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.
Stay In My Lonely Arms
The Elgins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Darling, stay in my, my lonely arms.
You are so thrilling and my arms, ooo, are so willing
I can't help revealing the way I'm feeling
I need it so
Stay in my lonely arms
Darling, stay, stay in my, in my lonely arms.
Holding you close is so heavenly
Please, don't go.
Darling, stay, stay in my lonely arms
Stay in my lonely arms.
Each kiss makes love just a little stronger
Ooo, makes me wanna hold you, oh, just a little longer
Please, don't go.
Stay in my, in my lonely arms
Why don't you stay, stay in my, in my lonely arms
Stay, darling, stay in my lonely arms
Why don't you stay, ooo, stay in my lonely arms
You are so thrilling, my arms are willing
I can't help revealing the way I'm feeling
Why don't you stay, stay in my, in my lonely arms
Stay in my lonely arms.
The Elgins' song Stay In My Lonely Arms is a love ballad that expresses the desire for a lover to stay close to the singer's lonely arms. The lyrics are evocative as they speak about the intensity of love that the singer feels for their lover. The song begins with the singer asking their lover to stay in their arms so that they can embrace them and express their love. The lyrics continue to describe how holding the lover closely feels "heavenly" and "thrilling" and makes the singer feel the "love glow deep inside" of them.
The lyrics then express the singer's desire for the lover not to leave and to stay in their embrace. Each kiss they share makes their love "just a little stronger" and makes the singer want to hold onto their lover "just a little longer". The singer pleads with their lover not to go and instead stay in their lonely arms. The lyrics express the vulnerability of the singer's love as they reveal their feelings to their lover and ask them to reciprocate.
In summary, Stay In My Lonely Arms by The Elgins is a romantic song about the singer's desire for their lover to stay close and not leave their embrace. The lyrics are passionate and reveal the singer's vulnerability and deep love for their lover.
Line by Line Meaning
Why don't you stay in my, my lonely arms
The singer is pleading with their lover to remain in their embrace.
Darling, stay in my, my lonely arms.
The singer is addressing their lover with affection and asking them to remain in their embrace.
You are so thrilling and my arms, ooo, are so willing
The singer finds their lover exciting and is eager to embrace them.
I can't help revealing the way I'm feeling
The artist is unable to contain their emotions.
I need it so
The artist deeply desires their lover's presence in their embrace.
Holding you close is so heavenly
The singer finds comfort and joy in being close to their lover.
I can feel the love glow deep inside of me
The singer is overwhelmed with feelings of love and affection for their lover.
Please, don't go.
The artist is imploring their lover not to leave their embrace.
Each kiss makes love just a little stronger
The artist believes that each kiss strengthens their love for their lover.
Ooo, makes me wanna hold you, oh, just a little longer
The artist is reluctant to let go of their lover and wishes to prolong their embrace.
Stay in my, in my lonely arms
The singer is again begging their lover to remain in their embrace.
Why don't you stay, stay in my, in my lonely arms
The artist is asking their lover why they can't stay in their embrace.
Stay, darling, stay in my lonely arms
The singer is using a term of endearment to entice their lover to remain in their embrace.
You are so thrilling, my arms are willing
The singer finds their lover exciting and is eager to embrace them once again.
Why don't you stay, ooo, stay in my lonely arms
The singer is repeating their plea for their lover to remain in their embrace.
Stay in my lonely arms.
The artist is expressing their desire for their lover to remain in their embrace, in spite of their loneliness.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JR., BRIAN HOLLAND, EDWARD HOLLAND, EDWARD, JR. HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER, LAMONT HERBERT DOZIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind