NON ■ Fm E R S

H-D-H'S GREATEST HITS

“Baby Love*’ The Supremes; 1944

“ Coni See About Me” : The Supremes; 1964

g Can't Help Myself/’ The four Tops; 1965.

“Where Did Oor Love Go?” ; The Supremes; 1964 ;

“Heach Out I’ll Be There” he Supremes' "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "You The Tour Tops; 1944

Can't Hurry Love." The Four Tops' "Reach Out I'll Be “ Ton Can’t H'urry Love” There." Marvin Gaye's "How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by The Supremes; 1946

You." Martha and the Vandellas' "Heat Wave." “Back in My Arms Again” Each of these songs was written by the team of Brian The Supremes; I96S

Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland, and according “ I Hear a Symphony” '/ to BMI statistics, each has been broadcast or performed more The.Supremes,vl 94 S than 1 million times. If Holland, Dozier and Holland's output “Stop! Intre Name of Love” g | had begun and ended with these five songs, their words and melo­ . The Suprêmes; 1965 dies would still resound today. But these acknowledged classics are “ Too Keep Me Hangin; On” only the tip of a creative peak that began to take shape three decades ago. fi The Supremes; 1946 , The brothers Brian and Edward Holland and their partner, Lamont Dozier, were “The Happening” bom and raised in Detroit, and the music of their youth was elegant black pop, The Supremes; 1967 big-band jazz and Southern gospel. "Around my house, we heard a lot of Nat Cole, Billy Eckstine, Count Basie, Ellington," says Brian overshadowed superlative H-D-H productions “L ove Is Here and Now for artists like Kim Weston ("Helpless") and the Tou’re Gone” Holland today The Hollands' relationship with The Supremes; 1967 Berry Gotdy dated to 1958 - when the soon-to- Isley Brothers ("This Old Heart of Mine"). The Sound of Young America that Berry Gordy be founder of Motown had produced solo 45s “Reflections” l for both brothers - and by 1961, Dozier was re­ heard in his head - combining the emotional Diana Ross and the Supremes;J947 cording for Anna Records, owned by Gordy's fervor of gospel and R&B with the cheer and sister Gwen. H-D-H began their collaboration polish of pop - was brought to life by H-D-H. “Heat Wave” with Doziers single "Dearest One," released in After H-D-H's departure from Motown in Martha and the Vandellas; 1961 June 1962 on Mel-O-Dy, a Motown subsidiary. 1968 to found Invictus/Hot Wax, they never The formation of the team was the logical again achieved a streak of Supremes propor­ outcome of the assembly-line methods that tions. But the sound of Freda Payne's "Band of characterized Motown. "Yes, it was a job, but we Gold,'' the Honey Cone's "Want Ads" and jiB iig i §9§ Chairman of the Board's "Give Me Just a Little loved the job!" says Brian Holland. "We really did £” —...... -1mmH| sit there and work all day at coming up with this More Time" - syncopated rhythm guitars, fluid iWli!illllllip Isilillll Sôflfcése» percussion and gospel-inflected vocal arrange­ song, that melody." Hard work wrought spec­ Ù-àd tacular results. In 1963 alone, H-D-H wrote and ments purveying catchy lyrics - was nearly as produced Gaye's "Can I Get a Witness'',- the distinctive as that of H-D-H's Motown classics. Marvelettes' "Locking Up My Heart" and "Forev­ After Invictus/Hot Wax folded in 1973, Dozi­ er",- the Miracles' "I Gotta Dance to Keep From er resuscitated his performing career, and the Crying" and "Mickey's Monkey'',- and Martha Hollands went back to their roots, producing ses­ and the Vandellas' "Come and Get These Mem­ sions for Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. In the ories," "Heat Wave" and "Quicksand." Eighties, Dozier co-wrote international hits with All these records came before H-D-H's record- Phil Collins, Boy George and Mick Hucknall of breaking success with the Supremes. "Where Simply Red, and in 1988 the Holland brothers Did Our Love Go" - the first of six consecutive founded the Holland Group production compa­ Number One hit singles for the Supremes and ny and revived their label Music Merchant. H-D-H - detonated the explosion in June 1964. In the words and music of Brian Holland, La­ Sound of Yàyhj America to life: Five more chart-topping singles followed during mont Dozier and Edward Holland, forever the next three years. Yet the Supremes' success comes today. - ANDREW SCHWARTZ • and Brian Hof la nd {from left)’*. |