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,^[1] it was a successful follow up 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]

"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
"Sweet Caroline" (1969) "Holly Holy" (1969) "Shilo" (1970)

While it is a love song, it also has a spiritual focus.^[5] Its storyline and style were influenced by gospel music.^[1] The first lyrics are sung by Diamond alone. But in the second verse, a gospel choir is accompanying him as the song builds in intensity. Later lyrics echo a Bible story: "Touch a man who can't walk upright and that lame man, he's gonna fly."^[6]

Record World predicted the song "will be as famous as its author and constant hitmaker."^[7] It was Diamond's favorite of the songs he had written to that point.^[3]

"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.

Chart history

Weekly charts Chart (1969–70) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report) 6 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[8] 6 Canada RPM Top Singles[9] 2 New Zealand (Listener)[10] 6 South Africa (Springbok)[11] 2 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[12] 6 U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 3 U.S. Cash Box Top 100[13] 4

Year-end charts Chart (1969) Rank U.S. (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[14] 69 Chart (1970) Rank Australia [15] 45 Canada [16] 35

Other versions

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.^[17]

The song was covered by UB40 on their album Labour of Love III in 1998.

The song was covered by Nancy Sinatra and released on her album Shifting Gears in 2013.^[18]

In popular culture

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.