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

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

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, becoming the band's first hit. 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 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, Walter "Clyde" Orange on drums, while Lionel Richie and William King contributed horn arrangements. The tune has an a cappella introduction with three-way harmonization. Record World said of it "Bangin' out with a Salvation Army drum beat gone funk, the [Commodores] aim for a vocal bullseye."[6] The song has been called a "prototype" of Wild Cherry's 1976 hit "Play That Funky Music".[7] "I Feel Sanctified" was also later covered by that same group.

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

Commodores

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 Terry 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 Terry 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[8] NZ US Pop
1974 22 37 27[9] 138

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[10] Gold 20,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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. 1 2 3 4 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. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. October 26, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
  7. ↑ Wild cherry Retrieved 11 December 2021
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ "Commodores: Machine Gun". charts.nz. RIANZ.
  10. ↑ "Intl Gold Albums Awarded" (PDF). Cash Box. June 4, 1977. p. 52. Retrieved November 25, 2021 – via World Radio History.
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