Three times a lady / Brick house - Commodores

It's fair to say that the Commodores had one of the coolest logos of any band ever, and with 'Three times a lady' they had one of the best ballads of the late Seventies in their repertoire. This 12" single features extended versions of that song and the previous hit 'Brick house', a beautiful soul/disco stomper that made the band a household name. 

I found this 12" single during a record fair - one of those unexpected purchases that you wouldn't find online, simply because I never even knew there were extended versions of these tracks. It's what I always say: with the disappearance of record shops and the occurance of record fairs also getting ever more rare, these chance encounters will become more difficult as time goes by.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 November 2022
Tracks: 'Three times a lady' / 'Brick house'

Nightshift - Commodores

Without Lionel Richie as their frontman, the Commodores soldiered on. They surprised everyone with this 1985 hit, 'Nightshift'. Written as a tribute to Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye, two musicians who died in 1984. The single reached number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in the Netherlands - the only number 1 hit for the Commodores in this country.

'Nightshift' won a Grammy Award in 1985 for best R&B Performance by a duo or group with vocals.

My collection: 7" single no. 1722
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, October 3, 1992
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Nightshift' / 'I keep running'

Sail on - Commodores

The Commodores reached the peak of their career in 1978 when 'Three times a lady' was a worldwide hit. Their next big hit was 'Sail on', a ballad with a funky brass band in the background. The single peaked at number 8 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.

After this, the Commodores released 'Still', their last hit single with Lionel Richie in the band.

My collection: 7" single no. 2605
Found: Record fair, January 27, 1996
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Sail on' / 'Thumpin' music'

Still - Commodores

Taken from their 1979 album 'Midnight magic', 'Still' was the last hit single for the Commodores before Lionel Richie, who sings lead vocals on this track, went solo.

The ballad was a huge hit in America, topping the US BIllboard Hot 100. The single also reached number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 17 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 3917
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 31, 2009
Cost: 0,25 euro
Tracks: 'Still' / 'Such a woman'

Three times a lady - Commodores

Lionel Richie from the Commodores reportedly wrote 'Three times a lady' about his love for his wife, his mother and his grandmother; hence the title. Released in 1978, it became the Commodores's first Billboard Hot 100 number 1 hit. It was also the band's only number 1 hit in the UK and it peaked at number 3 in the Dutch Top 40.

Lionel Richie went solo at the beginning of the Eighties. The original Commodores version of the song was included as the final track on Lionel Richie's greatest hits compilation album Back To Front, released in 1992.

My collection: 7" single no. 1186
Found: Disco Market, March 3, 1990
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Three times a lady' / 'Look what you've done to me'