the mystical airs Zeppelin would pursue later, most successfully with the epic ‘Stairway to Heaven.’” TM Thank You and Ramble On also “sport light, acoustic touches.” AMG The latter features “nice melody and some terrific bass playing from Jones.” DBW Notes: A 2014 deluxe edition added a second disc with alternate versions of the songs.

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Led Zeppelin AMG All Music Guide review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine JA John Alroy, Wilson & Alroy’s Record Reviews CL Colin Larkin (1998). Virgin All-Time Top 1000 Albums. Virgin Books: London, England. Page 57. TM Tom Moon (2008). 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die. Workman Publishing Company, Inc.: New York, NY. VB Vibe 100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century, pp. 154-1964. (Dec. 1999) DBW David Bertrand Wilson, Wilson & Alroy’s Record Reviews WK Wikipedia Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/21/2008; last updated 8/17/2021.