The greatest #1 Motown hit that didn’t happen

[luke]

Of course the UK knew better.... I’ve never understood why.

[luke]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QM8NemH0OTc Lulu gets her groove on

[soulster]

Well, it did become a hit...by Bonnie Pointer in 1979.

[TomatoTom123]

I totally agree luke, an absolute Motown classic that you never hear enough! As you say it was a big hit in the UK, but it's a mystery to me why this wasn't a #1 everywhere in the goddamn world.

[luke]

Thanks Tom. I wonder if Motown got behind it enough as the Supremes and Tops and Temptations etc etc were all burning up the charts at that time. Maybe it got lost in the shuffle but it is just such a wonderful song and performance.

[TomatoTom123]

I agree luke!!!! Such a wonderful song. I'd say you're probably right about it being lost among all the other stuff Motown was releasing... and of course The Elgins weren't as big/famous as The Supremes, Temptations or Miracles. Still, a classic in my opinion.

[BigAl]

I couldn't play the Elgins' version enough when it came out, and I still play it with regularity. It was prime HDH, but quietly understated. The intro didn't come roaring in but rather served to ease you into the song which then flowed effortlessly along. Subsequent covers, although adequate, paled by comparison. Bonnie's more or less faithful cover [[until she started scatting like Satchmo...why, why on earth?) got a little bit of airplay where I was living, but it was her dance version which enjoyed a long run in the clubs.

Here's her non-disco version:



Still it weren't no Elgins. Too bad they weren't promoted.

It seems like VIP was where Hitsville would relegate acts which they didn't know quite what to do with. Wonderful acts like Velvelettes, Elgins, Lewis Sisters, Chris Clark [[later bumped up to the flagship label), Spinners [[demoted from flagship to VIP) just sort of languished at VIP. At least The Spinners garnered a major hit there with "It's a Shame." [[And then promptly decamped to Atlantic.) It WAS a shame.

[daviddesper]

Definitely one of my top five all-time Motown songs. I flipped the first time I heard it. And still do!!!

[Ngroove]

Eventually, in more recent years of promoting it, it's one of the very few Motown songs played on a Simpsons episode.

[TomatoTom123]

Really? Oooh I might have to seek that out

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

For years, I've wondered why one song or another didn't become a bigger hit, despite how much of a hit sound it had. I got perspective on that subject in an odd way; I used to collect radio scopes/airchecks, recordings of various radio stations. You get to hear anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours of what was going on radio in years past. One thing that stood out to me is how many songs that were played that I had never heard of vs. hearing the hits we all know today. That is the key as to why a song we think should have been bigger didn't climb very high on the charts. Too much music.

I've read it often in books on the record business and recollections of Top 40 DJs. Every week, there were new songs flooding the market and all seeking a place on a Top 40 list. A radio station could only break so many songs and could only play so many from any one lable. Taking all that into consideration, I'm seeing why you don't hear hit after hit after hit on those radio scopes. We also forget that Motown still was a fairly small company but they were better than nearly everyone else when it came to its sales force and promotion. Still, will all the competition, a group like The Elgins, no matter how great the song, had to build some kind of audience and recognition to compete against the tidal wave of all the thousands of other hopefuls on the radio.

Also, I can see why some artists were moved from a lable like V.I.P to Soul or Tamla or Motown. Those were the labels with a track record. V.I.P. probably was a mystery to most DJs, and if they are trying to wade through stacks and stacks or records, you're going to go with a lable that is fairly recognizable. Still, even on a hot lable, your record is competing against so many others. Kim Weson related how her song, "Helpless" spent a long time on the charts, but even with promotion, she said it was the darndest thing getting movement on the charts.

If you want get a chance, check out YouTube and enter soul radio stations, or Top 40 radio or 60's radio. Listen to some of those airchecks and see how many hits you recognize verses regional releases/hits or flat out unknown songs.

[midnightman]

I like Bonnie's version but the Elgins' version kicks that other version's butt. Just my two cents.

[mysterysinger]

Yes it's The Elgins all the way for me. How could a song like that not be a huge hit, especially considering the truly wonderful B' Side. Nevertheless, it did feature on the US 16 Big Hits Volume 8 [[and, of course, UK Motown Chartbusters 6 from its success on re-release).

[TheMotownManiac]

For years, I've wondered why one song or another didn't become a bigger hit, despite how much of a hit sound it had. I got perspective on that subject in an odd way; I used to collect radio scopes/airchecks, recordings of various radio stations. You get to hear anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours of what was going on radio in years past. One thing that stood out to me is how many songs that were played that I had never heard of vs. hearing the hits we all know today. That is the key as to why a song we think should have been bigger didn't climb very high on the charts. Too much music.

I've read it often in books on the record business and recollections of Top 40 DJs. Every week, there were new songs flooding the market and all seeking a place on a Top 40 list. A radio station could only break so many songs and could only play so many from any one lable. Taking all that into consideration, I'm seeing why you don't hear hit after hit after hit on those radio scopes. We also forget that Motown still was a fairly small company but they were better than nearly everyone else when it came to its sales force and promotion. Still, will all the competition, a group like The Elgins, no matter how great the song, had to build some kind of audience and recognition to compete against the tidal wave of all the thousands of other hopefuls on the radio.

Also, I can see why some artists were moved from a lable like V.I.P to Soul or Tamla or Motown. Those were the labels with a track record. V.I.P. probably was a mystery to most DJs, and if they are trying to wade through stacks and stacks or records, you're going to go with a lable that is fairly recognizable. Still, even on a hot lable, your record is competing against so many others. Kim Weson related how her song, "Helpless" spent a long time on the charts, but even with promotion, she said it was the darndest thing getting movement on the charts.

If you want get a chance, check out YouTube and enter soul radio stations, or Top 40 radio or 60's radio. Listen to some of those airchecks and see how many hits you recognize verses regional releases/hits or flat out unknown songs.

Very astute post! So often I read here that songs weren’t hits because of lack of promotion when the fact is, like you stated, there are dozens of ‘promoted singles’ arriving weekly at radio and maybe room for 5 or 6 adds. Not all promoted singles can get added - it’s simple arithmetic, yet every day, even in this thread, lack of promotion is cited for the reason of a record not hitting. 95% of all singles never hit, and most have folks lamenting 50 years later that its lack of promotion. Personally, I don’t think it’s a huge shock that this didn’t hit big. Her vocal us good, but the bg is so muted and weird, it’s pleasant and the beat is infectious enough but it never builds - never goes anywhere - there’s no payoff - and the change ups are good, but a bit too subtle. Plus, i’ve always thought it was a bit of a stretch trying to get to beads out of the end of the first line… It’s just always sounded to me like they couldn’t come up with a better lyric that fits the cadence [[i’ve Cried so many endless ni-ights.) That’s my read anyway. It’s still a good record, but this is why, IMHO anyway, it didn’t hit. I prefer Bonnie’s non disco version the most. As a Ross fan, I would’ve thought she would’ve done the best job on the song as she usually nails their lyrics so perfectly, but I really don’t care for her read on this song at all - it was recorded during her burn out period, so it’s understandable - bit if I were HDH, I’d have kept it in the can like they did.

[roger]

"Heaven Must Have Sent You" is regularly voted as one of the top Motown tunes in The UK. We were a few years late in acknowledging how great the song was but that was the way with a lot of Motown releases in the Mid '60s and many big US hits from 1964-67 had to wait a few years before they saw real appreciation here in our misty little islands.

Interestingly, a few months after The Elgins song reached #3 in The UK Charts [[in early 1971) the song was reissued by Motown in The US, and then a few months later, in Philadephia, Bobby Martin produced a version by The Continental Four ...

[luke]

Very nice! I realize some records just don’t make it but HMHSU was just so good and HDH and Motown so successful at that time that it seemed that it couldn’t miss! I bet if the 4 Tops had recorded it and released it as a single it would have gone too 5 in USA.

[Boogiedown]

It is a great , great recording .
I am listening out of one channel , so this may well be the problem , but I only hear female voices [[ the Andantes ?) . Where are the rest of the Elgins in this?

[Encyclopedia Mack]

I say Jodeci “Lately.” The Hailey Brothers tore that song up. Stevie’s version did well in the UK but not in the states.

[bradsupremes]

I think if HDH had the Supremes record it as they had originally written and intended it for them, it would have been a hit. Someone said earlier it could have been a hit had the Four Tops recorded it too. I just think at this time there was so many top quality singles coming out of Motown that the label just didn’t have the resources to promote this track. The Elgins weren’t a household name either like the Temptations or Marvin Gaye. Because they were a lesser-known group, Motown was not going to swing full promotion behind them. Like I said earlier, had HDH given it to a major artist/group the song would have received the promotion it needed to rise the charts.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

It is a great , great recording .
I am listening out of one channel , so this may well be the problem , but I only hear female voices [[ the Andantes ?) . Where are the rest of the Elgins in this?

This is one of those instances where I don't believe any of the other Elgins are on the recording. As is well-known, Motown was moving FAST in those days and one of the fastest recording tricks was having The Andantes and/or The Originals/ Spinners do the backing vocals as a time-saving measure. Seems this was one of those times. I've listened to this in mono and stereo and like you, I only hear The Andantes. If the Elgins are in the mix, they are buried WAY deep in the mix.

[vgalindo]

I love the Elgins and yes "Heaven must have sent you" had big hit written all over it. But "Darling Baby" should have been even bigger IMO. It's one of my all time favorite songs. Everyone I personally know loves "Darling Baby".

[honest man]

Heaven must have sent you /Elgins version has got to be one of theUK most popularMotown tunes no other group could have bettered it,Drats versions of this song andStay in my lonely arms also pale into comparison,as With the4Tops version SIMLA,they are much weaker,the Elgins win hands down with both songs,These 2Elgins songs areUK national treasures love them,cheers.

[honest man]

Also DRATS version of Put your self in my place ,is much weaker,The Elgins were a fantastic group,so glad BG had them on board,as all their sinles releases were true Motown classics,love them.cheers.

[Boogiedown]

This is one of those instances where I don't believe any of the other Elgins are on the recording. As is well-known, Motown was moving FAST in those days and one of the fastest recording tricks was having The Andantes and/or The Originals/ Spinners do the backing vocals as a time-saving measure. Seems this was one of those times. I've listened to this in mono and stereo and like you, I only hear The Andantes. If the Elgins are in the mix, they are buried WAY deep in the mix.

Ok so now this ain't making a lick of sense to me. Doing research [[ wiki) , it seems that the Elgins were originally, for years , four GUYS singing together onto which Motown added a female to front them : Saundra Mallett.

With this being the case, the Elgins being a group that consisted of mostly male singers , why in the world would you release a single under their name with only female voices being heard?
Had it become a monster smash, how were The Elgins going to perform this song in the way the audience would be expecting to hear it??

And I have to think the majority of the Elgins were not pleased with this small slight.


Added :
Paying closer attention there are , I think, male voices here , but The Andantes have a much stronger presence. Back to the original conundrum , if you are presenting a vocal group comprised of a female lead with an all-male accompaniment; if you're presenting that concept , that sound, why would you bring in The Andantes at all?

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Ok so now this ain't making a lick of sense to me. Doing research [[ wiki) , it seems that the Elgins were originally, for years , four GUYS singing together onto which Motown added a female to front them : Saundra Mallett.

With this being the case, the Elgins being a group that consisted of mostly male singers , why in the world would you release a single under their name with only female voices being heard?
Had it become a monster smash, how were The Elgins going to perform this song in the way the audience would be expecting to hear it??

And I have to think the majority of the Elgins were not pleased with this small slight.

You got your facts right about the group line-up. Record companies had a way of doing things like this all the time. Listen to any Ronettes record and you'll hear far more than 2 voices in the background. Sometimes you'll even hear male voices on their recordings. How about Martha & The Vandellas' "My Baby Loves Me"? Quite a few male voices are very prominent in the background on that one. In the world of recording, all that mattered in making a hit was getting the sound right. If that meant using other voices altogether, record companies were above doing just that. I think back then, audiences knew that records didn't always have actual group members all the time and didn't really say much when the in-person sound was starkly different than the recorded sound.

[Boogiedown]

You got your facts right about the group line-up. Record companies had a way of doing things like this all the time. Listen to any Ronettes record and you'll hear far more than 2 voices in the background. Sometimes you'll even hear male voices on their recordings. How about Martha & The Vandellas' "My Baby Loves Me"? Quite a few male voices are very prominent in the background on that one. In the world of recording, all that mattered in making a hit was getting the sound right. If that meant using other voices altogether, record companies were above doing just that. I think back then, audiences knew that records didn't always have actual group members all the time and didn't really say much when the in-person sound was starkly different than the recorded sound.

I hear what you are saying , [[and I added a bit to my post above, so apologies , I'm sort of repeating myself here in my reply ) but if Motown is developing a new unknown group , wouldn't it be a good idea to release records that sound like them [[whether it is or not, {hello Supremes!}) ?And , especially if the group concept is a female that is backed by three- four males , to at least get the genders sounding right!!!

[luke]

Many of us assumed the Supremes sang on all their own records back in the day. When I was a kid I always thought whoever the record said were the artists who sang on it!

[marv2]

You got your facts right about the group line-up. Record companies had a way of doing things like this all the time. Listen to any Ronettes record and you'll hear far more than 2 voices in the background. Sometimes you'll even hear male voices on their recordings. How about Martha & The Vandellas' "My Baby Loves Me"? Quite a few male voices are very prominent in the background on that one. In the world of recording, all that mattered in making a hit was getting the sound right. If that meant using other voices altogether, record companies were above doing just that. I think back then, audiences knew that records didn't always have actual group members all the time and didn't really say much when the in-person sound was starkly different than the recorded sound.

Bobby Breen, Cher and others were used on the Ronettes records. The Four Tops are singing back up on Martha & The Vandellas "My Baby Loves Me".

[TomatoTom123]

I'd never really thought about the lack of male vocals on the song... guess I was too busy concentrating on Saundra's absolutely wonderful lead vocal!!! I'd say the other Elgins are there but The Andantes are more prominent.

I have to say I always considered The Elgins a bit of a “makeshift” group in that they were put together by Motown, not really a real group. I guess they must only have been together for a couple of years.

And of course when "Heaven Must Have Sent You" did eventually hit in the UK in 1971, Saundra did not rejoin the group for their British tour... Yvonne Allen went instead!

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Bobby Breen, Cher and others were used on the Ronettes records. The Four Tops are singing back up on Martha & The Vandellas "My Baby Loves Me".

Marv, I remember hearing "My Baby Loves Me" for the first time and it knocked me out thinking that was the Four Tops behind Martha. I was right, but I was wrong; I was right that it was the Four Tops, but wrong because being young and not knowing better, I thought the Four Tops had a couple guys who were hitting all those high notes! As I later found out, those notes were courtesy of The Andantes who happen to also be on this song.

I had read that Cher was among the "mob" that sang on those Ronettes songs. Seems those sessions were a lot of fun!