Roberta Flack recorded her rendition of "Killing Me Softly with His Song" on this day in 1972 at Atlantic Records in New York City. The song was released the following January, and went on to become, not only one of Flack's most iconic songs, but one of the most famous tracks of all time. The song was originally released by Lori Lieberman in 1972, but the recording failed to chart. Flack's version, on the other hand, spent more weeks at the number one spot than any other song in 1973: five non-consecutive weeks in total.
In 1999, Flack's recording of "Killing Me Softly with His Song" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Billboard and Rolling Stone have both included the song in lists of the greatest songs of all-time, and her influence on the song has become a staple in soul music. This video perfectly displays how her handling of the song is almost hypnotizing.
