The greatest secret behind Motown’s success?
At Motown’s hit factory, you’d find a tight-knit team of house musicians, artists, engineers, and perhaps the most crucial element behind its success: the songwriters.
In the 1960s, the powerhouse trio behind Motown’s greatest hits were Lamont Dozier and brothers Eddie and Brian Holland. Known as Holland-Dozier-Holland (H-D-H), they were the driving force behind Motown’s golden era.
From 1962 to 1967, H-D-H wrote and produced the label’s most iconic songs. After achieving massive success, the trio sued Motown in a dispute over royalties, which led to them writing under pseudonyms for a time. Reflecting on the lawsuit years later, Dozier said:
“The lawsuit was just our way of taking care of business that needed to be taken care of—just like Berry Gordy had to take care of his business, which resulted in the lawsuit. Business is business, love is love.”
This legal battle became one of the longest-running in the music industry, lasting from 1967 until its conclusion in 1977.
During their time at Motown, Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote countless chart-toppers, including:
- Baby Love
- Band of Gold
- Can I Get A Witness
- Heat Wave
- How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
- I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
- Jimmy Mack
- Nowhere to Run
- Reach Out (I’ll Be There)
- Stop! In the Name of Love
- You Can’t Hurry Love
- You Keep Me Hanging On
These songs became the backbone of Motown’s success, and H-D-H’s influence extended far beyond their own hits. Their songwriting mastery likely shaped the sound of countless other Motown artists and the wider pop landscape.
Their contributions have earned them spots in numerous music halls of fame. It’s impossible to overestimate how much Holland-Dozier-Holland influenced modern pop music.
In 2018, Lamont Dozier released Reimagined, an album where he reinterpreted many of his classic songs, both solo and in duet. Listening to it, it’s clear that the teamwork behind these timeless tracks is what truly made the Motown dream work.
Hollan Dozier Holland Tunes | Related Pages
Baby Love | Chords + Lyrics
You can learn how to play Baby Love by The Supremes using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| C | C7/Bb | A7 | Dm |
Baby love, my baby love, I need you, oh how I need you…
Band Of Gold | Chords + Lyrics
You can learn how to play Band Of Gold by Freda Payne using chords, chord analysis, lyrics, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| G | G | D/F# |
Now that you’re gone, all that’s left is a band of gold…
Can I Get A Witness | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Can I Get A Witness by Marvin Gaye using chords, lyrics, a chord chart, a backing track, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Eb Ab | Db Ab | Eb Ab | Db Ab |
Ah listen, everybody, especially you girls…
Start learning with the full lesson series: Can I Get A Witness – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Jimmy Mack | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Jimmy Mack by Martha and The Vandellas using chords, lyrics, a chord chart, a backing track, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Ebm | Gbmaj7 | Dbmaj7 | Gb |
Jimmy Mack, Jimmy. Oh, Jimmy Mack, when are you comin’ back…
Start learning with the full lesson series: Jimmy Mack – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Reach Out I’ll Be There | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Reach Out I’ll Be There by the Four Tops using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Abm7 Gb/Bb | Db | Abm7 Gb/Bb | Db |
Now if you feel that you can’t go on, because all of your hope is gone…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Reach Out I’ll Be There (Four Tops) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
You Can’t Hurry Love | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play You Can’t Hurry Love by The Supremes using chords, lyrics, a chord chart, a backing track, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Bb | Bb | Eb Bb | Bb |
I need love, love, to ease my mind…
Start learning with the full lesson series: You Can’t Hurry Love – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Holland-Dozier-Holland on the web
