Commodores - Machine Gun (1974)

The Commodores formed as freshmen in Tuskegee University, Alabama, in 1968. They signed to Motown in 1972, starting with a support stint for the Jackson 5 on tour. They started recording their own material in 1974 in a career that lasted to early 90's and have sold in total over 75 million records. Their peak years commercially were in the late 70's with ballads like Easy, Still and Three Times a Lady that also defined the style of Lionel Richie's solo career. But before the more mainstream material, they had a very different sound, as they were known for funk numbers like Brick House, The Bump and today's track, Machine Gun.

It was the first single release from debut studio album of the same name by The Commodores, released on July 22, 1974, on Motown Records.

The famous clavinet sound is by Milan Williams, which led Berry Gordy to name the song Machine Gun as it apparently reminded him of gunfire. The song peaked at no.7 on the R&B charts, while reaching no.22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Samples from the song have been used prominently by the Beastie Boys in their 1989 song Hey Ladies, and the song itself was featured on the soundtrack for the 1997 film Boogie Nights.

- FVHK5K

Weeks And Co. - Rock Your World (1981)

When most people here the name Weeks & Co, Rock Your World automatically comes to mind. It's become a landmark song in the field of disco and house music. With it's 1981 release came success as it debuted on the US black singles charts in 1981 at no.75 and stayed in the chart for for seven weeks. Unusual for a disco-soul song to make the charts at that point, seeing as disco was on the wane, but this one deserved it. It's jazzy, up-beat tempo coupled with Richie Weeks' hot vocals make this a great listen.

- FVHK5K

Loleatta Holloway - Hit & Run (1977)

From the 1977 album Loleatta (not to be confused with the 1973 album of the same name). While Love Sensation is probably the first song title that trips off the lips of most people that are asked to name a Loleatta Holloway song, its gems like Hit & Run that help cement her legend and pave the way for her later success. It reached no.11 on the Billboard Dance chart in the same year.

- FVHK5K