"Holly Holy" | ||||
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Single by Neil Diamond | ||||
from the album Touching You, Touching Me | ||||
B-side | "Hurtin' You Don't Come Easy" | |||
Released | October 13, 1969 | |||
Genre | Pop, soft rock | |||
Length | 4:27 (single version) 4:40 (album version) | |||
Label | Uni | |||
Songwriter(s) | Neil Diamond | |||
Producer(s) | Tom Catalano, Tommy Cogbill | |||
Neil Diamond singles chronology | ||||
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"Holly Holy" is a song written and recorded by Neil Diamond with instrumental backing provided by the American Sound Studio house band in Memphis. Released as a single on October 13, 1969, [1] it was a successful follow-on to "Sweet Caroline", reaching #6 on the U.S. pop singles chart by December. [2] [3] The song also reached #5 on the Easy Listening chart. [4] It became a gold record and then eventually a platinum record. [1]
A work with a spiritual focus, [5] "Holly Holy" was influenced by gospel music [1] and was Diamond's favorite of the songs he had written to that point. [3]
Record World predicted the song "will be as famous as its author and constant hitmaker." [6]
"Holly Holy" was later included on Diamond's November 1969 album Touching You, Touching Me . [1] It has been included in live versions on Diamond's Hot August Night (from 1972) and Greatest Hits: 1966–1992 (from 1992) as well as various compilations.
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Produced by Clancy Eccles in 1970, the song was an instant success for Jamaican reggae group the Fabulous Flames, almost crossing into the UK's popular music chart. [16]
The song was covered by Nancy Sinatra and released on her album Shifting Gears in 2013. [17]
The song plays during opening credits of the 1999 Kate Winslet–Harvey Keitel film Holy Smoke! . Additionally, it was played live in concert at the end of the 2001 film Saving Silverman during the end credits scene by Neil Diamond (as himself) and the main cast members (in character). It was also featured in the 2012 Kevin James film Here Comes the Boom as James's character's entrance song in mixed martial arts (MMA). The song was also featured in the 2017 TV series Mr. Mercedes Season 3, episode 4. The song was used in Mike Flanagan's 2021 Netflix miniseries Midnight Mass during a montage in the third episode.
"Tell Me a Lie" is a song composed by Mickey Buckins and Barbara Wyrick. Originally recorded by Lynn Anderson for her 1974 What a Man My Man Is album, it was released later that same year as a single by Sami Jo Cole, who took it to number 21 on both of the major U.S. pop charts. It also charted in Canada (#17). Cole's version was also an Adult Contemporary hit, reaching number 14 in the U.S. and number 27 in Canada.
"Montego Bay" is a song co-written and performed by Bobby Bloom about the city in Jamaica of the same name. The song was a top ten hit for Bloom in the Fall of 1970 on both sides of the Atlantic. It reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 5 on the Canadian RPM 100 Singles Chart, No. 7 on the Australian Go-Set Singles Chart and No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was co-written and produced by Jeff Barry. In the master tape of the song, Bloom breaks into a chorus of "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" at the end of the recording. The song features a whistler, as well as Jamaican instruments in a calypso style.
"Longfellow Serenade" is the title of a 1974 song by the American singer-songwriter Neil Diamond. It was written by Diamond, produced by Tom Catalano, and included on Diamond's album Serenade.
"Solitary Man" is a song written by American musician Neil Diamond, who recorded the song for Bang Records in late January 1966. It has since been covered many times, notably by T. G. Sheppard, Gianni Morandi, Chris Isaak, Johnny Cash and HIM.
"Make It with You" is a song written by David Gates and originally recorded by American pop-rock group Bread, of which Gates was a member. Gates and drummer Mike Botts are the only members of the group to appear on the recording, which was Bread's only No.1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
"Song Sung Blue" is a 1972 hit song written and recorded by Neil Diamond, inspired by the second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto #21. It was released on Diamond's album Moods, and later appeared on many of Diamond's live and compilation albums. The song was a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States for one week, the week of July 1, and it spent twelve weeks in the Top 40. It also reached #14 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Love Ballad" is a song by R&B/Funk band L.T.D. Jeffrey Osborne is the lead singer.
"Love or Let Me Be Lonely" is a pop song recorded by the soul group The Friends of Distinction and released as a single in early 1970. The song was a multi-format success, peaking in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 at #6 on May 1, 1970 and at #13 on the R&B chart. On the Adult Contemporary singles charts, "Love or Let Me Be Lonely" went to #9. The song is ranked as the 63rd biggest hit of 1970.
"Desirée" is a 1977 song written and recorded by Neil Diamond and included as a track on Diamond's 1977 album, I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight. The single peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number one on the U.S. Easy Listening chart to become his fifth number one on that chart. The song likewise reached number one on the Canadian AC chart.
"An American Dream" is a song written by Rodney Crowell. He recorded it under the title "Voilá, An American Dream" on his 1978 album Ain't Living Long Like This, and released it as the B-side to that album's single "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I".
"Gypsy Woman" is a 1961 rhythm and blues song written by Curtis Mayfield and recorded by his group the Impressions. The group's first single following the departure of lead singer Jerry Butler, it reached No. 2 on the US Billboard R&B chart, No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 17 on the Cash Box chart. It also appeared on the group's 1963 eponymous debut album. Joe Bataan (1967), Brian Hyland (1970), Bobby Womack (1985), Steve Marriott (1989), and Santana (1990) covered this song.
"Stormy" is a hit song by the Classics IV released on their LP Mamas and Papas/Soul Train in 1968. It entered Billboard Magazine October 26, 1968, peaking at #5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and #26 Easy Listening. The final line of the chorus has the singer pleading to the girl: "Bring back that sunny day". The single, along with the prior release of "Spooky" and, soon after, the release of "Traces", formed a trio of solid hits for the band.
"Love in the Shadows" is an uptempo pop song written and recorded by Neil Sedaka. The song became an international Top 20 hit in 1976.
"Really Wanna Know You" is a 1981 song by Gary Wright that was a hit single in the U.S., reaching No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was taken from the album The Right Place. The song spent 17 weeks on the chart and became Wright's third biggest U.S. hit. It was his final charting single.
"We're in This Love Together" is a 1981 hit song by Al Jarreau. It was the first of three single releases from his fifth studio album, Breakin' Away. The song was his first and biggest chart hit.
"Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)" is a 1974 song by Leo Sayer, co-written with David Courtney. It was released in the United Kingdom in late 1974, becoming Sayer's third hit record on both the British and Irish singles charts and reaching number four in both nations. It was included on Sayer's album Just a Boy.
"Could You Ever Love Me Again" is a 1973 song recorded by Gary and Dave. It became their greatest hit, reaching #7 in Australia and #1 in Canada. It was also a minor hit in the United States.
"Melanie Makes Me Smile" is a 1970 song written by United Kingdom songwriters Barry Mason and Tony Macaulay. United States singer, Tony Burrows issued his version in April 1970, which reached No. 87 in the US. Macaulay also produced Burrows' single. Burrows had previously recorded Mason and Macauley's "Love Grows " as lead singer of Edison Lighthouse. "Melanie Makes Me Smile" was released by Australian pop group the Strangers as a cover version in June 1970; it became a top 10 hit there in September.
"Rainy Jane" is a song written and originally recorded by Neil Sedaka in 1969, covered two years later by Davy Jones. Sedaka's rendition became a minor hit in the U.S., Canada and Australia.
"Children" is a song written by Joe South, originally from his 1969 album Don't It Make You Want to Go Home?. In 1970, he released it as a single.