"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.
"Love Machine (Part 1)" | ||||
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Single by The Miracles | ||||
from the album City of Angels | ||||
B-side | "Love Machine (Part 2)" | |||
Released | October 1975 | |||
Recorded | 1975 | |||
Genre | Disco | |||
Length | 2:55 (single version) 6:52 (album version) | |||
Label | Tamla (T 54262) | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Freddie Perren | |||
The Miracles singles chronology | ||||
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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.
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]
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: