Machine Gun (Commodores album)

Machine Gun is the debut studio album by The Commodores, released on July 22, 1974, on Motown Records.[3]

Machine Gun
Studio album by
The Commodores
ReleasedJuly 22, 1974
Recorded1972–74 at Motown Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA
GenreFunk, R&B
Length36:06
LabelMotown
ProducerJames Anthony Carmichael, Commodores, Jeffrey Bowen, George Tobin, Gloria Jones, Pam Sawyer, Clayton Ivey, Terry Woodford
The Commodores chronology
Machine Gun
(1974)		 Caught in the Act
(1975)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideB+[2]

Singles

The titular lead song has Milan Williams on clavinet, which led the Motown executive Berry Gordy to name the song "Machine Gun" as the clavinet work reminded him of gunfire. The title track peaked at number 7 on the US Billboard R&B Singles charts, while reaching number 22 on the US Billboard Pop Singles charts. As a single Machine Gun also reached No. 20 on both the UK Singles chart and the Canadian RPM Pop Singles chart.[4][5]

The tune was sampled by the Beastie Boys on their 1989 song "Hey Ladies" and later covered by the James Taylor Quartet on their 2007 album Don't Mess with Mr. T - James Taylor Quartet Plays Motown.[6] As well it was featured upon the soundtrack for the 1997 feature film Boogie Nights. In the late 1970s, the track was used as the theme to UK Sunday-morning-filler show about health on London Weekend Television How To Stay Alive, presented by Colin Welland, and in the early 1980s the tune was also used as the opening theme of the New Zealand music show Ready to Roll.[7]

The second single to be released, "I Feel Sanctified", reached number 12 on the R&B charts, and concerns a man spiritually blessed by his girlfriend's love. The song has Ronald LaPread on bass guitar, while Lionel Richie and William King contributed horn arrangements. The tune has an a cappella introduction with three-way harmonization.

Covers and Samples

The song "Assembly Line" was sampled by Public Enemy on the song "Raise the Roof" from their 1987 album Yo! Bum Rush the Show. The song was also sampled by such artists as Eric B. & Rakim on "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em," Outkast featuring Erykah Badu on "Humble Mumble", Snow on "Informer" and Guy on "Her".[8][9]

Australian pop singer Kate Ceberano covered "Young Girls Are My Weakness", re-written from a female perspective as "Young Boys Are My Weakness", on her 1989 album Brave.

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Machine Gun" (instrumental)Milan Williams2:43
2."Young Girls Are My Weakness"William King & Ronald LaPread2:42
3."I Feel Sanctified"Lionel Richie, Jeffrey Bowen, Ronald LaPread, Walter Orange, Milan Williams & Thomas McClary3:30
4."The Bump"Milan Williams4:11
5."Rapid Fire" (instrumental)Milan Williams3:08
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Assembly Line"Gloria Jones & Pam Sawyer5:10
2."The Zoo (The Human Zoo)"Gloria Jones & Pam Sawyer3:16
3."Gonna Blow Your Mind"Thomas McClary, Walter Orange & Milan Williams6:09
4."There's a Song in My Heart"Lionel Richie2:38
5."Superman"Lionel Richie2:39
Total length:36:06

[3]

Personnel

Production
  • Producers – James Anthony Carmichael (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 & 10); Commodores (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 & 10); Jeffrey Bowen and George Tobin (Track 3); Gloria Jones and Pam Sawyer (Tracks 6 & 7); Clayton Ivey and Tom Woodford (Track 9).
  • Arrangements – James Anthony Carmichael (Tracks 1-5, 8 & 10); Commodores (Tracks 1, 2, 4-8 & 10); George Tobin (Track 3); Gloria Jones (Tracks 6 & 7); Clayton Ivey and Tom Woodford (Track 9).
  • Horn arrangements on Track 3 – James Anthony Carmichael
  • Effects – Cal Harris
  • Photography – Jim Britt[3]

Charts
Year Chart positions
US
R&B		 Aus[10] NZ US Pop
1974 22 37 27[11] 138

Singles
Year Single Chart positions
US US
R&B		 UK
Pop		 CAN
Pop
1974 "Machine Gun" 22 7 20[4] 20[5]
"I Feel Sanctified" 75 12 — —

References
  1. Henderson, Alex. "Commodores: Machine Gun". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: C". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 23, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. Commodores: Machine Gun. Motown Records. July 1974.
  4. "Machine Gun". officialcharts.com. Official Charts.
  5. "RPM Top Singles". bac-lac.gc.ca. Vol. 24 no. 1. RPM. August 24, 1974.
  6. "The Commodores: Machine Gun". secondhandsongs.com.
  7. "Ready to Roll". NZ On Screen. NZ On Air. Retrieved 2014-10-02.
  8. "Raise the Roof by Public Enemy". secondhandsongs.com.
  9. "The Commodores". the-breaks.com.
  10. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 72. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  11. "Commodores: Machine Gun". charts.nz. RIANZ.
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