The Closer I Get to You
"The Closer I Get to You" is a romantic ballad performed by singer-songwriter Roberta Flack and soul musician Donny Hathaway. The song was written by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, two former members of Miles Davis's band, who were members of Flack's band at the time. Produced by Atlantic Records, the song was released on Flack's 1977 album Blue Lights in the Basement, and as a single in 1978. It became a major crossover hit, becoming Flack's biggest commercial hit after her success with her 1973 solo single, "Killing Me Softly with His Song". Originally set as a solo single, Flack's manager, David Franklin, suggested a duet with Hathaway, which resulted in the finished work.
"The Closer I Get to You"
"The Closer I Get to You" spent two weeks as number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in April 1978, and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 behind Yvonne Elliman's "If I Can't Have You" and Wings' "With a Little Luck." The song charted in the top ten spots for fourteen weeks in Canada and one week in France. It was eventually certified gold in the United States in May 1978, and became one of their most familiar duets.
At the 21st Annual Grammy Awards given in 1979, Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway were nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus with the award going to the Bee Gees for their work in the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Flack and Hathaway had won the same award six years before for "Where is the Love".
Reception[edit]
Critical reception and accolades[edit]
Critics described "The Closer I Get to You" as Flack at the top of her form.[10] The song came in at number 40 on Billboard' poll of "The 40 Biggest Duets Of All Time", where it was described a "tender tune".[4] Authors of All Music Guide To Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul described the song as ethereal.[11] Alan Light of Vibe magazine characterized it as intimate and effortless as an overheard conversation.[12] Author of 1001 Ways to Be Romantic, Gregory J. P. Godek, included the song in a list of "Best Love Song Duets".[13] A writer of Jet magazine described the song as a "pop-soul classic".[14] Carolyn Quick Tillery, author of Celebrating Our Equality, described the song as a lasting musical legacy.[15] Devon Jarvis of Women's Health included Flack and Hathaway's version of "The Closer I Get to You" in "Favorite Karaoke Duets".[16] While opening the "R&B Vault", Gail Mitchell of Billboard praised the song as a 1970s-era classic.[17] While reviewing Blue Lights in the Basement, Jason Elias of the website Allmusic wrote, "The track easily attains the grace and gorgeous sound that a lot of the like-minded songs here just miss."[18] Lewis Dene of BBC described "The Closer I Get to You" as a "soul masterpiece".[19] Both Hathaway and Flack were nominated for a Grammy Award for their duet.[20]
Chart performance[edit]
The song became the duo's second number one on the US R&B charts in 1978, and climbed to the number two spot on the Billboard Hot 100.[4] "The Closer I Get to You" also peaked at number three on the Adult Contemporary charts.[21]
Music video[edit]
A music video for "The Closer I Get to You" was shot and directed by Roberta Flack herself.[22] The video begins with Flack's singing while sitting by a piano in a candle-lit room. Hathaway had died by the time the music video was shot, so as his verse plays, the camera zooms into a picture of Hathaway located on a table behind Flack's shoulder. Flack performs the rest of the song sitting by the piano, and the camera's direction occasionally looks over a candle flame during Hathaway's verses. The video ends with Flack's mouthing some of Hathaway's lyrics as she fades into the camera's view of the room lit by a single candle. A version of Flack's performing the song live circulated as its promotional music video.[23]
"The Closer I Get to You"
June 13, 2004
- The Hit Factory, New York City
- Right Track Studios, New York City[31]
6:25 (Dance with My Father version)
4:57 (Dangerously in Love version)
Other versions[edit]
"The Closer I Get To You" has been covered many times. Among the more notable versions are the following:
In 1990, Toshinobu Kubota and Lynn Davis performed a live duet rendition of the song.[51]
Fourplay's cover of the song was described as an "undistinguished version" of the original song by AllMusic's Steven McDonald.[52]
In 2005, Nina Girado covered the song with Thor for her album live album Nina Live!.[53] A writer of The Philippine Star noted that Thor "matches Nina note for note on their duet".[54] Girado's version of the song won in the category for Best Duet Award at the Awit Awards in 2006.[55]
It was covered by Filipino acoustic band MYMP on their 2005 album Versions, with lyrics separately sung by Chin Alcantara and Juris Fernandez.[56]