Founding members Robert Fleming, Johnny Dawson, Cleo "Duke" Miller and Norbert McClean recorded together for various small labels in Detroit prior to their Motown days, as the Sensations, the Five Emeralds, and the Downbeats, and also recorded as the Downbeats for Motown in 1962. The record company suggested that they add female lead vocalist Saundra Mallett, who had recorded unsuccessfully for the label, backed by The Vandellas; she later married and became Saundra Edwards. The new group's first single release was "Darling Baby", issued in December 1965; early copies credited the record to the Downbeats, but Berry Gordy wanted to use the name Elgins, which had previously been one of the names used by The Temptations. The record rose to no. 4 on the Billboard R&B chart and no. 72 on the pop chart, and its B-side, "Put Yourself in My Place", also made the pop chart. Several months later, they issued "Heaven Must Have Sent You", which again reached both the R&B and pop charts, becoming their biggest pop hit. They also released an album, Darling Baby. However, their follow-up single, "I Understand My Man," was less successful, and the group broke up in 1967.
With the continuing popularity of Motown records in the UK, "Heaven Must Have Sent You" was reissued in 1971 and rose to no. 3 on the UK singles chart. "Put Yourself in My Place" was also reissued and made the chart. With Saundra Mallett Edwards being unwilling to rejoin the group, the Elgins toured the UK with former session vocalist Yvonne Vernee Allen taking her place. In 1989, Allen, Dawson, McClean and Jimmy Charles recorded a new arrangement of "Heaven Must Have Sent You" for producer Ian Levine, and made several further recordings for Levine's Motorcity label in the 1990s. Saundra Edwards also made separate recordings for the same label.
Recordings of the group, including the album, Darling Baby, all the singles and unreleased recordings up to 1968, can be found on The Motown Anthology released in 2007. In addition, a British import CD paired their sole album for Motown with one by The Monitors, another group that recorded for Motown with limited success, and which featured future Temptation, Richard Street. Robert Fleming was born in 1921 and died in 1976. Saundra A. Mallett Edwards was born on May 7, 1942 in Detroit, Michigan, and died on February 22, 2002. Johnnie Dawson died in 2018.
Heaven Must Have Sent You
The Elgins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just holding my pillow tight
Then you came into my lonely days
With your tender and your sweet ways
Now I don't know where you come from, baby
Don't know where you've been, my baby
Heaven must have sent you
Into my arms
Now in the mornin' when I awake
There's a smile upon my face
You've touched my heart with gladness
Wiped away all my sadness
So long I've needed love right near me
A soft voice to cheer me
Heaven must have sent you, honey
Into my life, ooh
It's heaven in your arms
Boy, it's the sweetness of your charms
Makes me love you more each day
In your arms I wanna stay
Wanna thank you for the joy you brought me
Thank you for the things you taught me
Thank you for holding me close
When I needed you the most
Now I don't know much about you, baby
But I know I can't live without you
Heaven must have sent you
To love only me, ooh
It's heaven in your arms
Boy, it's the sweetness of your charms
Makes me love you more each day
In your arms I wanna stay
It's heaven in your arms
It's the sweetness of your charms
It makes me love you more each day
In your arms I wanna stay
It's heaven in your arms
Boy, it's the sweetness of your charms
Makes me love you more each day
In your arms I wanna stay
The Elgins' song "Heaven Must Have Sent You" portrays the story of a person who has been lonely and has cried through endless nights holding their pillow tight. However, their lonely days come to an end when their love interest enters their life, bringing tender and sweet ways. The lyrics in the first verse emphasize how the person did not know where their lover came from; however, they believe that heaven must have sent them. The second verse of the song shows how the person's day begins with a smile upon their face since their lover touched their heart with gladness and wiped away their sadness.
The chorus of this song highlights how being in the arms of their lover is heaven, and the sweetness of their charms makes the person love them more each day. The person is thankful to their lover for the joy they brought them, the things they taught them, and for holding them close when they needed them the most. The person does not know much about their lover, but they know they cannot live without them, and they believe that heaven must have sent them to love only them. The person wants to stay in their lover's arms, where they feel the heaven of their embrace.
Line by Line Meaning
I've cried through many endless nights
I have felt great sadness and cried for countless nights
Just holding my pillow tight
I have felt lonely, so I hold my pillow tightly in my arms
Then you came into my lonely days
You entered my life during a lonely and difficult time
With your tender and your sweet ways
Your gentle and kind actions towards me have made a big impact
Now I don't know where you come from, baby
I am not aware of where you originated, my love
Don't know where you've been, my baby
I have no knowledge of your past, my darling
Heaven must have sent you
I believe that you are a gift from God or from fate
Into my arms
You have come into my life and into the embrace of my loving arms
Now in the mornin' when I awake
When I rise in the morning from sleep
There's a smile upon my face
I am happy and content, with a big smile on my face
You've touched my heart with gladness
Your presence has filled my heart with happiness and joy
Wiped away all my sadness
You have removed all my feelings of sadness
So long I've needed love right near me
For a long time, I have desired for someone to hold me closely and love me
A soft voice to cheer me
I have wanted someone who speaks gently and positively to me
Heaven must have sent you, honey
I believe that you were sent to me as a precious gift from above, my darling
Into my life, ooh
You have entered my life and brought so much joy and love into it
It's heaven in your arms
Being held in your embrace feels like blissful heaven
Boy, it's the sweetness of your charms
You have an irresistible charm that is endearing and charming
Makes me love you more each day
The more I am with you, the more my love for you grows stronger
In your arms I wanna stay
I desire to remain in your embrace for as long as possible
Wanna thank you for the joy you brought me
I want to express my gratitude for the happiness and delight you have brought into my life
Thank you for the things you taught me
I am appreciative for the things you have taught me and the lessons that have been shared between us
Thank you for holding me close
I am grateful for when you hold me closely and tenderly
When I needed you the most
When I was in my time of greatest need and sorrow
But I know I can't live without you
I am certain that I need you in my life and cannot imagine living without you
To love only me, ooh
I feel blessed that you are here to love me and me alone, my love
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JR., BRIAN HOLLAND, EDWARD HOLLAND, EDWARD, JR. HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER, LAMONT HERBERT DOZIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ziyahmcgriff1555
I've cried through many endless nights
Just holding my pillow tight
Then you came into my lonely days
With your tender and your sweet ways
Now I don't know where you come from, baby
Don't know where you've been, my baby
Heaven must have sent you
Into my arms
Now in the mornin' when I awake
There's a smile upon my face
You've touched my heart with gladness
Wiped away all my sadness
So long I've needed love right near me
A soft voice to cheer me
Heaven must have sent you, honey
Into my life, ooh
It's heaven in your arms
Boy, it's the sweetness of your charms
Makes me love you more each day
In your arms I wanna stay
Wanna thank you for the joy you brought me
Thank you for the things you taught me
Thank you for holding me close
When I needed you the most
Now I don't know much about you, baby
But I know I can't live without you
Heaven must have sent you
To love only me, ooh
It's heaven in your arms
Boy, it's the sweetness of your charms
Makes me love you more each day
In your arms I wanna stay
It's heaven in your arms
It's the sweetness of your charms
It makes me love you more each day
In your arms I wanna stay
It's heaven in your arms
Boy, it's the sweetness of your charms
Makes me love you more each day
In your arms I wanna stay
@dorabustillos7082
When My brother and I were little, about 13 and 15, we made up our own step to this song! It makes me cry every time I hear it... Now we're both in ill health and can barely get around, but I wish we could still dance!
@alandougan4534
Sending Love to you both..........keep the faith xxx
@davidpointon622
One of the best recordings to come out of Detroit ..... In my humble opinion
@libertybellbill4439
Agreed 100 % It Is A Timeless Classic Forever Cherished
@rero24
Mine too
@rero24
Mine Too ๐๐ฝ
@katherinegates1559
๐๐๐ Yes....One of my favs of favorites.๐
@jimhillier8914
Humble or not, you are absolutely right
@mrtoptenatten
Every one listening to this has a great taste in music
@paulineschmidhofer1602
Let's celebrate this milestone...in history... Motown and Soul still going strong...I'm 72 now but when I hear this I am still 17 and in love for the boy I met...and guess what...we are back together again...a long story..but the first cut really is the deepest...keep the faith all of you... especially in this crazy world we are living in...much isn't right .. except the music