The Commodores had some hits before Lionel Richie left the band. However, the band faced challenges over the years, including the departure of Lionel Richie in 1982, which marked a significant change in their sound and success. Despite these challenges, the Commodores continued to perform and release music, although they never quite reached the same heights as they did in their heyday
I don't know Lionels' personal surcumstances within the band, but even though he went solo, I wish he would've played both parts, a soloist and still the lead singer of the Commodores. To me he was sort of the anchor to the Commodores.
"Night Shift" was a very good post-Richie Commodore hit. The only pre-Richie Commodore hit I can think of was "Slippery When Wet", an instrumental they did around 1973.
So many great songs, and the only Grammy is for "Night Shift", without Lionel. The separation could have been handled better, but everyone has done pretty good I'd say. Thanks for the information, well-done!
If Richie hadn't left, how would the world have had such great songs "hello" "truly" "say you say me" "how long" "you mean more to me than words can ever say" "penny lover" "what a blessed thing" etc. etc.? Not to mention several number one hits that I deliberately left out. Lionel Richie is a blessing to the world. He was great with the Commodores, but as we know nothing lasts forever.
He wrote and sang the same old songs as one of the Commodores: " Three Times a Lady," "Sail On," and "Easy." Since he was a band member, he could only have one or two songs on an album. It made sense for him to go solo and make the money. However, he lost his R&B soulfulness, and his ballads began to sound the same. Rarely is he able to write an up-tempo song.
Brings back many memories of my youth. Going to the night clubs and hitting the dance floor. So much fun in the 70s not like today, everything is about violence, drugs, and gangsters today. Thank you for this video. Excellent content. 💙
I see so many ignorant comments here.People calling Lionel names without having a clue what really went down.First and foremost he doesnt owe them a thing to stay with the group for ever.They are only mad because they werent successful.People leave successful and unsuccessful bands everyday. Some of you criticising left your wives or spouses.😀😀 When Lionel was in the Commodores,he wrote their biggest hits and members became jealous.Everytime he submitted a song,they turned it down.Did you know Endless love for example was submitted to the Commodores? They knew it was a good song but were fed up of him taking all the glory.So they said they dont want no more ballads. What would you do if your work kept being turned down? Would you leave and do your thing and stay where you are being regressed? Those same songs that they turned down now turned into worldwide smashes and now they are crying for him. Sorry it doesnt work that way. As per him leaving them hanging,he might have really wanted to come back,but things just kept getting bigger and maybe that became awkward for him to go back and he didnt know how to tell them. If they had treated him good,i am sure he would have at least gone back to them occassionally and even do tours. They got what they deserved.Jealousy is a terrible thing.
He always wanted to do a reunion. But Lionel wanted to do it with the original members only. But a couple members wanted to include JD Nichols, who joined the group with 'Nightshift' era. Once Milan Williams passed. It ended all hopes of original Commodores reunion tour.
I will always remember them in the movie Thank God It's Friday.My Brother gave me the 45 of Slippery When Wet and I had no idea what the song was about I got older.
Just saw the Commodores last night, along with the Spinners and the Pointer Sisters, out at Primm, near Las Vegas. Third time for them. Also saw Thomas McClary performing his show, Brick House, earlier this year in Vegas. Great stuff! One of these days, I might even catch Lionel. Maybe when I win the lottery.
Fun fact...Ron La Praed lived in NZ for a while and I visited a Japanese student who was staying with him. On the mantle was a Grammy award for nightshift. I shelf it in my hands. Very heavy because of marble base
at about the 9:30 mark, they say Lionel left the group to work with Kenny Rogers and then with Diana Ross. Lionel worked with both and the Commodores at the same time. The following songs charted at the same time... Endless Love (Diana)...Lady (Kenny)... and Oh No (Commodores for the album In the Pocket)...and then the Commodores toured WITH Lionel and performed Oh No and Endless Love. If you watch current concert videos of The Commodores, in addition to Nightshift, most of their set consists of songs written by Lionel Richie. If there was a reunion tour, it be a Lionel Richie concert featuring The Commodores. Milan Williams wrote Machine Gun. Thomas McClary wrote Slippery When Wet... their first two hit songs. Lionel wrote Sweet Love, Just to be Close, Easy, Three Times a Lady, Still, Oh No...Milan Williams wrote Old Fashioned Love and William King (with his wife) wrote Lady, You Bring Me Up...The Band wrote Brick House and Too Hot ta Trot. This video is has some truth to it but it's mixed in with a lot of half truths and out right lies. I have all The Commodores albums, all Lionel Richie albums and two by Thomas McClary. It's sad they broke up, but tell it right.
This is why I loved the Four Tops!! The only black band DEDICATED and LOYAL all the way to their deaths!!! None of them got a big ego!! They genuinely loved and respected one another!!
Lionel and Thomas McClary wrote "Heaven Knows", while he & Ronald LaPread wrote "Zoom"; on The Commodores 1977 album! "Easy" is a timeless, chart-topper in Fall of that year (it broke the R&B Top 5 Singles charts, peaking @ #4)!!
I was told by my sister that Lionel was trying to convert The Commodores into a Christian group, after he'd pen "Jesus Is Love" on the Heroes LP in 1980, but it didn't work! On the In The Pocket set in Summer '81, he wrote "Oh, No"; the 2nd single and a Top 10 Pop and Country single; but "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" was the leadoff track on the album (Lionel Richie also did lead and background vocals on "Oh, No", which is the last record of Richie on vocals!)!!
Lionel Richie had a scheduling conflict that left him unable to attend the ceremony. However, in a "Mr. Rogers" moment he did a video where he sang "You Mean More to Me" to Lynette Butler, a poster child with sickle cell anemia. Personally that was my favorite moment of Motown 25, even ahead of the Michael Jackson moonwalk.
Interesting that Jeffrey Osbourne split from LTD close to the period Lionel left the commodore's,,,,,sooooo sad that we will probably never see R&B bands like this again
In some ways the death of the Commodores manager Benny Ashburn was comparable to the death of the Beatles manager Brian Epstein. Sure, it would have been better if Lionel Richie had been up front with the Commodores and left the band sooner but most of the original members left by the end of the 1980's.
That's what Motown wanted. Lionel was all for the group but he also wanted a solo career. Motown had a reputation for encouraging the lead singers if successful groups to go solo.
Soon as I heard that opening lick i had to look up its the theme tune from the music show THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST hosted by none other than BOB HARRIS great programme, loads of music and artists
Some on this thread have said Lionel Ritchie is a sellout for leaving the band..., but the band plays in " Aparthied South Africa," and he's the sellout? 🤔 Other members have left the band, but it's only a problem with him? Another band member named another who had the biggest mouth and most to say, as the " least talented" of the band? Also getting in the ear of the others.., but Lionel's the problem? Lionel's replacement abruptly leaves their camp for Earth Wind and Fire, but isn't a sellout? Then there's eventually " Two " separate touring bands named the Commodores, with members from the original act? It happens with groups. Michael from the Jacksons, including Jermaine. Donny & Marie from the Osmonds. Klymaxx, etc;
Come on mannnn, 40 years? Do the reunion, as long as Lionel Richie is there, the people wouldn't notice anything else but Lionel, and the songs & music. Get that bag 💰 you only have one life, Commodores.
Same sad story of bands that couldn't keep rhe original brotherly spirit because they are too dependent on one member talent that outshines the others. The best formula seems to be like Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band or Prince and the Revolution. There is a clear boss and if you wanna live, you live.
Esentally Lionel was the songwriter. After Lionel left the hits stopped. They did have one hit "Nightshift" while Lionel recorded multiple hits with various artists.
@@charlesljones2454 Black singers. I remember James Mtume noted this in an interview in the early 2000's. Notice how lead singers of these pop bands like Mick Jagger, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, etc will do their solo projects but would go back to their bands. Black lead singers didn't do that. Lionel, Jeffrey etc.
Lionel Richie had tried to transform the group from secular to Gospel in 1981, that ain't happen! He wrote a # of chart-toppers during their time in the music world! The last Commodores single was/is "Oh, No" in Fall '81; on their (final LP w/Richie!) Motown set: In The Pocket!
Unfortunately, tension in the group cause excellent artist to almost or destroy the group. Lionel Richey in my opinion is a traitor in more ways than one. He could have been man enough to say hey guys, I like doing my own thing "solo" This is what happens when you become full of yourself. So much tragedy in the music industry. I thought the Nightshift was a dedication to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson. Maybe later it was for Micheal Jackson, who unfortunately ruined his own life. No respect for Lionel R. I do and always will love the Commodores'. But my fav is Earth, Wind & Fire.
Always ... ALWAYS ... whoever is the lead singer in the band always walks away w/the winning sound and further success while the band fades into oblivion 😮
The music industry was changing and multiple member groups would be a thing of the past. Babyface, Micheal Jackson, Phil Collins, Beyonce, Bobby Brown, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Andre Cymone and many more went solo. This may have been the best decision they ever made, as the music industry moved more towards solo artist. Business wise it's much easier to deal with one person then seven different ego's.
I just hate when Lionel and Jeffrey as well left there bands! These were two of the badest R&B funk bands back in the day! Both of these guys were key members of there bands the Comodores & LTD! The bands just wasn't the same after they left! So sad!!!!
The Commodores had some hits before Lionel Richie left the band. However, the band faced challenges over the years, including the departure of Lionel Richie in 1982, which marked a significant change in their sound and success. Despite these challenges, the Commodores continued to perform and release music, although they never quite reached the same heights as they did in their heyday
I don't know Lionels' personal surcumstances within the band, but even though he went solo, I wish he would've played both parts, a soloist and still the lead singer of the Commodores. To me he was sort of the anchor to the Commodores.
"Night Shift" was a very good post-Richie Commodore hit. The only pre-Richie Commodore hit I can think of was "Slippery When Wet", an instrumental they did around 1973.
These guy's made some great music! Thank you Commondores
Those sounds can never be duplicated, and that was great music! 😊
So many great songs, and the only Grammy is for "Night Shift", without Lionel. The separation could have been handled better, but everyone has done pretty good I'd say. Thanks for the information, well-done!
I miss The Commodores😢.
Buy the CD's!
Me too. Went to all they shows too.
@@MEEMEETHATCAT "...........All 'THEY' Shows....?" Did you go to ALL of your ENGLISH Classes?
Play their albums, and man up!!
@@edub9716 did you ?
If Richie hadn't left, how would the world have had such great songs "hello" "truly" "say you say me" "how long" "you mean more to me than words can ever say" "penny lover" "what a blessed thing" etc. etc.? Not to mention several number one hits that I deliberately left out. Lionel Richie is a blessing to the world. He was great with the Commodores, but as we know nothing lasts forever.
The hits would just been recorded under the Commodores brand if he stayed.
He wrote and sang the same old songs as one of the Commodores: " Three Times a Lady," "Sail On," and "Easy." Since he was a band member, he could only have one or two songs on an album. It made sense for him to go solo and make the money. However, he lost his R&B soulfulness, and his ballads began to sound the same. Rarely is he able to write an up-tempo song.
He was the most boring bland white-assed black solo artist to pollute the AM airwaves in that whole decade! 🤮
Also, Lady which was song by country artists Kenny Rogers.
@ellenjones7819 I guess your a musician then😊😊
An excellent 70s group. Their sound was very unique.
Brings back many memories of my youth. Going to the night clubs and hitting the dance floor. So much fun in the 70s not like today, everything is about violence, drugs, and gangsters today. Thank you for this video. Excellent content. 💙
Wow .Very interesting. Thanks
Lionel took off like a rocket! There was no turning back 😢
My favorite Commodores song is actually after Richie left.
Only You 👍
@@f430ferrari5 sounds exactly like a Lionel Richie ballad
I see so many ignorant comments here.People calling Lionel names without having a clue what really went down.First and foremost he doesnt owe them a thing to stay with the group for ever.They are only mad because they werent successful.People leave successful and unsuccessful bands everyday.
Some of you criticising left your wives or spouses.😀😀
When Lionel was in the Commodores,he wrote their biggest hits and members became jealous.Everytime he submitted a song,they turned it down.Did you know Endless love for example was submitted to the Commodores? They knew it was a good song but were fed up of him taking all the glory.So they said they dont want no more ballads.
What would you do if your work kept being turned down? Would you leave and do your thing and stay where you are being regressed?
Those same songs that they turned down now turned into worldwide smashes and now they are crying for him.
Sorry it doesnt work that way.
As per him leaving them hanging,he might have really wanted to come back,but things just kept getting bigger and maybe that became awkward for him to go back and he didnt know how to tell them.
If they had treated him good,i am sure he would have at least gone back to them occassionally and even do tours.
They got what they deserved.Jealousy is a terrible thing.
Wow! What an intelligent and concise analysis of the issue.
Thanks a lot.
SPOT ON!!... Lionel Ritchie left as Michael with the J5... When you TALENTED... SOLO is the only way to go... CONTROL of your OWN SUCCESS....
Punch line _ Jealousy is cruel and terrible.
😊
He always wanted to do a reunion.
But Lionel wanted to do it with the original members only.
But a couple members wanted to include JD Nichols, who joined the group with 'Nightshift' era.
Once Milan Williams passed.
It ended all hopes of original Commodores reunion tour.
👂 Thomas McClary is from Eustis, Florida and not Orlando. He now lives in Orange County ✅ FACTS
❤ the Commordores..life hits everybody..
I will always remember them in the movie Thank God It's Friday.My Brother gave me the 45 of Slippery When Wet and I had no idea what the song was about I got older.
45 of slippery😢didn't understand 😊
I met the commodores in Buffalo,1977, All of them , Especially Lionel was down to earth!
Ha! He was a spineless traitor to those who gave him an opportunity. He could have been a man and been honest.
@@justsaying3729 Mike, Smokey, Diana.. everybody leaves..
@@popsfashions309 Pillippe Wynne of the Spinners, Curtis Mayfield of the Impressions, Eugene Record of the Chi-Lites, hell, even Cher left Sonny. LOL
@dougsfavorites2578 we can go on and on, and that includes white artists.
What a great band, it's a pity that Lionel had to desert them.
The homies from my home of Tuskegee, AL. They are legendary.
Just saw the Commodores last night, along with the Spinners and the Pointer Sisters, out at Primm, near Las Vegas. Third time for them. Also saw Thomas McClary performing his show, Brick House, earlier this year in Vegas. Great stuff! One of these days, I might even catch Lionel. Maybe when I win the lottery.
Fun fact...Ron La Praed lived in NZ for a while and I visited a Japanese student who was staying with him. On the mantle was a Grammy award for nightshift. I shelf it in my hands. Very heavy because of marble base
They were ahead of their time
I owe my hearing loss to the Commodores!🤣🤣🤣🤣I went to their concerts twice.🥰
Phenomenal band, loved some Commodores!
at about the 9:30 mark, they say Lionel left the group to work with Kenny Rogers and then with Diana Ross. Lionel worked with both and the Commodores at the same time. The following songs charted at the same time... Endless Love (Diana)...Lady (Kenny)... and Oh No (Commodores for the album In the Pocket)...and then the Commodores toured WITH Lionel and performed Oh No and Endless Love.
If you watch current concert videos of The Commodores, in addition to Nightshift, most of their set consists of songs written by Lionel Richie. If there was a reunion tour, it be a Lionel Richie concert featuring The Commodores. Milan Williams wrote Machine Gun. Thomas McClary wrote Slippery When Wet... their first two hit songs. Lionel wrote Sweet Love, Just to be Close, Easy, Three Times a Lady, Still, Oh No...Milan Williams wrote Old Fashioned Love and William King (with his wife) wrote Lady, You Bring Me Up...The Band wrote Brick House and Too Hot ta Trot.
This video is has some truth to it but it's mixed in with a lot of half truths and out right lies.
I have all The Commodores albums, all Lionel Richie albums and two by Thomas McClary.
It's sad they broke up, but tell it right.
The Commodores gave us "Night shift"which will remain evergreen for ever
This is why I loved the Four Tops!! The only black band DEDICATED and LOYAL all the way to their deaths!!! None of them got a big ego!! They genuinely loved and respected one another!!
Walter orange was actually the lead singer of the group. Just look at the videos
Walter Clyde Orange was the lead singer and front man for the band after Lionel Richie went solo.
Lionel and Thomas McClary wrote "Heaven Knows", while he & Ronald LaPread wrote "Zoom"; on The Commodores 1977 album! "Easy" is a timeless, chart-topper in Fall of that year (it broke the R&B Top 5 Singles charts, peaking @ #4)!!
I was told by my sister that Lionel was trying to convert The Commodores into a Christian group, after he'd pen "Jesus Is Love" on the Heroes LP in 1980, but it didn't work! On the In The Pocket set in Summer '81, he wrote "Oh, No"; the 2nd single and a Top 10 Pop and Country single; but "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" was the leadoff track on the album (Lionel Richie also did lead and background vocals on "Oh, No", which is the last record of Richie on vocals!)!!
Damn shame Lionel Richie didn't perform with Walter, Milan, Tommy, Ron, and Willie on Motown 25 back in 1983
Richie holds no hard feeling. Others does without love than Richie is banking because a majority of composition belongs to him they sing.
Selfish!!
Lionel Richie had a scheduling conflict that left him unable to attend the ceremony. However, in a "Mr. Rogers" moment he did a video where he sang "You Mean More to Me" to Lynette Butler, a poster child with sickle cell anemia. Personally that was my favorite moment of Motown 25, even ahead of the Michael Jackson moonwalk.
12:10 wowwwwwwww.. perfect moment!!
Their song Easy Sunday was a great song
Interesting that Jeffrey Osbourne split from LTD close to the period Lionel left the commodore's,,,,,sooooo sad that we will probably never see R&B bands like this again
😥😥
In some ways the death of the Commodores manager Benny Ashburn was comparable to the death of the Beatles manager Brian Epstein. Sure, it would have been better if Lionel Richie had been up front with the Commodores and left the band sooner but most of the original members left by the end of the 1980's.
Lionel Ricci seems to be having a Dorian Grey moment. He has aged so much better than when he was younger.
🛑 Lionel Richie didn’t want anyone else to raise to the top 🔝
How so?
Utter Rubbish 😂😂😂
That's what Motown wanted. Lionel was all for the group but he also wanted a solo career. Motown had a reputation for encouraging the lead singers if successful groups to go solo.
@@MzJanuarylike who?
@@coachrod333Diana Ross first springs to mind.
Groups typically only get back together when none had any real success after they split.
Next year Lionel is in Amsterdam.
I hope he surprises us, with the Commodores as special guest.
Love me some Brick house😂
Soon as I heard that opening lick i had to look up its the theme tune from the music show THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST hosted by none other than BOB HARRIS great programme, loads of music and artists
They're one of the few groups from the 70's i regret i never got to see live. I still listen to their early stuff to this day
They put on a great show. Sorry you missed out.
WHAT A MESS!...🎶 It's sad when the most talented member of groups go solo. And the rest have resentment.
Wow I dint know that but I guess things happen
Did Richie have some work done?
Of course!
@MrDeevo Looks like hell
Too much!
@@keithclayton5255 😆
Mr.Smooth aka Lionel Ritchie
Some on this thread have said Lionel Ritchie is a sellout for leaving the band..., but the band plays in " Aparthied South Africa," and he's the sellout? 🤔
Other members have left the band, but it's only a problem with him?
Another band member named another who had the biggest mouth and most to say, as the " least talented" of the band? Also getting in the ear of the others.., but Lionel's the problem?
Lionel's replacement abruptly leaves their camp for Earth Wind and Fire, but isn't a sellout?
Then there's eventually " Two " separate touring bands named the Commodores, with members from the original act?
It happens with groups. Michael from the Jacksons, including Jermaine.
Donny & Marie from the Osmonds. Klymaxx, etc;
these type of video's are one man's opinion
Click bait. The title is totally deceptive.
The story does not capture dates
Come on mannnn, 40 years? Do the reunion, as long as Lionel Richie is there, the people wouldn't notice anything else but Lionel, and the songs & music. Get that bag 💰 you only have one life, Commodores.
Commodores Live is their best album.
I think Lionel Ritchie is the only former band member who is successful.
Like he said zoom and fly away 💜
Lionel Richie is 75. Chris Tucker is 53. y'all need to quit. Lionel was already in demand chris was just a young kid.
Same sad story of bands that couldn't keep rhe original brotherly spirit because they are too dependent on one member talent that outshines the others. The best formula seems to be like Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band or Prince and the Revolution. There is a clear boss and if you wanna live, you live.
Lionel is more handsome now than he was 40 years ago ❤
Yes he was tore up
😂😂
Never heard of plastic surgery.
Did he go through surgeries?
Did they played the song "machine gun"?
Esentally Lionel was the songwriter. After Lionel left the hits stopped. They did have one hit "Nightshift" while Lionel recorded multiple hits with various artists.
"Lionel Richie hasn't been black since the commodores"- Chris Tucker
1:31 whats the background musics name
Brick house
@@Hoopinchef4L ty
The NINJA'S (LIONEL) head got big and became ADDICTED TO SINGLE FAME!!!"
What's the big deal ......many singers go solo.
Hello, I am so glad that other people recognized this also. He more or less abandoned his band/group. What a douche bag.
@@justsaying3729
Abandoned them and ESPECIALLY HIS FIRST WIFE!!!
@@charlesljones2454
Black singers. I remember James Mtume noted this in an interview in the early 2000's. Notice how lead singers of these pop bands like Mick Jagger, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, etc will do their solo projects but would go back to their bands. Black lead singers didn't do that. Lionel, Jeffrey etc.
Lionel Richie had tried to transform the group from secular to Gospel in 1981, that ain't happen! He wrote a # of chart-toppers during their time in the music world! The last Commodores single was/is "Oh, No" in Fall '81; on their (final LP w/Richie!) Motown set: In The Pocket!
Walter Orange retired. His son is the drummer
Walter Orange and William King keep them from getting back together.
It will be a great honor to see the group back together for a last time. The whole world will be tune in with joy and appreciation. ❤❤❤❤❤
“hey wasn’t one of you guys in the Commodores?”-Vacation
Nobody is sad except you!
Shame they split.
Night shift is a nice song.
there is nothing the show tragic end of the commodores apart from the death of others. The commodores seems still there and performing
They had it going on
🐴Horsell Ritchie
They didn't sing Easy in Thank God It's Friday
Unfortunately, tension in the group cause excellent artist to almost or destroy the group. Lionel Richey in my opinion is a traitor in more ways than one. He could have been man enough to say hey guys, I like doing my own thing "solo" This is what happens when you become full of yourself. So much tragedy in the music industry. I thought the Nightshift was a dedication to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson. Maybe later it was for Micheal Jackson, who unfortunately ruined his own life. No respect for Lionel R. I do and always will love the Commodores'. But my fav is Earth, Wind & Fire.
Always ... ALWAYS ... whoever is the lead singer in the band always walks away w/the winning sound and further success while the band fades into oblivion 😮
Richie the "lamp man" caused all the trouble with the group.
There’s only one Lionel Richie
Who cares
Horseface did the commodores wrong.
Absolutely. He could have been a man about it but he was selfish and self-absorbed.
The music industry was changing and multiple member groups would be a thing of the past. Babyface, Micheal Jackson, Phil Collins, Beyonce, Bobby Brown, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Andre Cymone and many more went solo. This may have been the best decision they ever made, as the music industry moved more towards solo artist. Business wise it's much easier to deal with one person then seven different ego's.
It's the way its done. Not doing it. It's your right.
BOB MARLEY flop Commodore s at MSG dats Y Lionel left 😮
How Lionel can wear 🌈 flag?😮
😅
Thank you for the great hits and albums! This video is HORRIBLE! Painted a bad image of a great soul /R&B group!! 🤦🏽♂️
Hate the stupid fake flecks and scratches. That's what happens to old film, not video.
Verbal click bait and lies.
I just hate when Lionel and Jeffrey as well left there bands! These were two of the badest R&B funk bands back in the day! Both of these guys were key members of there bands the Comodores & LTD! The bands just wasn't the same after they left! So sad!!!!