Caught in the Act (Commodores album)

Caught in the Act is the second studio album by The Commodores, released in 1975 (see 1975 in music). Stylistically, this is a funk/R&B album and differs from the softer pop sound for which the group became known on later releases.

Caught in the Act
Studio album by The Commodores
Released	February 1975
Recorded	1974 at Motown Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA
Genre	Funk
Length	38:07
Label	Motown
Producer	Commodores, James Anthony Carmichael
The Commodores chronology
Machine Gun (1974) Caught in the Act (1975) Movin' On (1975)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Christgau's Record Guide	B[2]

Caught in the Act included the hit "Slippery When Wet", which has been called a "prototype" of Wild Cherry's hit "Play That Funky Music" (1976). Other notable funk tracks include "Better Never Than Forever" and "Look What You've Done to Me". "I'm Ready" is a punchy instrumental dance number with a prominent clavinet line, in the same vein as their earlier hit, "Machine Gun".

The third track of this album, "The Bump", is an edited version of the fourth track in their preceding hit album, Machine Gun.

Track listing

Motown – M6-820S1[3]

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Wide Open"	Walter Orange	3:31
2.	"Slippery When Wet"	Thomas McClary	3:20
3.	"The Bump"	Milan Williams	2:52
4.	"I'm Ready"	Milan Williams	3:23
5.	"This Is Your Life"	Lionel Richie	5:53

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Let's Do It Right"	Lionel Richie	3:45
2.	"Better Never Than Forever"	Milan Williams	3:48
3.	"Look What You've Done to Me"	Ronald LaPread	4:00
4.	"You Don't Know That I Know"	Ronald LaPread, Lionel Richie, Walter Orange, Thomas McClary, Milan Williams & William King	6:35
5.	"Wide Open (Reprise)"	Walter Orange	1:00
Total length:			38:07

Personnel

• Lionel Richie – vocals, saxophone, keyboards
• Thomas McClary – vocals, guitar
• Milan Williams – keyboards
• Ronald LaPread – bass guitar
• William King – trumpet
• Walter Orange – drums, vocals, percussion

Production

• Produced and Arranged by James Anthony Carmichael and The Commodores.
• Horns arranged by James Anthony Carmichael
• Recorded and Mixed by Cal Harris
• Album Coordinator and Management – Benjamin Ashburn
• Art Direction – Katarina Pettersson
• Photography – Jim Britt

Charts

Year	Chart positions[4]
	US	US R&B	Aus[5]
1975	26	7	59

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions[6]
		US	US R&B	US Dance
1975	"Slippery When Wet"	19	1	—
	"This Is Your Life"	—	13	—

References

1. https://www.allmusic.com/album/r4380/review
2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: C". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 23, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
3. "Commodores – Caught In the Act". Discogs. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
4. "The Commodores US albums chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 72. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
6. "The Commodores US singles chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-07-15.

External links

• Commodores-Caught In The Act at Discogs