5 Timeless Roberta Flack Songs You Need to Hear

Roberta Flack was a key singer in the Seventies, known for her gentle and soulful music. She was famous for her slow, beautiful songs like “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” all of which reached Number One.

Flack started as a talented young pianist and made her name singing in clubs in Washington, D.C. Her early albums, First Take and Chapter Two, were very popular. She also sang several hit duets with Donny Hathaway, including the joyful “Where Is The Love,” until he passed away in 1979.

Flack’s music, quiet but strong, continued to be popular into the Nineties. Here are some great songs by Flack that show why her voice is still loved today.

‘Compared to What’

Written in 1966 by soul artist Gene Daniels, this protest song combines lyrics about the unmet promises of civil rights activism with issues like abortion rights and the Vietnam War.

Les McCann, who supported Flack early on, recorded the song in 1969, the same year Flack chose it as the opening track for her breakthrough debut album, First Take. Accompanied by soul-jazz music, Flack captures the song’s deep desperation and its ironic sharpness with a standout performance.

This marked her as an artist on par with legends like Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone. —J.D.

‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’

Flack wasn’t the first to record “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” a track inspired by Lori Lieberman’s experience at a Don McLean concert. Lieberman originally recorded the song, written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel.

However, the moment Flack starts singing the chorus, she makes the song uniquely hers in a way unmatched by others, including Lauryn Hill’s version with the Fugees. Flack’s version flows smoothly and was a pioneering track in the Quiet Storm music style.

Her calm yet expressive singing, combined with producer Joel Dorn’s soft, shimmering arrangement, makes it special. Flack’s impromptu “who-oh-oh” is particularly moving. The song’s brilliance lies in how it uses the power of music to become a captivating piece itself. —D.B.

‘Be Real Black for Me,’ with Donny Hathaway

“Be Real Black for Me” may not have topped the Billboard charts, but it stands out as a significant anthem from the “Black is beautiful” movement. Co-written by Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, and the lesser-known Charles Mann, the song exudes warmth and a proud, Afrocentric spirit.

When Flack sings “Your hair’s soft and crinkly,” it’s a refreshing line because Afros are seldom celebrated in popular music as naturally beautiful, rather than merely a symbol of defiance.

Her gentle, bluesy delivery tenderly embraces these words as she connects not just with Hathaway but also with the audience. Hathaway contributes by affirming, “You don’t have to wear false charms,” enhancing the song’s message of authentic self-acceptance. —M.R.

‘Feel Like Makin’ Love’

Roberta Flack’s 1974 single “Feel Like Makin’ Love” emerged as one of the biggest and most iconic hits of the year. The song, dreamy and sensual, showcases Flack’s fantasies through the lyrics that celebrate life’s simple pleasures—like the changing seasons and holding hands—which stir a deep longing for her lover.

Her delicate vocals paired with a groovy beat set a precedent that likely influenced the disco icons who followed, such as Donna Summer and Thelma Houston. Interestingly, Flack produced the song herself under the pseudonym Rubina Flake and chose to name her next album after this hit, taking the helm as producer for the entire project. —B.S.

‘The Closer I Get to You,’ with Donny Hathaway

“The Closer I Get to You” stands out as one of the top R&B ballads of the 1970s, earning a Grammy nomination for Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. This subtle, conversational duet highlighted their unique chemistry and closeness.

The song was penned by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, both of whom were members of Miles Davis’ band, with Lucas later producing for Madonna. The popular version that climbed into the Top Five in 1978 runs just under five minutes, though the original studio version recorded by Flack and Hathaway was twice as long.

Flack has expressed that her musical partnership with Hathaway was unmatched, saying, “Our musical synergy was unlike [anything] I’d had before or since.” In 2003, Beyoncé and Luther Vandross honoured this classic with a cover that proved the song’s enduring appeal, a full quarter-century after its initial release. —J.D.