Machine Gun (Commodores song)

"Machine Gun"
Single by Commodores
from the album Machine Gun
B-side	"There's a Song in My Heart"
Released	1974
Genre	R&B, funk
Length	2:45
Label	Motown
Songwriter	Milan Williams
Producer	James Anthony Carmichael
Commodores singles chronology
"Machine Gun" (1974) "The Zoo (The Human Zoo)" (1974)

"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

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

"Machine Gun" was sampled by the Beastie Boys on the song "Hey Ladies" from their 1989 album Paul's Boutique . ^{[7] [8]}

References

1. The Commodores (1974). Machine Gun (single). Motown Records.
2. "Hot Soul Singles" (PDF). Billboard . July 20, 1974. p. 48. Retrieved October 6, 2025– via worldradiohistory.com.
3. "Hot 100" (PDF). Billboard . July 20, 1974. p. 76. Retrieved October 6, 2025– via worldradiohistory.com.
4. "Commodores - Machine Gun". Official Charts . Retrieved October 6, 2025.
5. Melchior, Al (August 23, 2024). "5 Forgotten Top-40 Hits by the Commodores from the Mid-'70s". American Songwriter . Retrieved October 6, 2025.
6. Jones, Lucy (February 17, 2013). "17 Majestic Instrumental Tracks By Rock Artists". NME . Retrieved October 6, 2025.
7. Needham, Jack (July 25, 2017). "The records behind Beastie Boys' sample masterpiece Paul's Boutique". The Vinyl Factory . Retrieved October 6, 2025.
8. 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.