B-side "When You Smile" Genre Soul, R&B Label Atlantic | Released June 10, 1974 Length 2:55 Writer(s) Eugene McDaniels | |
"Feel Like Makin' Love" is a song composed by singer-songwriter Eugene McDaniels, and recorded originally by soul singer-songwriter Roberta Flack. The song has been covered by several R&B and jazz artists.
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Reception
Released nine months before the album of the same title, the song became one of the greatest musical successes of 1974, as well as of Roberta Flack's recording career. It scored a week at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, making it Flack's third #1 single, making her the first female vocalist to top the chart in three consecutive years. "Feel Like Makin' Love" also had five weeks at #1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. and two weeks at #1 on the Adult Contemporary charts of both Canada and the U.S. Flack produced the record under the pseudonym Rubina Flake. It went on to receive three Grammy nominations for Flack: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female.
D'Angelo version
"Feel Like Makin' Love" was covered by American R&B and neo soul musician D'Angelo for his second studio album Voodoo (2000). It was released April 8, 2000, on Virgin Records as the album's fifth and last single. His cover version features a quiet storm sound and heavy use of multi-tracking for vocals. It was initially planned as a duet with R&B singer Lauryn Hill. Although tapes were sent via FedEx between the two, the collaboration between D'Angelo and Hill was aborted and the song was instead recorded solo. According to producer and drummer Questlove, the duet failed to materialize due to "too many middle men.... I don't think Lauryn and D ever talked face-to-face." Mistakenly, some critics who later reviewed the album's track assumed that Lauryn Hill's vocals are present in the recording.
According to Questlove's review of Voodoo at Okayplayer, the song's production was also managed by late hip hop producer J Dilla, as Questlove stated "jay dee did the lauryn track". Dilla, however, did not receive an official credit for the song. As a single, "Feel Like Makin' Love" was Voodoo's least successful, as it only reached #109 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.
Other versions
It was covered by Bob James (as an instrumental for his 1974 album "One"), and by George Benson (for his 1983 album "In Your Eyes"), both under the title Feel Like Making Love. James's version is the only other charting version of the song, reaching #88 in the fall of 1974.
Marlena Shaw included a cover on Who Is This Bitch, Anyway? (1974). Roy Ayers covered it on his 1974 album Change up the Groove. Shirley Bassey covered it on her 1975 album Good, Bad but Beautiful, as did Isaac Hayes on his 1978 release Hotbed.
Paul Mauriat featured an orchestral version of the song on his 1987 album Love Is Blue. In 1996, jazz guitarist Larry Coryell covered it on his album "Sketches of Coryell".
D'Angelo covered the song on Voodoo, released in 2000.
Lumidee covered it in her 2007 album, Unexpected, and released it as a single, peaking at #90 on the Hot 100.
Monty Alexander recorded a jazz quartet version of the song in October 1974, released then on 'Live and Sunshine', and re-released in 2007 on 'Alexander The Great - Monty Swings On MPS'. The recording is with Ernest Ranglin (guitar), Eberhard Weber (b), and Kenny Clare (drums). This same version is also featured on Ranglin's 1976 album "Ranglypso".
Junior Jack sampled the chorus in his single "Luv 2 U".
Mariko Tone covered it in Japanese in her 1987 album, For You
Velly Joonas covered it in Estonian in her 1980 Vinyl, 7", Stopp, Seisku Aeg!