Elgins single VIP 25065 [[rerelease of VIP 25037)

[woodward]

As most of the Elgins fans know, Heaven Must Have Sent You b/w Stay In My Lonely Arms was initially released 07/1966 on VIP 25037. It was subsequently rereleased
in 09/1971 on VIP 25065.

The 25037 seems to be available periodically on eBay but I seem to have difficulty locating the 25065 rerelease. There is one on eBay currently in "garbage" condition in my opinion.

Was there something unique or unusual about the rerelease copy on VIP 25065?

[TomatoTom123]

Mmm, Bill, this is interesting.

I do know that The Elgins' "Heaven Must Have Sent You" was first reissued in the UK in April 1971, and it became a massive hit on the UK Charts [[#3 I believe!). So, the song was then reissued in the US in September that same year... was this done in hope of a similarly-sized hit in America?

Unfortunately it wasn’t a hit the second time 'round in the US, so there...! Interesting.

[BayouMotownMan]

Mmm, Bill, this is interesting.

I do know that The Elgins' "Heaven Must Have Sent You" was first reissued in the UK in April 1971, and it became a massive hit on the UK Charts [[#3 I believe!). So, the song was then reissued in the US in September that same year... was this done in hope of a similarly-sized hit in America?

Unfortunately it wasn’t a hit the second time 'round in the US, so there...! Interesting.

This is exactly what happened. The reissue was so big that Motown quickly re-assembled a group of Elgins to tour England. They had even changed lead singers so the renaissance was short lived

[luke]

I’m assuming Saundra was not interested

[TomatoTom123]

Yea, I guess so luke. I know it was Yvonne Verne Allen who replaced Saundra for the The Elgins' UK tour. She had also recorded with the group back in 1967 if I believe. :)

[motownjohnny]

Woodward to answer your initial question on this thread, the re-release of "Heaven Must Have Sent You" / "Stay In My Lonely Arms" [[V.I.P. 25065) used the same tracks as previously released on V.I.P. 25037. So in terms of music you aren't missing out by not having a copy of the later release.

The group disbanded in mid/late 1967, so were no longer under contract with Motown by the time the record was re-issued in 1971.

As far as I'm aware, there is only one track credited to The Elgins that features Yvonne Allen on lead, namely "That's The Night That Love Died". D.F.T.M.C. states that the track was completed on 28 June 1968, so about a year after the group had actually left the company.

Interestingly, when that track was included on the Elgins' Motown Anthology double cd, the notes in the accompanying booklet state that the band track was recorded on January 17 1967 and was originally intended for Jimmy Ruffin. The Elgins with Saundra on lead were dubbed in on 24 March. It also notes that the "lead vocals subsequently re-dubbed [[by Yvonne?) on June 1968". Note the question mark against Yvonne's name. On D.F.T.M.C. this has now been removed, suggesting that her lead on this song has now been confirmed. It looks like Jimmy Ruffin never added his vocals to the band track.

It would also seem that if the original recording with Saundra on lead was completed, then that version lay in the vaults for over a year and if it still exists intact on tape, then surely it would have been a fitting contender for inclusion on the "Motown 1967 Unreleased" set.

By 1971, when V.I.P. 25065 was released, Saundra had quit singing professionally, so to promote the release Motown brought the original male members back and added Yvonne as a replacement. As far as I'm aware, the reformed Elgins did not re-sign a contract with Motown and when the sales were disappointing they were let go with no new tracks being recorded.

[westgrandboulevard]

Motownjohnny...

Very nice post....!

Paul Nixon, in his notes for 'The Elgins Motown Anthology' [[thank you Paul!), states that 'Heaven Must Have Sent You' was re-released on 45 in America, 'in a remixed form'.

However, I can't confirm from personal experience any differences from the original release, as I have never possessed a copy.

Apparently, there were three promo versions of that remix, as noted on DFTMC [[thank you Keith and Ritchie!).

One was in mono. The remaining two were in stereo....and one of which appears to be the commercial version. Maybe the remix was made to enable a stereo 45 version to be released?

I have a hazy recollection of a 'radio version' of 'Heaven Must Have Sent You' appearing much later on CD. Was it 'Motown Year By Year 1966' - ?? It may well have also appeared on other releases, either prior to that collection, or since....so I wonder if that was one of those 1971 remixed versions...?

There are three tracks on the Anthology set with Yvonne on lead vocals :

'Life Can Be Beautiful When You're In Love'; 'My Love For Your Love';...... and 'Love Where Are You Hiding'. The last track is noted again with a question mark: 'lead : Yvonne?', but it certainly sounds like her....:)

[theboyfromxtown]

As most of the Elgins fans know, Heaven Must Have Sent You b/w Stay In My Lonely Arms was initially released 07/1966 on VIP 25037. It was subsequently rereleased
in 09/1971 on VIP 25065.

The 25037 seems to be available periodically on eBay but I seem to have difficulty locating the 25065 rerelease. There is one on eBay currently in "garbage" condition in my opinion.

Was there something unique or unusual about the rerelease copy on VIP 25065?

Yes

The promo was in stereo and was very different to the stock copy.

[theboyfromxtown]

Check out about 1:06 for about 15 seconds...it's a beat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbTgd4fQo5c

[theboyfromxtown]

Now listen to this stereo version try about 1:08....the strings take over
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG6yPqcZXCY

[snakepit]

I saw the reformed Elgins on a double bill with Edwin Starr , Chorlton, Manchester UK.
That must have been 1971.
Not many in the club, I had a very brief chat with two Elgin's and vividly remember standing in the Gents toilet, being joined in the next cubicle by Edwin Starr...brief hello !!

[luckyluckyme]

I hear the strings much more prominently on this version;


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZPuoiTAsgI

but wonder why it only runs for 2:27.

[theboyfromxtown]

VIP 25065 DJ was listed at 2:34. I'd have to play my copy to confirm the timing but that is not possible at this time.

[motownjohnny]

The boyfromxtown and westgrandboulevard, thanks to both for your valued comments.

If the 1971 stereo promo version is very different to the stock copy, does that mean that it is also different to the stereo version on the "Darling Baby" album [[V.I.P. 400) released in 1966? If it is, do you know when this stereo promo was recorded? The notes in The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 11B, 1971, give the completion date as June 2 1966, which suggests to me that it's likely to be the original album version rather than a newly recorded track.

[mysterysinger]

Interesting [[?) that the track "Heaven Must Have Sent You" by The Elgins on The Motown Box 4 CD set is shown as from the various artists album "A Collection Of 16 Big Hits, Vol. 8"

[westgrandboulevard]

motownjohnny.....


I may well stand to be corrected, but it would seem that both the commercial and the promo versions of 'Heaven Must Have Sent You' [[released on 45 in stereo, in September 1971) were likely to have been remixed from the master of the original track found on the stereo version of the 'Darling Baby' album.

I cannot confirm if these remixed stereo 45 versions were identical to each other, or if they differed.

It would seem that no further recording was made, but there may well be more than one available stereo master.

If the clip posted by theboyfromxtown is the stereo 45 promo version from 1971, then, at 3:11, it is a little longer than the album version, at least the one released later on 'The Anthology' [[2:54).

You may have noticed that the notes for 'The Anthology' show publishing dates ranging from 1962-1967 for the stereo version 'Darling Baby' album tracks [[#1-12, CD1)...with the exception of 'Heaven Must Have Sent You', which bears the date of 1970.

As I do not have a copy of the original vinyl version of 'Darling Baby' in stereo, I cannot confirm if 'Heaven Must Have Sent You' found there does in fact match the album version released later on 'The Anthology'...so I'm hoping someone more knowledgeable can clarify for us.....:)

[luckyluckyme]

On the Stereo 'Darling Baby' vinyl lp, the timing of 'Heaven Must Have Sent You' is listed as 2:36

[paul_nixon]

There appear to be over a dozen completed mixes listed in the paperwork - of course not all will have seen the light of day and the differences can me minimal - although to be fair they can also be very noticeable. 4 are marked to have been released in some way or another.