HEAVEN MUST HAVE SENT YOU

Holland Dozier Holland helped write the soundtrack of the 60s (and 70s) and their songs reverberate still. Here, marking Motown’s 50th year, they recall their greatest hits with Ken Sharp

With Eddie Holland waxing the clever lyrics and memorable story lines and Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland creating the pulsating, sublime music that cross-pollinated gospel, R&B, classical and pop, the dynamite team of Holland-Dozier-Holland created some of the most exciting and transcendent pop music of the past five decades.

Standing tall alongside such esteemed songwriting giants as John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil among others, H-D-H’s timeless songs occupied the heart and soul of the Motown sound. Through such classic cuts as Baby Love, Standing In The Shadows Of Love, Nowhere To Run, You Keep Me Hangin’ On, I Hear A Symphony, I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch), Baby I Need Your Loving, and countless others, H-D-H crafted a soundtrack that endures generation after generation. And not only did they compose these landmark songs, they also produced all the recording sessions, too. Tune into the classical overtones of Reach Out I’ll Be There, the footstompin’ sensuality of Where Did Our Love Go, the joyous energy of (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave or the hazy psychedelia of Reflections.

H-D-H’s drive, ambition and vision in the recording studio led to a mind-blowing string of evocative and …

by Ken Sharp
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