Three Times a Lady

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"Three Times a Lady" is a 1978 single from the funk/soul band the Commodores, from their classic 70s album Natural High. It was produced by James Anthony Carmichael and the Commodores and it was the most popular track of the album.

Lionel Richie wrote the song after hearing his father give a speech at his thirty-seventh wedding anniversary especially for his wife, whom he loved dearly. It became the Commodores's first Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit, topping the chart for two weeks on August 12, 1978. It was also the only Motown song to reach the Top 10 that year. In the 4 years the Commodores had started in 1974 it has been one of the most emotional/soul songs since "You don't know that i know" from the album Caught in the act in 1975.

The chorus of the song was parodied on Saturday Night Live. Eddie Murphy, in the Buckwheat persona, would use numeric hand gestures and empathically yell, "Unce! Tice! Fee times a mady!"

Comedian Bill Bailey performed a German translation of the song in his Part Troll set, perhaps suggesting that German isn't the most romantic language.

Preceded by "Miss You" by The Rolling Stones	Billboard Hot 100 number one single August 12, 1978	Succeeded by "Grease" by Frankie Valli
Preceded by "You're The One That I Want" by John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John	UK number one single August 19, 1978	Succeeded by "Dreadlock Holiday" by 10cc