For me, ROBERTA FLACK represents another one of those classic voices from '70s AM radio. Instant nostalgia.Clint Eastwood would seem to agree, spotlighting her achingly gorgeous "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" in his directorial debut, "Play Misty for Me" -- the "Fatal Attraction" of its day.
I'd always thought that Ms. Flack's signature ditty, "Killing Me Softly With His Song," was inspired by her hearing "American Pie" singer-songwriter DON McLEAN perform the song "Vincent" one night at the Troubador in L.A. Well... not quite. Flack didn't write the song, for one thing. And it was, in fact, inspired by a McLean performance of his lesser-known "Empty Chairs," not "Vincent." (Now, aren't you glad we got that cleared up?)
[MP3] "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" [1972]
[MP3] "Killing Me Softly With His Song" [1973]
[MP3] "Where is the Love" [w/DONNY HATHAWAY] [1972]
[MP3] "Feel Like Makin' Love" [1974]
[MP3] "The Closer I Get to You" [w/DONNY HATHAWAY] [1978]
BONUS TRACK >>>
[MP3] DON McLEAN/"Empty Chairs" [1971]
Well, I believed I didn't know Flack... ! Indeed, she played a lot on radio when I was young, in the 70's.
ReplyDeleteA pleasure to re-discover her!
Thanks!