What is your favorite ELGINS song and why?

[woodward]

The Elgins had numerous releases as well as numerous unreleased songs which ultimately ended up on the Tamla/Motown Motown Anthology released in 2007. What is your favorite song and why?

[mysterysinger]

"It's Been A Long Long Time" first heard it on UK "16 Big Hits Volume 6" and loved the stereo separation and organ sound.

[vgalindo]

It would have to be "Darling Baby". No particular reason. I have always loved this song. It is definitely in my top list of songs.

[mowest]

Without a doubt it is "Heaven Must Have Sent You." The song itself is phenomenal; a classic HDH composition; Motown at its best. Saunda Mallet's performance is nothing short of brilliant and the rest of the group backs her up extremely well. The Funk Brothers are, as always, right on. It's still difficult to understand how the record did so well on the Billboard R&B chart [[#4) and made it to only #50 on the Pop chart. The discerning Brits knew better, however, and took it to #3 on Record Retailer in 1971 [[as a reissue).

[tjl]

"Put Yourself In My Place" - - always reminds me to consider all points of view, if only for a day.

[JimBagley]

"Put Yourself In My Place" - Saundra's vocal melts in her mouth, not on her hands.

[daviddesper]

It has to be Heaven Must Have Sent You. I bought that 45 in a bargain bin one day and at the time I had not only NEVER heard the song, I had not even heard OF it, nor of the group. I just saw the VIP label, knew it was a Motown connection, so I figured it had to be good. When the intro kicked in and Saundra belted out that first line, I thought to myself........well that "Heaven Must Have Sent You." To this day, nearly 50 years later, it is one of my top 5 all-time Motown songs.

[RossHolloway]

My favorite track is I Still Love You. It was an unreleased track from 1967.

[captainjames]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhumAMG7ZPk

[motony]

"Darling Baby" very soulful & hypnotic groove.Love Jackie Moores' version also.

[144man]

"Heaven Must Have Sent You" always puts a smile upon my face, touches my heart with gladness, wipes away all my sadness.

[Sharpmoves]

Without a doubt it is "Heaven Must Have Sent You." The song itself is phenomenal; a classic HDH composition; Motown at its best. Saunda Mallet's performance is nothing short of brilliant and the rest of the group backs her up extremely well. The Funk Brothers are, as always, right on. It's still difficult to understand how the record did so well on the Billboard R&B chart [[#4) and made it to only #50 on the Pop chart. The discerning Brits knew better, however, and took it to #3 on Record Retailer in 1971 [[as a reissue).

I agree entirely with Heaven Must Have Sent You. It's that magic thing - a song about the ecstatic joy of love, in the first flush of it's grip. Not like the many other love-gone-wrong songs, and it's beautifully danceable and uplifting too. The perfect Motown pop song.

[JL2648]

The Elgins during the period where Saundra was a member is likely my favorite Motown group.

I first "discovered" the Elgins via one of the "Hard-To-Find" Motown Classics CDs in the mid to late 1980s. I liked their sound immediately. Shortly thereafter I spotted their one and only Motown album, "Darling Baby", at a used record store. I was tempted but I couldn't quite stomach the price tag on my just out of college budget. I did snag this album in more recent years, however.

As for the question, determining my favorite Elgins song is tough. I guess I would say either "Put Yourself In My Place" or "Heaven Must Have Sent You". For honorable mentions I'd go with "It's Been A Long, Long Time" and "That's The Night The Love Died".

Thanks for the question, woodward. Nice to see some Elgins discussion here.

[robb_k]

"It's Been A Long Time", with "Heaven Must Have Sent You" second, and "Put Yourself In My Place" 3rd.

[roger]

Probably "Heaven Must Have Sent You" as it is rather special [[might well have stormed to #1 if HDH had given it to a higher profile group such as The Four Tops instead) but I really rate the "B" side "Stay In My Lonely Arms" as well.

Roger

[arr&bee]

Heaven must have sent you.

[mysterysinger]

[TomatoTom123]

"Heaven Must Have Sent You" NO CONTEST!!

One of my all-time favourite songs

[theboyfromxtown]

Heaven Must Have Sent You is one of those songs that most people seem to know - even casual music fans.

It really surprises me that the song was not bigger in the States.

To give the thread an alternative choice, here is one of my favourites from them .

[GT03uk]

“Heaven Must Have Sent You” with “Put Yourself In My Place” a close second. It’s hard to choose between them. Bought The Elgins Motown Anthology a while ago and there are some good Downbeats tracks on it.

GT03uk
http://www.radionomy.com/en/radio/motown365/index

[TomatoTom123]

I also like "My Love For Your Love" which features Saundra's replacement, Yvonne Vernee Allen, on lead



Apparently she recorded loads of stuff with the group but none of it was released

[BigAl]

Heaven Must Have Sent You is one of those songs that most people seem to know - even casual music fans.

It really surprises me that the song was not bigger in the States.

To give the thread an alternative choice, here is one of my favourites from them .

Wow...until I heard Saundra on this Weatherspoon/Dean number I hadn't noticed how uncannily she sounded like Jimmy Ruffin!

[sophisticated_soul]

Two singles [[four songs):

Darling Baby/Put Yourself In My Place [[45 mono version)
Heaven Must Have Sent You/Stay In My Lonely Arms [[45 mono version)

Two of the finest singles ever released by Motown! I played the grooves off those two singles!

[soulwally]

The Elgins had numerous releases as well as numerous unreleased songs which ultimately ended up on the Tamla/Motown Motown Anthology released in 2007. What is your favorite song and why?

Heaven Must Have Sent You - one of those songs I've never tired of, and in the UK it's clocked up 50 years as a floor-filler, beginning with the pre-Northern Soul mods, through the NS heyday and back out the other side as the NS resurgence goes on and on. Oh, and you're likely to see your grandma and a little cousin dancing to this at a wedding do, it's that ingrained in UK ears now.
Great flip that was a youth club favourite back in the day.

[TomatoTom123]

Heaven Must Have Sent You - one of those songs I've never tired of, and in the UK it's clocked up 50 years as a floor-filler, beginning with the pre-Northern Soul mods, through the NS heyday and back out the other side as the NS resurgence goes on and on. Oh, and you're likely to see your grandma and a little cousin dancing to this at a wedding do, it's that ingrained in UK ears now.

Yess, exactly, soulwally!

[144man]

Heaven Must Have Sent You is one of those songs that most people seem to know - even casual music fans.

It really surprises me that the song was not bigger in the States.

To give the thread an alternative choice, here is one of my favourites from them .

My favourite previously unreleased track on their Anthology.

[marv2]

Darling Baby is a favorite of mine. She sings with such sincerity and backgrounds are great.

[144man]

There was absolutely no deterioration in Saundra's vocal ability when she recorded her Motorcity solo tracks.

[luke]

Totally agree Mowest. To me HMHSU was the peak of HDH and simply magnificent. Saundra and the boys were fantastic. I will never understand why it didn't go to # 1. It remains along with This Old Heart of mine my top 2 Motown records.

[luke]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HbTgd4fQo5c HMHSU performed by the Elgins. Sorry. Didn't realize it was already posted.

[theboyfromxtown]

I also like "My Love For Your Love" which features Saundra's replacement, Yvonne Vernee Allen, on lead



Apparently she recorded loads of stuff with the group but none of it was released

Where did you get that information about Yvonne recording loads of tracks. Are you speaking of their Motorcity days?

[TomatoTom123]

Where did you get that information about Yvonne recording loads of tracks. Are you speaking of their Motorcity days?

I think it was from Ian Levine. He said that Yvonne recorded loads of stuff at Motown in the description on a Elgins video [[a Motorcity rerecording) that he put on YouTube.

Ah, yes, here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8iiH-0ptHY

"In 1968 Saundra left and Yvonne Allen joined Motown and took over as lead singer. She recorded tons of stuff at Motown but they never released any more Elgins records."

Don't take my word for it, LOL!

[theboyfromxtown]

Maybe she learnt a lot of songs but didn't actually record them all.

Because when that Elgins Anthology was put together, a good search was made for Yvonne's leads but there were very few.

[TomatoTom123]

Yes, maybe
I think "My Love For Your Love" is one of only two tracks on the anthology to feature Yvonne on lead

[Motown Eddie]

My favorite song by The Elgins is 'Put Yourself In My Place'. I remember hearing on the radio a few times back when it first came out [[in 1966) and I'm always drawn to the soft dreamy feel of the song.

[144man]

Does anyone know if the vocal track on "Put Yourself In My Place" has been speeded up? Saundra's voice sounds higher than I would expect.

[JohnnyRavenATL]

"Put Yourself in My Place"- it's so bouncy and sing-alongable. This would have been a great Supremes single had Motown went ahead and released it as an A-side.

[Zantellor]

My favorite song that I ever heard is the original recording of Heaven Must Have Sent You.Saundra Edwards voice is amazing kudos to Its Been A Long Long Time and Put Yourself In My Place. Many artists did great covers of PYIMP but they pale next to the original Elgins version