Holland-Dozier-Holland is a songwriting and production team made up of Lamo… Read Full Bio ↴Holland-Dozier-Holland is a songwriting and production team made up of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian Holland and Edward Holland, Jr. They are considered to be one of the greatest songwriting teams in popular music. The trio wrote, arranged and produced many songs that helped define the Motown sound in the 1960s.

During their tenure at Motown from 1962 to 1967, Dozier and Brian Holland were the composers and producers for each song, and Eddie Holland wrote the lyrics and arranged the vocals.

When the trio left Motown, they continued to work as a production team (with Eddie Holland being added to the producer credits), and as a songwriting team until about 1974. The trio was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. On May 13, 2003, Holland-Dozier-Holland were honored as BMI Icons at the 51st BMI Pop Awards. Longtime BMI songwriters, Brian Holland affiliated with the performing rights organization in 1960, followed by Lamont Dozier in 1961 and Eddie Holland in 1963. They have won countless BMI Awards in the past, including BMI Pop Awards and Million-Air citations.

Reflections
Holland-Dozier-Holland Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Through the mirror of my mind
Time after time
I see reflections of you and me

Reflections of
The way life used to be
Reflections of
The love you took from me

Oh, I'm all alone now
No love to shield me
Trapped in a world
That's a distorted reality

Happiness you took from me
And left me all alone
With only memories

Through the mirror of my mind
Through all these tears that I'm crying
Reflects a hurt I can't control
Although you're gone
I keep holding on
To those happy times
Oh, girl when you were mine

As I peer through the windows
Of lost time
Keeping looking over my yesterdays
And all the love I gave all in vain
(All the love) All the love
That I've wasted
(All the tears) All the tears
That I've tasted
All in vain

Through the hollow of my tears
I see a dream that's lost
From the hurt baby
That you have caused

Everywhere I turn
Seems like everything I see
Reflects a hurt I can't control

In you I put
All my hope and trust
Right before my eyes
My whole world has turned to dust

Reflections of
The love you took from
Reflections of
The way life used to be

In you I put
All my hope and trust
Right before my eyes
My whole world has turned to dust

Now baby, why did you do it?
Reflections

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Reflections" by Holland-Dozier-Holland convey the emotional aftermath of a lost love. The singer reflects on the memories and the pain caused by the end of a relationship. The metaphorical theme of a mirror is used throughout the song to represent the mind, emphasizing the introspective nature of the lyrics.

The first verse sets the tone by stating, "Through the mirror of my mind, time after time, I see reflections of you and me." This line suggests that the memories of the past relationship continue to haunt the singer's thoughts, appearing like reflections in a mirror. The following lines, "Reflections of the way life used to be, reflections of the love you took from me," further emphasize the nostalgic longing for what once was.

The chorus delves deeper into the sense of loneliness and abandonment the singer feels. They express being "all alone now" without the love and protection they once had. The distorted reality they describe suggests that the world feels different and unfamiliar without the love they have lost. The line "happiness you took from me and left me all alone with only memories" highlights the profound impact the end of the relationship has had on their emotional state.

In the second verse, the singer continues to reflect on their past, expressing regret for the love they gave in vain. The lyrics convey a sense of wasted love and time, as they look back at the efforts and emotions invested in the relationship. They see "a dream that's lost from the hurt, baby, that you have caused," emphasizing the pain and disappointment they have experienced.

The song concludes with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the enduring hurt caused by the lost love. The final plea of "Now baby, why did you do it?" is a poignant question, reflecting the confusion and heartbreak the singer still feels.

Overall, "Reflections" explores the emotional aftermath of a lost love, conveying a sense of loneliness, regret, and longing for what once was. The lyrics use the mirror metaphor to emphasize introspection and self-reflection, creating a poignant exploration of the impact of lost love.

Line by Line Meaning

Through the mirror of my mind
In the depths of my thoughts and memories

Time after time
Repeatedly

I see reflections of you and me
I see reminders of our past relationship

Reflections of the way life used to be
Reminders of how life was before

Reflections of the love you took from me
Reminders of the love you stole from me

Oh, I'm all alone now
I am currently without companionship

No love to shield me
Without love to protect me

Trapped in a world that's a distorted reality
Confined in a distorted world that doesn't reflect truth

Happiness you took from me
You stole my happiness

And left me all alone
And abandoned me in solitude

With only memories
Left with nothing but memories of the past

Through all these tears that I'm crying
While shedding continuous tears

Reflects a hurt I can't control
Highlights an uncontrollable pain

Although you're gone
Even though you are no longer here

I keep holding on
I continue to cling to

To those happy times
To the joyful moments

Oh, girl when you were mine
Oh, my dear, when you belonged to me

As I peer through the windows
When I gaze through the windows

Of lost time
Of past moments that are gone

Keeping looking over my yesterdays
Continuously looking back at my past

And all the love I gave all in vain
And all the love I gave without any success

(All the love) All the love that I've wasted
All the love that I've given without it being appreciated

(All the tears) All the tears that I've tasted
All the tears that I've shed and experienced

Through the hollow of my tears
Within the emptiness of my tears

I see a dream that's lost
I see a lost dream

From the hurt baby
Caused by the pain, my dear

That you have caused
That you are responsible for

Everywhere I turn
Wherever I go

Seems like everything I see
It appears that whatever I look at

Reflects a hurt I can't control
Mirrors an uncontrollable pain

In you I put all my hope and trust
I placed all my hope and trust in you

Right before my eyes
Directly in front of me

My whole world has turned to dust
My entire world has been reduced to nothing

Now baby, why did you do it?
Now, my dear, why did you commit such actions?

Reflections
Thoughts and memories of the past

Lyrics © Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Jr. Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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