Commodores – In The Pocket

Album Revolution #7:

We knew it was coming!!!!!!

"Mr. Lionel Richie" was just doing WAY TOO WELL as a Songwriter and Producer...... After serving MASSIVE #1 HITS for "The Commodores" like ,"Three Times A Lady" and "Still", and recently "Endless Love" with "THE BOSS Diana Ross", even Producing for Kenny Rogers ("Lady" and the "Share Your Love" album), you knew that it would be time for him to go the the next level......

By this time though, the PUSH and PULL situation came to a head....Even though I can't prove it, I believe only "Thomas McClary", was in "Lionel's" corner in Producing outside projects (just speculation though)....Remember, in the beginning, the members in the group were referred to as "Commodore", not by there names....By this time though, EVERYONE knew who "Mr. Lionel Richie, Jr." was!!!!!

In any event though, "Lionel" still wanted to be a part of the group....To prove it, he came in the studio with the group to record "In The Pocket".... Even though I included this in their Album Revolution, this was not like the title suggested......

The album does start on a FANTASTIC note with the Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate. Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate Crown Jewel, "Lady (You Bring Me Up)".....Written by "William King", his Wife "Shirley King" and "Mean Machine" member "Harold Hudson" (who also Sung Background Vocals), this was a NIce slice of an Uptempo Groove joint....Having "Lionel's" Vocals gliding all over this joint was Priceless!!!!!!

The next Crown Jewel, "Saturday Night" (Written by "Thomas McClary" and "Harold Hudson"), has "Walter Orange" giving one of his BEST performances Vocally...."Harold Hudson" provides primary Background Vocals here, which tells me something that I will get into later....

"Keep On Taking Me Higher" (also Written by "Thomas McClary" and "Harold Hudson"), is another Up tempo joint with "Walter" on Lead Vocals...Again, I only really hear "Hudson" mostly on Background Vocals (again, I promise I will get to that point)....

The Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Crown Jewel, "Lionel Richie" penned "Oh No", is THE BOMB!!!!!! Yes, it does follow the pattern on how "Lionel" has been Producing his songs in the last few years....Honestly, even though it is the SHORTEST song on the album, it is the STRONGEST!!!!!, which also fed into the PUSH and PULL situation....

The next Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate Crown Jewel, "Why You Wanna Try Me" (Written by "Lionel" and "Mean Machine" member "David Cochrane"), is a "Welcome To The '80's Commodores" joint....It does have a VERY Nice FUNK overtone, thanks to ""Thomas McClary" on Guitar, and "Mr. Ronald LaPread" on Bass...

"This Love" and "Been Loving You" were both Written by "Walter Orange"....They are not bad songs, but to me, they are not as strong as the other songs mentioned....To be honest with you, even though I could be reaching here, I feel like "Walter" wrote these songs to prove a point....I really hope that wasn't the case though!!!!!! Maybe he didn't have as much success as "Lionel" in that department, but he was a HECK of a Songwriter!!!!!! To me, he had NOTHING to prove!!!!!!

The album finishes with "Lionel Richie's'", "Lucy".....I hope that I am wrong here, but it sounds like "Lionel" did this one by himself.....It is an Ultimate Crown Jewel, bringing in that COUNTRY SOUL back to the fold....

Well, that was it!!!!

This is where "Lionel" took his leave....I am not really sure he wanted to leave, but I am pretty sure that "Motown" was in his ear to finally go Solo!!!!! But at the same time, I can tell by listening, that some of the songs here were done without "Lionel" in the studio, and to me, that told the story....... I also heard that he was possibly fired just because his songs were selling very well, and maybe overshadowing the group.... I hope that's a LIE, because if it is the truth, they were STUPID!!!!!

Even though "Lionel" moved on, "The Commodores" were able to survive, even though things would NEVER BE THE SAME!!!!!!!

I love to crank this one up hard. You cant beat this sound for the price. This is a fun album.

I have a pressing with a label and sleeve like this one except the runouts say
M-8955-MIA-15A ZUP#12 =
on both sides