Love Machine (The Miracles song)

Last updated
"Love Machine (Part 1)"
Lovemachine.jpg
Single by The Miracles
from the album City of Angels
B-side "Love Machine (Part 2)"
ReleasedOctober 1975
Recorded1975
Genre Disco
Length2:55 (single version)
6:52 (album version)
Label Tamla (T 54262)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Freddie Perren
The Miracles singles chronology
"Gemini"
(1975)
"Love Machine (Part 1)"
(1975)
"Night Life"
(1976)

"Love Machine" is a 1975 single recorded by Motown group the Miracles, taken from their album City of Angels . The song was a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and the biggest-selling hit single of the Miracles' career. This single was one of two Billboard Hot 100 top-20 hits recorded by The Miracles with Billy Griffin as lead vocalist; the other is 1973's "Do It Baby". Griffin had replaced Miracles founder Smokey Robinson as lead singer in 1972. The song features a growling vocal by Miracle Bobby Rogers, with group baritone Ronnie White repeating "yeah, baby" throughout the song.

Contents

Background

Engineered and mixed by Kevin Beamish, "Love Machine" was produced by Freddie Perren, a former member of The Corporation brain trust in charge of the early Jackson 5 hits. It was written by Billy Griffin and his Miracles group-mate, original Miracle Pete Moore, with whom he wrote the rest of the City of Angels tracks as well. [1] The song's lyrics, delivered over a disco beat, compare a lover to an electronic device such as a computer or a robot. The seven-minute song was split into two parts for its release as a single, with "Part 1" receiving most notoriety.

"Love Machine" was the only two-part single of the Miracles' career.

"Love Machine" was a multi-million selling Platinum single, [2] and a number-one smash hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the best-selling single of the Miracles' career, having sold over 4.5 million copies. [3] [4] [5] The single went to number 5 on the Hot Soul Singles chart, [6] and went to number 20 on Record World's National Disco file Top 20 chart. It was also a Top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at number three on the UK Singles Chart.

Personnel

Chart positions

Weekly chart performance for "Love Machine"
Chart (1975–1976)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [7] 89
UK Singles Chart [8] 3
US Billboard Hot 100 [9] 1
US Billboard Hot Black Singles [10] 5
US Record World" National Disco File 20

"Love Machine", to which Griffin and co-writer Miracle Pete Moore retained publishing rights through their publishing company Grimora Music (instead of Motown's music publishing company, Jobete), is the most-used song in Motown history and has generated more than $15 million in revenues. [11]

Use in media

The term "love machine" was popularized in 1969 by Jacqueline Susann's best-selling novel of the same title.

The Miracles' "Love Machine" has since been used in many different commercials, motion pictures and television shows, including:

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

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  2. "WBMM Pete Moore Awards". Archived from the original on 2012-02-19. Retrieved 2012-02-09.
  3. Roszkowski, Vincent (2012-12-06). "Throwback Thursday: The 10 Best Songs From 1976 « WCBS-FM 101.1". Wcbsfm.cbslocal.com. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  4. "The Miracles: In the '60s, we loved and lost to this Motown legend's smooth songs (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2012)". Cleveland.com. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  5. Graham Betts (2 June 2014). Motown Encyclopedia. AC. p. 354. ISBN   9781311441546 . Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  6. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record. p. 404.
  7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 202. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  8. "Love Machine – Miracles". Official Charts Company . Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  9. "The Miracles Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard . Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  10. "The Miracles Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard . Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  11. Laura Vecsey (2005-02-06). "Love Machine Pete Moore | He's just a 'Love Machine,' and a big Orioles fan, too". Articles.baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2016-10-10.