An American Songwriter list column looks back at four songs by The Commodores, the R&B and funk group that launched Lionel Richie's career before he went solo in 1982, highlighting tracks the writer still finds irresistible on the dance floor. The piece traces the band's evolution from their instrumental 1974 debut single through to their biggest post-Richie hit in the mid-1980s, illustrating the group's lasting appeal and musical range.

The four songs are "Machine Gun" (1974), an unusual instrumental written by band member Milan Williams that became a Top 10 R&B hit; "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" (1981), co-written by William King with his wife Shirley Hanna-King; "Too Hot Ta Trot", the sole hit single from the live album Commodores Live!; and "Nightshift" (1985), a tribute to the late Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye that became the band's first hit after Richie's departure, their final Top 5 pop hit, and their only Grammy-winning song.