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.
It's A Man's Man's Man's World
The Elgins Lyrics
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This is a man's world
But it would be nothing, nothing
Without a women or a girl
You see, man made the car
To take us over the road
Man made the train
Man made the electrolight
To take us out of the dark
Man made the boat full of water
Like Noah made the arc
This is a man's, man's, man's world
But it would be nothing, nothing
Without a women or a girl
Man thinks about little bit of baby girls and a baby boys
Man make them happy
Cos man make them toys
And after man make everything
Everything he can
You know that man makes money
To buy from other man
This is a man's world
But it would be nothing, nothing
Not one little thing
Without a women or a girl
He's lost in the wilderness
He's lost in bitterness
The Elgins's song It's A Man's Man's Man's World powerfully captures the struggle for gender equality. The song asserts that although the world may have been built by men, it would be nothing without the contributions of women. The lyrics highlight the various accomplishments of men through the ages, from creating cars to making money, but stresses that without women, this world would not be complete.
The first stanza speaks about various inventions that men have created to make life easier, such as the car, train, and electrolight. These are things that have transformed the way humans live, but the singer argues that without women, these inventions are incomplete. The second stanza focuses on children and their toys. Once again, the singer notes that it is men who make the toys, but it is women who give birth to the children who ultimately play with them. The song concludes with the assertion that men are lost in the wilderness of their own making and are bitter because they have lost sight of the importance of women in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
This is a man's world
The world is controlled by men and their creations.
This is a man's world
Men dominate every aspect of society.
But it would be nothing, nothing
Without a women or a girl
Despite men's dominance, women are essential to the function of the world.
You see, man made the car
To take us over the road
Men have created technology to make travel easier and faster.
Man made the train
To carry the heavy load
Men have created technology to aid in transportation of goods and materials.
Man made the electrolight
To take us out of the dark
Men have created technology to provide light and power, improving living conditions.
Man made the boat full of water
Like Noah made the arc
Men have created boats to navigate and transport people and goods across bodies of water.
This is a man's, man's, man's world
Reinforcing the idea that the world is dominated by men.
But it would be nothing, nothing
Without a women or a girl
Despite men's dominance, women are essential to the function of the world.
Man thinks about little bit of baby girls and a baby boys
Man make them happy
Cos man make them toys
Men provide for and bring joy to children through toys and play.
And after man make everything
Everything he can
You know that man makes money
To buy from other man
Men's creations and contributions lead to the economy, which is controlled by men.
This is a man's world
The world is controlled by men and their creations.
But it would be nothing, nothing
Without a women or a girl
Despite men's dominance, women are essential to the function of the world.
He's lost in the wilderness
He's lost in bitterness
Perhaps acknowledging the negative effects of this male-dominated world.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: James Brown, Betty Jean Newsome
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind