(The Hit Hammer is where I'm reviewing each #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting from when the chart started in 1958 and eventually working my way to the present. To see my inspiration and more information about this blog, please CLICK HERE)
Roberta Flack - "Feel Like Makin' Love"
Hit Number 1: August 10, 1974
Stay at Number 1: 1 Week
Roberta Flack was on one hell of a run in the early half of the '70s. She achieved two number one hits, with the first being "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" in 1972, capturing the honors of top song of the year, and then "Killing Me Softly with His Song" in 1973, and that one spent 5 weeks at the top. She'd never have any more songs that were as huge as those two, but she was able to give herself a unique image. She was a piano player, and never did anything that was what I would describe as being fun. Instead, I find Flack's music to be more relaxing than anything else. (Though I still swear by "The First Time" being an extremely boring song) These are songs you'd expect to hear in a place like a jazz lounge, or a bookstore. Some place where you aren't paying much attention to the music, but it works great as something to have on in the background. Out of Flack's three #1 hits, I think "Feel Like Makin' Love" fits that bill the best.
There isn't any intriguing or interesting backstory as to how "Feel Like Makin' Love" became what it became, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out how this worked out. When you're in a situation like Flack, and you're having great success doing the same thing, you're not going to change what you're doing. So, "Feel Like Makin' Love" is pretty similar to her previous #1 hits in regards to the mood it sets. The lyrics are basic, only telling of wanting to make love, but the mood the song sets is relaxing. In this song, Flack plays the role of a woman lost in a deep romantic snooze. She names all of these different soothing settings: strolling in a park, watching winter turn to spring, in a restaurant holding hands by candlelight, and how all of these things make her want to make love to her lover.
And the thing is, "Feel Like Makin' Love" itself can put anyone in that mood. Behind Flack's hushed vocals are gentle guitar sweeps and piano rings. The vibe of the record is nothing but seductive soft rock. It hits the sweet spot of helping the listener unwind and, for the thousandth time, relax. It's just a relaxing piece of music! It's not the boring, anticlimactic "The First Time", but it's also not telling a story you can't help but follow along with like in "Killing Me Softly". In all honesty, "Killing Me Softly" is still likely the greatest thing Flack has ever done, but I definitely enjoy "Feel Like Makin' Love". It's actually beginning to rain right now where I am in Minnesota as I type this, and I've gotta say, there's not many other songs that are better to listen to with this type of weather going on.
"Feel Like Makin' Love" is the final time Flack will appear in this blog, but her achievements didn't stop afterwards. She actually put out some pretty good records with Donny Hathaway in the '70s, with the highest-charting one being "The Closer I Get to You", as it peaked at #2 in 1978. (It's a 7) She still continues to perform at the age of 84, even despite suffering a stroke some years ago. Her kind of relaxing, downright blissful sounding records will never get old. Just look at how legendary "Killing Me Softly" still is today.
GRADE: 7/10
IN POP CULTURE:
Soul staple George Benson covered "Feel Like Makin' Love" for his 1983 album In Your Eyes. Here's his version, which is pretty damn good I've gotta say:
(George Benson's highest-charting single, "Give Me the Night", peaked at #4 in 1980. It's a 9)
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