Machine Gun (Commodores song)
| "Machine Gun" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Commodores | ||||
| from the album Machine Gun | ||||
| B-side | "There's a Song in My Heart" | |||
| Released | April 23, 1974 | |||
| Recorded | 1974 | |||
| Genre | R&B, funk | |||
| Length | 2:45 | |||
| Label | Motown | |||
| Songwriter | Milan Williams | |||
| Producer | James Anthony Carmichael | |||
| Commodores singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Machine Gun" is a song by American funk/R&B band Commodores, released as a single in 1974 on Motown Records.[1] The song peaked at No. 7 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart, No. 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and No. 20 on the UK Singles chart.[2][3][4]
Critical reception
[edit]Al Melchior of American Songwriter claimed "The Commodores' first single was one of the band's funkiest, and its lack of vocals makes it all the easier to focus on the groove."[5] Lucy Jones of NME called Machine Gun "two and a half minutes of funking Motown genius. Berry Gordy named the song after Milan White's bullet-hard clavinet playing because it reminded him of gunfire."[6]
Samples
[edit]"Machine Gun" was sampled by the Beastie Boys on the song "Hey Ladies" from their 1989 album Paul's Boutique.[7][8]
References
[edit]- ↑ The Commodores (1974). Machine Gun (single). Motown Records.
- ↑ "Hot Soul Singles" (PDF). Billboard. July 20, 1974. p. 48. Retrieved October 6, 2025 – via worldradiohistory.com.
- ↑ "Hot 100" (PDF). Billboard. July 20, 1974. p. 76. Retrieved October 6, 2025 – via worldradiohistory.com.
- ↑ "Commodores - Machine Gun". Official Charts. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
- ↑ Melchior, Al (August 23, 2024). "5 Forgotten Top-40 Hits by the Commodores from the Mid-'70s". American Songwriter. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
- ↑ Jones, Lucy (February 17, 2013). "17 Majestic Instrumental Tracks By Rock Artists". NME. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
- ↑ Needham, Jack (July 25, 2017). "The records behind Beastie Boys' sample masterpiece Paul's Boutique". The Vinyl Factory. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
- ↑ Hart, Ron (July 25, 2019). "Beastie Boys' 'Paul's Boutique' at 30: The 10 Most Random Samples on the Hip-Hop Classic". Billboard. Retrieved October 6, 2025.