Machine Gun (Commodores album)

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

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.

The song is also featured on the soundtrack to the 1997 film Boogie Nights.

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." The song has been called a "prototype" of Wild Cherry's 1976 hit "Play That Funky Music". "I Feel Sanctified" was also later covered by that same group.

The track The Human Zoo was a staple on the Northern Soul scene at Blackpool Mecca and Wigan Casino with dancers back flipping spinning and hand clapping to the beat.

The drum break in the track The Assembly Line has been sampled many times, mainly used in Hip Hop, Drum & Bass and Jungle music.

Personnel
Commodores
 * Lionel Richie – vocals, saxophones, keyboards
 * Milan Williams – keyboards, guitars
 * Thomas McClary – vocals, guitars
 * Ronald LaPread – bass
 * Walter Orange – drums, vocals, percussion
 * William King – trumpet, percussion

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