Roberta is the most underrated singer of all time. Her "the first time ever I saw your face " is the greatest love song ever. Asia, you'll get those goose bumps again.
This song came out in 1972 when I was 11 years old. I’m 60 almost 61 and adore this song until this very day 🤗💗💕. She did beautiful duets with Donny Hathaway who unfortunately past away in the 80’s. You’d love to react to them I’m sure of it. Their songs were beautiful.
@@viacrucis2509 Forgotten might be a little bit too far. Underrated is the word to describe Roberta Flack. Vocally speaking, she's in the same league as Aretha, Dionne, Barbra, etc.
Lori Leiberman was the original singer(1972) she also co-wrote with Charles Ira Fox and Norman Gimbel. Roberta released her version 1973. It was recorded by Johnny Mathis and Perry Como also 1973 and by the Fugees 1996 .
Asia & BJ, It wasn`t Roberta Flack that heard Don McLean. It was a young singer in 1971 Lori Lieberman that heard Don McLean sing live...a song called "Empty Chairs". That was the inspiration for "Killing Me Softly". Roberta Flack re-recorded it in 1973 and the rest is history.
The actual full story is that the Rights to the song were claimed by Lori Lieberman's managers, after she came to them with lyrics after attending the Don McClean concert. She was a newbie, no real success. They took her lyrics, tweaked them, put it to music, claimed authorship, and then earned all the royalties from Roberta's huge cover hit.
@@MoMoMyPup10 The story makes for an interesting read. They tried to sue Don Mclean for continuing to say he inspired the song until he produced written proof from 1973. They sound like scumbags.
The song is originally by Lori lieberman and written by Charles Fox after hearing Don McLean sing "two chairs" she jotted down words and Charles wrote song
Robertas' voice was so "pure" and perfect for this song. No vocal acrobatics, just true to the melody and lyric. Not many singers have the self confidence to pull this off!
But the actual full story is that the Rights to the song were claimed by Lori Lieberman's managers, after she came to them with lyrics after attending a Don McClean concert. She was a newbie, no real success. They took her lyrics, tweaked them, put it to music, claimed authorship, and then earned all the royalties from Roberta's huge cover hit.
She is so smooth, with that unique phrasing. She never seems to start singing anything. It's like sound just appears somehow. Her breathing is almost completely hidden in her singing.
That was like a cool studio session jam. This should end any discussion of who sings this song best. Roberta Flack is the Queen of this song. The end. :)
Saw her in concert in college. As you can see, she is one of those where live performance is as good or better than studio, as you can see the emotion in the performance. HIGHLY recommend The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, which I think is even better.
Of course, this isn't a love song, it's simply a response to hearing a singer whose words deeply effected the listener. Nice concept for a song BUT Roberta's rendition of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is on a different- much higher plane. And, her live version - BBC early 70s? - is just out of this world.
I love when singers actually sung! Trained their voices to inflect the mood… make you cry, hurt, laugh, and think!!! “ The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and Where Is The Love,” are two others to listen to!
There's something beautiful about sitting and watching and listening to a singer just song in all her natural beauty , no nakedness needed. She is just perfect
Always loved her voice. I was 19 going on 20 when she released her cover of this in 1973. The guy is killing the triangle part! Being a percussionist myself for almost 60 years, I listen for those type of things. :-)
It's actually not the original. It was First sung by Lori Lieberman a year earlier in 1972 and Roberta Flack covered it in 1973. Roberta's version became a number 1 hit and earned her a grammy.
But the actual full story is that the Rights to the song were claimed by Lori Lieberman's managers, after she came to them with lyrics after attending a Don McClean concert. She was a newbie, no real success. They took her lyrics, tweaked them, put it to music, claimed authorship, and then earned all the royalties from Roberta's huge cover hit.
Asia/BJ, other #1 hits from Roberta ""The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Feel Like Makin' Love". Also a duet with Donny Hathaway hit #5 "Where Is The Love".
I like Roberta's version the most. The song was composed by Charles Fox with lyrics by Norman Gimbel. The lyrics were written in collaboration with Lori Lieberman who was first to record/release the song in 1972, but it did not chart. Lieberman was the one that was inspired at a 1971 Don McLean (famous for the song "American Pie") concert. Roberta won the 1974 Grammy for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Now that you get the legendary status of her voice, you got to hear, "the first time ever I saw your face" 👍💕 you pegged it - jazz soul. Love you two 💕
She was the first person in Grammy history to win “Record of the Year” in back-to-back years. First in 1973 for “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face”, then the very next year 1974, for this song “Killing Me Softly”. She remains the only woman in Grammy History to achieve this. And if I am not mistaken, she also remains the only person of color to achieve this feat. Unless Bruno Mars did it, but I don’t remember if Bruno Mars “Record of the Year” wins are back-to-back. If memory serves, he won one year, then Adele one the next year, then Bruno won it again.
One of my favorite singer song writers along with Carol King... one of my favorite songs... as a child of the 70’s I grew up listening to Roberta Flack, Dionne Warwick, Carol King, Linda Ronstamdt all of my moms favorites that became mine... the first time ever I saw your face has always been my favorite Roberta Flack songs, wedding song
actually the song was written by Norman Gimbel, Charles Fox and Laurie Lieberman and originally recorded by her a year later Roberta Flack recorded it and made it the massive hit it deservedly is for the last 50 years
Roberta Flack is unparalleled. Of all my favorite soul/R&B singers, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Etta James, Gladys Knight, Lauryn Hill, Marry J. Blige, Roberta's voice, her soul, her depth, how she carries herself, she stands apart from everyone else. Well, maybe Gladys Knight too.
A true soul/ R & B classic if ever there was one ✊️😄 Alip Ba Ta also performs a stunning, heartfelt instrumental version of this on the acoustic guitar 👍😁
Roberta Flack had such a beautiful voice. Some of her best songs was her with Donny Hathaway such as "The Closer I Get To You" and "Where Is The Love" in 1972. Luthor Vandross was a background singer for her on these songs in 1972 when he was 21 years old.
She was so good in person the fact she is so pretty but the clarity and softness of her voice held you right on the edge of your seat! The emotion in her voice is just amazing
I don't think she was underrated. She even receives credit for her covers ("Killing me softly" and "The first time ever I saw your face") instead of the songwriters and the original artists.
Just like the comment below says,the first time ever i saw your face is sublime,the one and only Roberta Flack with one of the most pleasant and naturally beautiful voices in music in any genre,a masterpiece of a tune,and you have to hold hands if you react to this song without shedding some tears lol❤️🏴
OMG, that was my first time ever seeing that live performance. Roberta Flack has one of the great pure voices ever. You must react to next, THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE, the song is exquisite. There's also TONIGHT I CELEBRATE MY LOVE, THE CLOSER I GET TO YOU, WHERE IS THE LOVE with the GREAT Donny Hathaway etc. A rabbit hole indeed.
The Don McClean connection, according to Wiki: "Killing Me Softly with His Song - how Roberta Flack made the track into a worldwide hit. The story goes that in November 1971, 20-year-old musician Lori Lieberman saw folk singer Don McLean in concert at the Troubadour in Los Angeles.Feb 1, 2021"
The tone in her voice. I was always amazed she never became a bigger star. Never saw this live version before and it's haunting! it's like she is slowly dying in misery and loving every minute of it.
Nowadays we rarely are treated to such talent from artists like Roberta Flack. The music from my youth is better than what's being recorded and played these days, generally speaking. Such beautiful music and I still have a crush on Roberta.
Lori Lieberman wrote this song and recorded it in 1972. she saw Don McLean perform American Pie and was inspired to write it. Ms Flack heard it and asked to cover it. She had a hit on her hands.
She has so much great music. Her music often has a great balance between vocals and instrumentation which is hard to find now. Check out her versions of "Ballad of the Sad Young Men" and "Reverend Lee". She has so much control in her voice, never screaming or straining. A lot of the musicians with whom she worked were also jazz musicians.
Roberta Flack is one of the greatest singers of my lifetime - Her version of Bridge Over Troubled Waters is IMO one of the Greatest songs ever and of course The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is a timeless classic too
I still have the sheet music for this and The First Time I saw Your Face from 1972 when I first learned to play it in the piano. Roberta is on the cover in her fabulous Afro.
