Produced by Atlantic Records, the song was released on Flack's 1977 album Blue Lights in the Basement, and as a single in 1978. Roberta Flack - The Closer I Get to You Lyrics. [6], In fact Hathaway's suffering had made it impossible for him to travel from Chicago to New York City to join Flack in the studio to record "The Closer I Get to You": Flack recorded her part of the song with a session singer as a stopgap duet partner, the track being sent to Chicago for Hathaway to add his vocal and then back to New York City for its final mixing. In 2005, Nina Girado covered the song with Thor for her album live album Nina Live!. Go directly to shout page. 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. "[41] By contrast, Lewis Dene of BBC gave the song a positive review, stating that it is guaranteed the number one slot on the US R&B charts. It is set in the key of E♭ major, and follows the chord progression Gm7–Cm7–E♭maj9–A♭. [4] Authors of All Music Guide To Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul described the song as ethereal. [4] "The Closer I Get to You" also peaked at number three on the Adult Contemporary charts. [19] Both Hathaway and Flack were nominated for a Grammy Award for their duet. [47] The track spent a total of twenty weeks on the chart. The song was covered by American pop singer Johnny Mathis on his 2008 album, A Night to Remember. Your love has captured me. Start the wiki. The Closer I Get to You (with Donny Hathaway) Roberta Flack With Donny Hathaway - The Closer I Get To You Lyrics Writers: Reggie Lucas, James Mtume [21], A music video for "The Closer I Get to You" was shot and directed by Roberta Flack herself. The Closer I Get To You Written by James Mtume & Reggie Lucas (former members of Miles Davis' band and Roberta Flack's band) Performed by Roberta Flack & … Originally set as a solo-single, Flack's manager, David Franklin, suggested a duet with Hathaway, which resulted in the finished work. "[39], Jason King of Vibe magazine wrote that Knowles had some "cojones" to follow up a Jay-Z duet with a Luther Vandross duet on the album's track-listing. The more you make me see. [22] The video begins with Flack's singing while sitting by a piano in a candle-lit room. But I knew when he sat down at that piano and sang for me it was like it was eight or nine years ago because he sang and played his ass off. [65][66], Saxophonist Kim Waters included a version of the song on the soprano saxophone on his 2007 album You Are My Lady. "[37] Spence D. of IGN Music commented "By the time Beyoncé has teamed up with the granddaddy of contemporary love jams, Luthor Vandross, on 'The Closer I Get To You', her album has descended into somewhat generic terrain. [57], In 1998, Dennis Brown covered the song with Janet Kay for his compilation album The Prime of Dennis Brown. Roberta Flack - The Closer I Get to You recorded by mccld_shl_YEAH and DwightWashingt1 on Smule. [19] Consequence of Sound's Chris Coplan noted that the song contained "unintentional cheesy vibe, [which] seems way more heart-wrenching now [in 2013] than it did a decade ago" and added that Knowles' vocals contained a "real sweetness and innocence". It features the vocals by R&B singer Lisa Fischer.[67]. Add lyrics on Musixmatch. Janet Kay's The Closer I Get to You cover of Roberta Flack feat. Could never be more than friends. [58] This version of the song contains digital keyboards and slick production. [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. "The Closer I Get to You" is a romantic ballad performed by singer-songwriter Roberta Flack and soul musician Donny Hathaway. Connect your Spotify account to your Last.fm account and scrobble everything you listen to, from any Spotify app on any device or platform. [43] Mark Anthony Neal of PopMatters gave Knowles and Vandross "vocal props" for their performance in the "quiet storm", but described the overall performance as flat. [62] Girado's version of the song won in the category for Best Duet Award at the Awit Awards in 2006. The closer I get to you. Brazilian countertenor, pop and jazz singer Edson Cordeiro covered the song in his 1999 album Disco Clubbing 2 - Mestre de Cerimônia. [32] It was serviced to US urban contemporary and urban adult contemporary radio on June 13, 2004. Let us know what you think of the Last.fm website. Do you know any background info about this track? [45], Knowles and Vandross' cover of "The Closer I Get to You debuted at number 76 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks chart dated July 24, 2004. [8] "The Closer I Get to You" was released as a 7" single with "Love is the Healing" as its B-side. 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. The next week it moved up to number 68,[46] and on August 7 it peaked at number 62. [54], In 1994, a cover was recorded by the smooth jazz band Fourplay for their third studio album Elixir which featured R&B and smooth jazz singers Patti Austin and Peabo Bryson. "[38] Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone wrote, "While she oozes charisma and has a fine voice, Beyoncé isn't in a class with the likes of Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey as a singer, a fact that 'The Closer I Get to You', her duet with the effortlessly smooth Luther Vandross, also makes clear. [49], Credits taken from Dangerously in Love liner notes. The closer I get to you The more you make me see By giving me all you got Your love has captured me Over and over again I tried to tell mys [63], It was covered by Filipino acoustic band MYMP on their 2005 album Versions, with lyrics separately sung by Chin Alcantara and Juris Fernandez. By giving you all I've got. In 2003, Luther Vandross performed a duet on this song with Beyonce Knowles on his album Dance with My Father. Flack's manager, David Franklin, came up with the idea of recording the Mtume/Lucas ballad "The Closer I Get to You" as a duet with his other client, Donny Hathaway. The closer I get to you The more you make me see By giving me all you've got Your love has captured me Over and over again I tried to tell myself that we Could never be more than friends And all the while inside I knew it was real The Sing with lyrics to your favorite karaoke songs. "The Closer I Get to You" is a romantic ballad performed by singer-songwriter Roberta Flack and soul musician Donny Hathaway. We don‘t have an album for this track yet. [6] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, "The Closer I Get to You" is set in common time and moves at a tempo of 90 beats per minute. "[18] Lewis Dene of BBC described "The Closer I Get to You" as a "soul masterpiece". Aprenda a tocar essa música usando as cifras, tablaturas e versão simplificada com o Cifras Introdução: G7M C7/9 G7M C7/9 G7M C7/9 G7M C7/9 G7M C7/9 G7M C7/9 G7M The closer I get to you, the more you make me see C7/9 G7M C7/9 C#7/9 C7M By giving me all you've got, your love has captured me Bm7 E7/9-Am7 D7/9-Over and over … [68], In the film Rush Hour 3, when Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan are at the French theater and the play has stopped, the song is sung by Tucker and Chan, with Tucker singing it in a high-pitched voice. "The Closer I Get to You" was written by Reggie Lucas and James Mtume, who were members of Roberta Flack's touring band and played on Blue Lights in the Basement. Donny Hathaway's The Closer I Get to You", "Dennis Brown feat. 8, May 20, 1978", "Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - The Closer I Get to You", "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada", "Top 100 Hits of 1978/Top 100 Songs of 1978", "The Closer I Get to You sheet music (Digital Download)", "Beyonce, 'Dangerously In Love': Classic Track-By-Track Review", "Dangerously In Love - Beyoncé's solo debut is a mixed bag of contemporary R&B", "Album Reviews - Beyonce : Dangerously In Love", "Beyonce Wins Most, Outkast Shine, 50 Cent Shut Out At Grammys", "Beyonce Knowles The Closer I Get To You USA Promo CD single (CD5 / 5") (326185)", "Music - Kiss This World Goodbye by Mtume", "久保田利伸&Lynn Davis～THE CLOSER I GET TO YOU～", "Fourplay's The Closer I Get to You cover of Roberta Flack feat. [35] Erika Ramirez of Billboard magazine also noted that "While the singer holds her own alongside the legend, the quiet storm duet feels out of place considering the electrifying feel of majority of the album. [16] While opening the "R&B Vault", Gail Mitchell of Billboard praised the song as a 1970s-era classic. [40] Rob Fitzpatrick of NME stated that "it's the irredeemably cheesy ballad with 80s cornball Luther Vandross that will make the voices in your head demand hot, fresh blood. "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 live circulated as its promotional music video for `` the Closer I Get to You.. May apply both Hathaway and Flack were nominated for a Grammy Award for their.! And Tawatha Agee jazz singer Edson Cordeiro covered the song as a `` masterpiece. 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