Lamont Dozier, 1941-2022
August 9, 2022 7:22 AM Subscribe
Lamont Dozier, the prolific songwriter and producer who was crucial to the success of Motown Records as one-third of the Holland-Dozier-Holland team, died on Tuesday. He was 81.
Some Holland-Dozier-Holland penned hits:
The Supremes, "You Can't Hurry Love"
The Supremes, "You Keep Me Hangin' On"
Marvin Gaye, "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)"
Four Tops, "Baby, I Need Your Lovin'"
The Supremes, "Where Did Our Love Go?"
"Look how the floor of heaven
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold:
There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st
But in his motion like an angel sings,
Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins;
Such harmony is in immortal souls;
But whilst this muddy vesture of decay
Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it."
Some Holland-Dozier-Holland penned hits:
The Supremes, "You Can't Hurry Love"
The Supremes, "You Keep Me Hangin' On"
Marvin Gaye, "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)"
Four Tops, "Baby, I Need Your Lovin'"
The Supremes, "Where Did Our Love Go?"
"Look how the floor of heaven
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold:
There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st
But in his motion like an angel sings,
Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins;
Such harmony is in immortal souls;
But whilst this muddy vesture of decay
Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it."
Lamont could write and produce! I first came upon his name/work when I was looking up who wrote How Sweet It is (linked in the post). It was being performed by Jerry Garcia and the JGB. (Today is the anniversary of Jerry's death. RIP)
I am sorry he never made it big as a solo performer, but I am so thankful for his contributions on all those MoTown hits! Although I am an unabashed Deadhead, my favorite section in my album collection are my Four Tops, Spinners, Supremes, Al Green and Marvin Gaye section.
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posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:27 AM on August 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
I am sorry he never made it big as a solo performer, but I am so thankful for his contributions on all those MoTown hits! Although I am an unabashed Deadhead, my favorite section in my album collection are my Four Tops, Spinners, Supremes, Al Green and Marvin Gaye section.
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posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:27 AM on August 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
"You Can't Hurry Love" and "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" are unabashed pop masterpieces. True gems.
I had heard this story before but think about the creative genius and sensibility needed for HDH to do this:
In 1965, Mr. Gordy circulated an audacious memo to Motown staffers that read in part: “We will release nothing less than Top Ten product on any artist; and because the Supremes’ worldwide acceptance is greater than other artists, on them we will release only #1 records.” Holland-Dozier-Holland stepped up: While they didn’t hit the top every time with the Supremes, they wrote and produced an astonishing 10 No. 1 pop hits for the group.
posted by fortitude25 at 8:45 AM on August 9, 2022 [3 favorites]
I had heard this story before but think about the creative genius and sensibility needed for HDH to do this:
In 1965, Mr. Gordy circulated an audacious memo to Motown staffers that read in part: “We will release nothing less than Top Ten product on any artist; and because the Supremes’ worldwide acceptance is greater than other artists, on them we will release only #1 records.” Holland-Dozier-Holland stepped up: While they didn’t hit the top every time with the Supremes, they wrote and produced an astonishing 10 No. 1 pop hits for the group.
posted by fortitude25 at 8:45 AM on August 9, 2022 [3 favorites]
The excellent podcast A History of Rock Music in 500 songs has several good episodes on Holland-Dozier Holland songs, including Heat Wave and Where Did Our Love Go?
posted by Jeanne at 8:47 AM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Jeanne at 8:47 AM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by Silvery Fish at 9:14 AM on August 9, 2022
posted by Silvery Fish at 9:14 AM on August 9, 2022
The Supremes, Back in My Arms Again. Diana sings "All day long I hear my telephone ring", and I'm 14 again, singing along with my cousin Risa.
posted by ALeaflikeStructure at 9:29 AM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by ALeaflikeStructure at 9:29 AM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
The only Heat Wave you're glad about.
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posted by Bee'sWing at 10:07 AM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by Bee'sWing at 10:07 AM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
I just loved 2019's "Hitsville: The Making of Motown." So much love in the memories.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 10:20 AM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 10:20 AM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
What an immense catalog, what an immense talent. So much of my music catalog is something he had a hand in. 🎼
posted by kitten kaboodle at 10:22 AM on August 9, 2022
posted by kitten kaboodle at 10:22 AM on August 9, 2022
Pouring one out for Peddlin' Music on the Side alone.
posted by Dark Messiah at 10:59 AM on August 9, 2022
posted by Dark Messiah at 10:59 AM on August 9, 2022
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posted by HandfulOfDust at 11:00 AM on August 9, 2022
posted by HandfulOfDust at 11:00 AM on August 9, 2022
In the Magnetic Fields song "The Death Of Ferdinand De Saussure," the narrator murders the semiotician who claims that love can't be defined, explicitly defending the honor of Holland-Dozier-Holland, whose songs prove this fictional Ferdinand wrong:
"I'm just a great composer
And not a violent man
But I lost my composure
And I shot Ferdinand
Crying, It's well and kosher
To say you don't understand
But this is for Holland-Dozier-Holland"
Why are they held up as a Holy Trinity? It's for their entire body of work while working with Motown, but if I were to pick one song it would be "Reach Out I'll Be There." Of course, we know what love is: it's all here summed up in three minutes and you can dance to it too! Rarely have life's biggest mysteries seemed so simple as when these three were on top of their game and their songs will almost certainly survive long past all of us.
posted by HunterFelt at 12:07 PM on August 9, 2022 [7 favorites]
"I'm just a great composer
And not a violent man
But I lost my composure
And I shot Ferdinand
Crying, It's well and kosher
To say you don't understand
But this is for Holland-Dozier-Holland"
Why are they held up as a Holy Trinity? It's for their entire body of work while working with Motown, but if I were to pick one song it would be "Reach Out I'll Be There." Of course, we know what love is: it's all here summed up in three minutes and you can dance to it too! Rarely have life's biggest mysteries seemed so simple as when these three were on top of their game and their songs will almost certainly survive long past all of us.
posted by HunterFelt at 12:07 PM on August 9, 2022 [7 favorites]
[Came in to post "but this is for Holland-Dozier-Holland" only to find I was beaten to the punch -- unsurprisingly, because this is MetaFilter ❤️]
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posted by Westringia F. at 12:41 PM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by Westringia F. at 12:41 PM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
explicitly defending the honor of Holland-Dozier-Holland
Another lyrical tribute that's pretty lovely is Billy Bragg's "Levi Stubbs' Tears":
Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong
Are here to make everything right that's wrong
Holland and Holland and Lamont Dozier too
Are here to make it all okay with you
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 12:44 PM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Another lyrical tribute that's pretty lovely is Billy Bragg's "Levi Stubbs' Tears":
Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong
Are here to make everything right that's wrong
Holland and Holland and Lamont Dozier too
Are here to make it all okay with you
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 12:44 PM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
The pause before the chorus kicks in in "Reach Out" always gives me chills.
posted by praemunire at 1:24 PM on August 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 1:24 PM on August 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
Praemunire: That’s not a pause, that is the subterranean rumblings of James Jamerson’s bass before it erupts to the surface again.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:48 PM on August 9, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:48 PM on August 9, 2022 [5 favorites]
Sixties soul was one of the few cultural bright spots in my Reagan-era adolescence. I was fortunate to grow up in an era when you could still hear these tunes on AM radio on a summer day.
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posted by Sheydem-tants at 11:26 PM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by Sheydem-tants at 11:26 PM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by LobsterMitten at 11:19 AM on August 10, 2022
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:19 AM on August 10, 2022
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