Roberta Flack [2023] - Killing Me Softly With His Song (DJ Spinna Remix) [Atlantic Records]

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.

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Details

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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