In Between The H's

Lamont Dozier turns 70 today.  After Lennon and McCartney, the greatest songwriting team of our time may be Holland-Dozier-Holland.  In the 60s, they wrote hits for The Marvelettes, Martha And The Vandellas, The Miracles, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Four Tops--just about all the top Motown acts.

They composed my favorite song from that label, "(Love Is Like ) Heat Wave," but I don't even need it to prove how great their catalogue is.  In fact, they wrote 12 #1 hits, and I don't need them either.

1963:



1964:



1965:



1966:



1967:



H-D-H fought with Berry Gordy over royalties and left Motown by 1968. They never had the same assembly line of talent, but they kept writing great songs. (Due to a pending lawsuit, they wrote under the name Edythe Wayne.)