Although you might not have heard of the trio Holland-Dozier-Holland, you've definitely heard of their works six decades ago. The songwriting collective of Lamont Dozier and brothers Eddie and Brian Holland was responsible for some of the most recognizable tunes from the 1960s.
The trio was later inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Tock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and 1990. As Dozier is set to celebrate his 79th birthday on June 16, here are some of the most successful hits by the legendary production and songwriting trio:
1. "Baby Love" (1964)
The 1964 hit song was included in The Supremes' second album "Where Did Our Love Go." Spelling the start of the girl group's chart dominance, it peaked at the Billboard Pop Singles chart (later known as the Hot 100). It also topped the UK Singles Chart.
During the production for the single, Holland-Dozier-Holland capitalized on the strengths of the girl group. The Funk Brothers recorded the instrumental, and Diana Ross took over the lead vocals for the track.
2. "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (1965)
For another of Motown's biggest acts, Four Tops, Holland-Dozier-Holland produced "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)." It exploded into one of the entire decade's biggest hits. Aside from topping the R&B singles chart, the song also sat at the top of the Hot 100 for two separate weeks.
It was also covered by Pointer Sisters' co-founder Bonnie Pointer, who passed away recently. Her 1980 disco version peaked at No. 40 on the Hot 100 and No 4. on the Dance Charts.
3. "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" (1964)
While the song is widely associated with country star James Taylor, he was actually the third artist to cover the song. It was first produced by Lamond Dozier and Brian Holland for Marvin Gaye's fifth album. It was Gaye's most successful single at that point, peaking at the Hot 100's sixth spot and reaching third on the R&B Singles Chart.
It was later covered by Junior Walker & the All Stars in 1966, charting in both Hot 100 and R&B Singles charts. Although not as a revival, Grateful Dead performed it once and became a crowd favorite in 1972. By 1975, James Taylor released his version.
4. "Baby I Need Your Loving" (1964)
This song was a landmark hit for Four Tops. Aside from being their first Motown single, "Baby I Need Your Loving" was their first Top 20 single, reaching No. 11 in the Hot 100. The song also marked the vocal group's first hit at the million-sales mark.
Johnny Rivers later surpassed the chart performance of Four Tops for this single in 1967. His slightly slower version peaked at No. 3. Eric Carmen also covered it in 1979, and by Michael McDonald in 2004. The most recent cover was from the Australian vocal group Human Nature in 2005.
5. "Stop! In The Name of Love" (1965)
Another hit for The Supremes was, "Stop! In The Name of Love." The song also sat at the top of the Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Soul Chart. "Stop! In The Name of Love," was released as a part of the female vocal group's sixth album, titled "More Hits by The Supremes."
It was also among the most covered songs of The Supremes, being re-recorded by Johnny Rivers in 1965, Gene Pitney in 1967, Gloria Gaynor in 1982, and La Toya Jackson in 1995.
To find out more about African-American heroes who pushed music to new heights, read: 5 Unsung African-American Heroes In Music History.
