The Closer I Get to You
| "The Closer I Get to You" | ||||||||||||||||||||
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A-side label of U.S. vinyl single
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| Single by Roberta Flack with Donny Hathaway | ||||||||||||||||||||
| from the album Blue Lights in the Basement | ||||||||||||||||||||
| B-side | "Love Is the Healing" | |||||||||||||||||||
| Released | February 1978 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Format | 7" single | |||||||||||||||||||
| Recorded | 1977 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Genre | Soul, R&B | |||||||||||||||||||
| Length | 4:41 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Label | Atlantic | |||||||||||||||||||
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| "The Closer I Get to You" | |
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| Promotional material by Beyoncé and Luther Vandross from the album Dangerously in Love and Dance with My Father | |
| Released | June 13, 2004 |
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| Length | 6:25 (Luther Vandross album version) 4:57 (Beyonce album version) |
| Label | Columbia |
| Writer(s) | |
| Producer(s) | Nat Adderley, Jr. |
"The Closer I Get to You" is a romantic ballad performed by African American jazz, soul, R&B, and folk singer-songwriter Roberta Flack and African American soul musician Donny Hathaway. The song was written by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, two former members of Miles Davis' 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" 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. 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 on May 1978, and became one of their most familiar duets.
"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. They wrote the song between tours and, during the sessions for the album, brought it to Flack's producer Joe Ferla, who played it for Flack. Ferla, Rubina Flake and Gene McDaniels produced the song, and Ahmet Ertegun served as its executive producer. Flack and Donny Hathaway, good friends while attending Howard University, recorded a self-titled album of duets in 1972. Five years later, the duo collaborated again on "The Closer I Get to You".
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Wikipedia