A gentle yet powerful ballad rose to the charts and quickly became a defining moment in music.
In 1974, Roberta Flack released the title track of her fifth studio album, “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” a seductive, soulful song about intimacy.
According to the singer, she instantly fell in love with the song upon hearing it and recorded it in a single take.
“When Gene [McDaniels] first called and sang his song to me, he just strummed it,” said she in an interview as cited by Rhino. “I basically had that feeling in my mind when I went into the studio, [and] I wanted it to move along without too much of a sentimental feeling. I felt it said what it had to say. I sang it down one time, and Gene said, ‘Whoa, that was really great. Now can you do it once more, making some of the phrases more rubato?’ I said, ‘Nooooooo, I love that.’ We played it back, and [drummer] Ralph McDonald said, ‘I think that’s it.’ Everyone agreed. I did that song in one take.”
The single’s smooth and sensual rhythm received a strong reception from the public, making it a massive hit at the time.
Roberta Flack performs onstage at the Park West Auditorium, Chicago, Illinois, March 30, 1981.Paul Natkin/Getty Images
After the song made its debut in June 1974, “Feel Like Makin’ Love” replaced John Denver’s hit “Annie’s Song” as it entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 1 for one week but remained in the top 10 chart for 16 weeks.
Beyond this success, the legendary singer-songwriter and pianist made history as the first female solo artist to reach No. 1 on the Hot 100 for three consecutive years, according to Billboard.
This was after her previous songs “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song” ranked first on the chart, cementing her name in music history.
With the release of “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” the late music icon delivered a career-defining hit that would become a timeless classic, later revived and reinterpreted by several artists across generations.
In 1983, legendary jazz singer George Benson put his own spin on the classic track with a dance-oriented and funk-heavy version, which he included in his album In Your Eyes.
Flack’s song also saw several revivals in the 2000s, including a notable cover by the late R&B singer D’Angelo in 2000. This is widely regarded as the most prominent reinterpretation of the track.
Adding to the list was Lumidee in 2007 as part of her second studio album, Unexpected.
Related: 1975 Hit Ranked Among Best ‘Soft Rock Songs’ of All Time Became a Timeless Classic
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