Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Song of the Day: 'Heaven Must Have Sent You' by Bonnie Pointer


Day 13 of my series of Songs That Peaked at No. 11Bonnie Pointer didn't need any help from her famous sisters to score this hit in 1979, which sounds as good today as it did when I was in sixth grade. (Another Holland-Dozier-Holland composition -- natch! -- originally recorded by the Elgins.) That it wound up being one of the biggest singles of the year -- the 43th biggest single overall -- despite never making it into the Top 10 speaks to its longevity, I suppose. Poor Bonnie died two years ago of alcoholic liver disease and cirrhosis at just 69, with "Heaven" her eternal gift to us -- the chimes! the scatting! -- and the biggest hit of her life. 


Of note: The Pointers Sisters' first post-Bonnie album (called "Energy") proved to be their breakthrough. Driven by the success of their cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire," the LP went gold -- and set the stage for a string of popular singles ("He's So Shy," "Slow Hand," "I'm So Excited," "Automatic," "Jump (for My Love)") that kept the gals on the Billboard Hot 100 throughout the 1980s.

Also: The Pointer Sisters had not one but two No. 11 singles: "Dare Me" (post-Bonnie) and "Yes We Can Can" (with Bonnie). 

4 comments:

das buut said...

I can't help but notice how much the music sounds like the hit by June https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj-NFEiEb1M

Scott said...

Okay, old story - old because it was 1979.
I used to go to an under 21 club in West Hollywood / Beverly Center area and it was called "The Odyssey". After 2AM, when the bar that sold liquor had to close, lots of older gays (that is - over 21 :-), would come and it was a kick.
One night around 2:30 we were all dancing to "Heaven Must Have Sent You" and the record continued but the singing stopped. Everyone looked up at the booth and there was Bonnie Pointer (there was no stager) and said, "I was at Studio One, but they quit too early. Let's dance." And Bonnie went on to sing the song again, only live.
It was so very cool to a 19 year old me.

BearyNYC said...

The video clip you included wasn't the hit version. That is the LP version that is closer to the Elgins original version.

Here is the version that was played on radio: https://youtu.be/mTqiKeyXQlM

normadesmond said...

Weren't there 2 versions of this, one slow sounding very mid-sixties Motown & the other a dance version? I could go downstairs & look because I have it, but I'm eating. I have an unopened disc from back then & it just may be this tune!

Free Me From My Freedom was good too.