The Commodores are an American funk/soul band, which was at its peak in the… Read Full Bio ↴The Commodores are an American funk/soul band, which was at its peak in the late 1970s through the mid 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in 1968, and signed with Motown in November 1972, having first caught the public eye opening for The Jackson 5 while on tour.

The group's most successful period was in the late 1970s and early 1980s when Lionel Richie was co-lead singer. The band's biggest hit singles are ballads such as "Easy", "Three Times a Lady", and "Nightshift"; and funky dance hits which include "Brick House", "Fancy Dancer", "Lady (You Bring Me Up)", and "Too Hot ta Trot". In 1986 the Commodores won their first Grammy for the song "Nightshift".

Band history
The Commodores originally came together from two former groups, the Mystics and the Jays. There was even a Jazz aspect to one of the groups. They wanted to change the name. Together, a six-man band was created from which the notable individuals were Lionel Richie, Thomas McClary, and William King from the Mystics; Andre Callahan, Michael Gilbert, and Milan Williams were from the Jays. To choose a new name, William "WAK" King opened a dictionary and randomly picked a word. "We lucked out", he remarked with a laugh when telling this story to People magazine. "We almost became 'The Commodes!

The band originated while its members attended Tuskegee University in Alabama. After winning the university's annual freshman talent contest, they played at fraternity parties as well as a weekend gig at the Black Forest Inn, one of a few clubs in Tuskegee that catered to college students. They performed mostly cover tunes and some original songs with their first singer, James Ingram (not the famous solo artist). Ingram, older than the rest of the band, left to serve active duty in Vietnam, and was later replaced by Walter "Clyde" Orange, who would write or co-write many of their hit tunes. Lionel Richie and Orange alternated as lead singers. (Orange was the lead singer on the Top 10 hits "Brick House" and "Nightshift".)

The Commodores made a brief appearance in the 1978 film Thank God It's Friday. They performed the song "Too Hot ta Trot" during the dance contest; the songs "Brick House" and "Easy" were also played during the movie.

"Machine Gun", the instrumental title track from the band's debut album, became a staple at American sporting events, and is similarly featured in many films, including Boogie Nights and Looking for Mr. Goodbar. It reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975. Another instrumental, "Cebu" (named after an island in the Philippines), later became a staple in the Quiet storm format. Three albums released in 1975 and 1976 (Caught in the Act, Movin' On, and Hot on the Tracks) are considered the peak of their harder funk period. After those recordings the group started to move towards a softer sound. That move was hinted at in their 1976 Top Ten hits "Sweet Love" and "Just to Be Close to You". In 1977 the Commodores released "Easy", which became the group's biggest hit yet, reaching No. 4 in the U.S., followed by "Brick House", also top 5, both from their album The Commodores, as was "Zoom". The group reached No. 1 in 1978 with "Three Times a Lady". In 1979 the Commodores scored another top-five ballad, "Sail On", before reaching the top of the charts once again with another ballad, "Still". In 1981 they released two top-ten hits with "Oh No" (No. 4) and their first upbeat single in almost five years, "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" (No. 8).

In 1982, Lionel Richie left to pursue a solo career. A transition that was smooth but slow, Richie's departure was evident after it was mentioned to the band why his distinct sound would never be a part of The Commodores; Skyler Jett replaced Richie as co-lead singer. Also in 1982, their manager Benjamin Ashburn who also managed another band Platinum Hook died of a heart attack aged 54.

Over time, several founding members left - McClary left in 1983 (shortly after Richie) to pursue a solo career and to develop a gospel music company. McClary was replaced by guitarist-vocalist Sheldon Reynolds while LaPread left in 1986 and moved to Auckland, New Zealand and Reynolds departed for Earth, Wind & Fire in 1987, which prompted trumpeter William "WAK" King to take over primary guitar duties for live performances. Keyboardist Milan Williams exited the band in 1989 after allegedly refusing to tour South Africa.

The group also gradually abandoned its funk roots and moved into the more commercial pop arena. In 1984 former Heatwave singer James Dean "J.D." Nicholas assumed co-lead vocal duties with drummer Walter Orange. The band remained hitless until 1985 when their final Motown album, Nightshift, produced by Dennis Lambert—all prior albums were produced by James Anthony Carmichael)—delivered the Grammy Award-winning title track "Nightshift" (No. 3 in the U.S.). It was a tribute to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson. In 2010 a new version was recorded, dedicated to Michael Jackson. The Commodores were on a European tour performing at Wembley Arena, London, on June 25, 2009, when they walked off the stage after they were told that Michael Jackson had died. Initially the band thought it was a hoax. However, back in their dressing rooms they received confirmation and broke down in tears. The next night at Birmingham's NIA Arena, J.D. Nicholas added Jackson's name into the lyrics of the song, and thenceforth the Commodores have mentioned Jackson and other deceased R&B singers. Thus came the inspiration upon the one-year anniversary of Jackson's death, to re-record, with new lyrics, the hit song "Nightshift" as a tribute. "Nightshift" won The Commodores their first Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals in 1985.

In 1990 the Commodores formed Commodores Records and re-recorded their 20 greatest hits as Commodores Hits Vol. I & II. They have recorded a live album Commodores Live! along with a DVD of the same name, and a Christmas album titled Commodores Christmas. In 2012, the band was working on new material, some contributions written by current and former members.

The Commodores now consist of Walter "Clyde" Orange, James Dean "J.D." Nicholas, and William "WAK" King, along with their five-piece band, known as the "Mean Machine". The group continues to perform, playing at arenas, theaters, and festivals around the world.

Studio albums
Machine Gun (1974)
Caught in the Act (1975)
Movin' On (1975)
Hot on the Tracks (1976)
Commodores (1977)
Natural High (1978)
Midnight Magic (1979)
Heroes (1980)
In the Pocket (1981)
Commodores 13 (1983)
Nightshift (1985)
United (1986)
Rock Solid (1988)
Commodores Christmas (1992)
No Tricks (1993)

Young Girls Are My Weakness
Commodores Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Young girls are my weakness
Young girls are my weakness
I just like their sweetness
Young girls are my weakness

Hey girls let's mess around
I wanna party with you on the town
Some girls really make me swing

There ain't nothin' like a pretty young thing

Young girls are my weakness
I just like their sweetness

Young girls are really mellow
You don't believe me then just try this fellow
(I know what to say when they call me on the phone)
You call me back when your dad leaves home

Young girls you make me move
Young girls you set the groove
Young girls sweet as honey
Young girls take all my money

(pretty girl what ya gonna do?)
I just wanna get me hands on YOU

Hey girls let's mess around
I wanna party with you on the town
some girls really make me swing
There ain't nothin' like a pretty young thing

Young girls are my weakness
I just like their sweetness

Young girls you make me move
Young girls you set the groove
Young girls sweet as honey
Young girls take all my money

Young girls are my weakness
I just like their sweetness

Young girls are my weakness
I just like their sweetness

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Commodores' song "Young Girls Are My Weakness" are very straightforward and can be easily understood. The song is essentially about a man who is attracted to young women and finds them irresistible. He opens by saying "young girls are my weakness" and repeats this several times throughout the song. The singer then goes on to explain how much he enjoys the sweetness of young girls and how they make him swing. He also describes how he likes to party with them and how they take all his money.

The song can be interpreted in many ways, but one possible reading is that it is a cautionary tale about the dangers of being attracted to young girls. It seems that the singer is struggling to control his urges and is ultimately powerless to resist the temptation. While the song is fairly light-hearted and upbeat, there is an underlying sense of unease and discomfort. The final line, "I just like their sweetness", is somewhat unsettling and leaves the listener with a sense of unease.

Overall, "Young Girls Are My Weakness" is a catchy and memorable song that showcases the Commodores' talent for creating upbeat and fun tracks. At the same time, it is also a thought-provoking commentary on the potentially damaging effects of uncontrolled desire.

Line by Line Meaning

Young girls are my weakness
I am more easily influenced by young girls than anyone or anything else.

I just like their sweetness
I am attracted to the innocent and pure nature of young girls.

Young girls are my weakness
I am more easily influenced by young girls than anyone or anything else.

Hey girls let's mess around
I want to engage in some casual sexual activity with you all.

I wanna party with you on the town
I want to go out with you and have a good time.

Some girls really make me swing
Some young girls have a particular effect on me.

There ain't nothin' like a pretty young thing
There is nothing better than being around an attractive young girl.

Young girls are my weakness
I am more easily influenced by young girls than anyone or anything else.

I just like their sweetness
I am attracted to the innocent and pure nature of young girls.

Young girls are really mellow
Young girls are easy-going and relaxed.

You don't believe me then just try this fellow
If you are skeptical, you can verify this by asking other guys.

(I know what to say when they call me on the phone)
I know exactly how to talk to young girls when they call me.

You call me back when your dad leaves home
If you want to talk to me in private, wait until your dad is not around.

Young girls you make me move
Young girls make me feel energetic and motivated.

Young girls you set the groove
Young girls set the rhythm and pace of my life.

Young girls sweet as honey
Young girls have a pleasant and alluring sweetness about them.

Young girls take all my money
I am willing to spend a lot of money on young girls.

(pretty girl what ya gonna do?)
What are you going to do now, pretty girl?

I just wanna get me hands on YOU
I just want to touch you.