Holly Holy
"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, it was a successful follow-on to "Sweet Caroline", reaching #6 on the U.S. pop singles chart by December. The song also reached #5 on the Easy Listening chart. It became a gold record and then eventually a platinum record.
| "Holly Holy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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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A work with a spiritual focus, "Holly Holy" was influenced by gospel music and was Diamond's favorite of the songs he had written to that point.
Record World predicted the song "will be as famous as its author and constant hitmaker."
"Holly Holy" was later included on Diamond's November 1969 album Touching You, Touching Me. 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.