Most will immediately recognise the song, Roberta Flack's 1973 #1 pop hit (#2 R&B) "Killing Me Softly With His Song", that was admirably interpreted by The Fugees (Lauryn Hill) in 1996.
The song has a back story as it is credited to Charles Fox (composer) and
Norman Gimbel (lyricist). However, Lori Lieberman claims it was written in
collaboration with her and that she wrote the lyrics on a napkin inspired by
a Don McLean performance at The Troubadour in Hollywood, L.A. After being
denied writing credits by Fox and Gimbel, she decided to release her (very
folk) version of the song and it was released on Capitol on July 1972 but
failed to chart.
Flack's version was released in January 1973 and reached #1 on the
Billboard Hot 100 and became her second #1 hit following "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" earlier in 1972. She had a third #1 with "Feel Like Makin' Love" in 1974.
If you saw the Donny Hathaway tribute posted last week you will remember
she was a classmate at Howard University in Washington D.C. The song has
been recorded by literally hundreds of artists,
SecondHandSongs
alone lists 420, so there are likely to be other versions not listed.
To be perfectly honest, I've never 'particularly' liked the song that
much as it's more pop/folk than soul music to my ears. I prefer The Fugees
interpretation and this new DJ Spinna Remix (aka Vincent E.
Williams from New York) at least gives it some legs, and no doubt a new
lease of life 50 years on since Flack's version, which is perhaps why it
has been released now.
Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
Click icons below for further information or to connect with the
artist.
%20%5BAtlantic%20Records%5D.webp)
| Rating: | 8.2 |
| Explicit: | N |
| Genre/Style: | Soulful House |
| Format: | Single |
| Media: | Digital |
| Label: | Atlantic Records |
| Cat No: | None |
| Date: | 20/01/2023 |
| Key/BPM: | 3B/121 |
| Price: | £1 |
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