Your favorite Holland/Dozier/Holland song

Seeing as to how there've been quite a few Motown related threads recently, and I've just been getting into Motown at that, of all the HDH songs you know, what's your favorite?

Soooo many good 'uns to choose from, but I've gotta go with

"Baby I Need Your Loving" - The Four Tops

 

I've got too many to think of right now.

 

Nowhere To Run - I've got it by Martha & The Vandellas. Incredibly powerful persisten beat. Keeping it separated with stereo

 

That's a major dilemma choosing a favorite HDH song considering how many great ones they wrote. If I had to choose one it would be:

You Keep Me Hangin' On-The Supremes


Very innovative in terms of it's structure and arrangement, and succeeded in giving The Supremes a song with a harder edge, and has stood up to many reinterpretations. Most successfully by Vanilla Fudge and Kim Wilde.

 

Reach Out, I'll Be There-----The Four Tops

The Tops were my favorite of Motown's groups.They seemed a little rawer than a lot of stuff that came out of there in that period. Almost like they could have been recording for Stax.

 

Going Down For The Third Time / Supremes.

I don't know why but that one gets my blood movin'. It's an obscure Supremes tune as opposed to one of HDH's Top Ten hits. I wish the Four Tops had recorded it too.

mud-

 

Leaving Here by Eddie Holland.....I call it the first heavy metal song!
It absolutely rocks!

 

This Old Heart Of Mine

Norm

 

TIE:

Give Me Just A Little More Time - Chairman Of The Board
You Keep Me Hanging On - The Supremes


It's just mind boggling how many great songs this team wrote. Check out:
http://www.forshe.net/cgi/hdh/artist_list.pl

It lists all of their non-Motown hits as well as the top 40 of their collection... amazing!!

 

"Reach Out I'll Be There---Four Tops


True pop drama, not only thanks to H/D/H, but the inspired vocalizing of Levi Stubbs. The last time he struggles with the phrase "reach out" he sounds like he's on a cliff trying to grasp the hand of a friend about to fall off the ledge. An amazing, riveting piece of work.


ED

 

Ditto for me. The intro makes the hairs on my arm stand on end.

 

Especially that rata-tat-rata-tat-rata-tat.....that muted drum sound.....
so original!

 

Impossible to pick one, maybe "Heatwave". I am sure no one needs a reminder as to their greatness, but below are just a couple...

Darling Baby 1966; pop #72; R&B #4
Heaven Must Have Sent You 1966; pop #50; R&B #9
Baby I Need Your Loving 1964; pop #11
I Can't Help Myself 1966; pop #5, R&B #2
It's The Same Old Song 1965; pop and R&B #1
Something About You 1965; pop #19, R&B #9
Reach Out I'll Be There 1966; pop #pop and R&B #1
Shake Me, Wake Me [When It's Over]1966; pop 18, R&B #5
Standing In the Shadows of Love 1967; pop #6, R&B #2
Bernadette 1967;pop #4, R&B #3
Seven Rooms of Gloom 1967; pop #14, R&B #10
You Keep Running Away 1967; pop #19, R&B#7
Can I Get a Witness 1963; pop #22, R&B #15
You're a Wonderful One 1964; pop #17
Baby Don't You Do It 1964; pop #27
How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You 1964; pop #6, R&B #4
Little Darling I Need You 1966; pop #47, R&B #10
Your Unchanging Love 1967; pop #33, R&B #7
This Old Heart of Mine 1965; pop #12; R&B #6
Take Me In Your Arms 1968; R&B #22
Come and Get These Memories 1963; pop chart #29, R&B #6
Heat Wave 1963; pop #4, R&B #1
Quicksand 1963; pop #8
Live Wire 1964;pop #42
Nowhere To Run 1965; pop #8, R&B &5
I'm Ready For Love 1966; pop#9, R&B #2
Jimmy Mack 1967; pop #10, R&B #1
Locking Up My Heart 1963; pop #44, R&B #25
Forever 1963; pop #78, R&B #24
Mickey's Monkey 1963; pop #8, R&B #3
I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying 1964; pop #35
Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart 1966; pop #46, R&B #20
Come 'Round Here 1966; pop #17, R&B #4
When The Lovelight Starts Shining In His Eyes, 1964, pop #23
Where Did Our Love Go, 1964, pop #1
Baby Love, 1964 pop #1
Come See About Me, 1964, pop #1, R&B #3
Stop! In The Name of Love, 1965, pop #1, R&B #2
Back In My Arms Again, 1965, pop and R&B #1
Nothing But Heartache, 1965, pop #11, R&B #6
I Hear A Symphony, 1965, pop #1, R&B #2
My World Is Empty Without You, 1966, pop #5, R&B #10
Love Is Like an Itching In My Heart, 1966, pop &9, R&B #7
You Can't Hurry Love, 1966, pop and R&B #1
You Keep Me Hanging On, 1966, pop and R&B #1
Love Is Here and Now You're Gone, 1966, pop and R&B #1
The Happening, 1967, pop #1, R&B #12
Reflections, 1967, pop #2, R&B #4
In and Out of Love, 1967, pop #9, R&B #16
Forever Came Today, 1968, pop #28, R&B #17
[I'm a] Road Runner 1966; pop #20, R&B #4
How Sweet It Is [to be Loved Loved by You] 1966; pop #8 R&B #3
Come See About Me 1967; pop #24, R&B #7
You Lost The Sweetest Boy1963; pop #22, R&B #10
Take Me In Your Arms 1965; pop #50, R&B #4
Helpless 1966; pop #56, R&B #13
Please Mr. Postman, 1961; pop and R&B #1
Playboy; 1962; pop #7, R&B #4
Someday, Someway1962;R&B #9
Strange I Know 1962; pop #44,R&B #25
Too Many Fish In the Sea 1964;pop #25, R&B #15
He Was Really Saying Something 1965;R&B #21

 

"Reach Out, I'll Be There," followed closely by, "Bernadette."

 

Yeah, great tunes, but a bit too similar......regardless....GREAT TUNES!