“Stop! In the Name of Love” is one of the most recognizable and popular songs from The Supremes, but did you know it was actually inspired by a violent argument? Songwriters Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland began a songwriting trio and they soon became responsible for writing some of the biggest Motown hits, such as The Four Tops’ “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” and Martha and the Vandellas’ “Heat Wave.”
With this being said, they also wrote tons of song for The Supremes. During an interview with Performing Songwriter, Dozier talked about how a fight with his girlfriend became the foundation for “Stop! In the Name of Love.”
The violent argument that inspired a hit Motown song
“The title came from a fight with my girlfriend,” he says. “I got caught in an embarrassing situation where I was being a little unfaithful.”
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“This particular girl was very headstrong,” Dozier continues. “So we got into an argument. She started swinging, missed me, hit the floor. And I laughed and said, ‘Please stop! Stop in the name of love.’ I was being facetious.”
The song inspiration actually stopped the fight
Well, the fight ended up being a situation to laugh about in the grand scheme of things. “Then we busted out in laughter because it was so corny to us,” he remembers. “She had a chokehold on me, and I said, ‘Hold it for a minute. Did you hear a cash register? Is that a hit title?’ And she started laughing again.”
