Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway
Roberta Flack · 1980
36 min · 7 tracks · jazz
Soulful harmonies intertwine with heartfelt lyrics, creating a lush and intimate atmosphere that captures the essence of love and longing.
Top tracks — play these first
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Only Heaven Can Wait (For Love) Start here — establishes the sonic palette early
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Back Together Again — This track exemplifies the album's central theme of reconciliation and love, blending intricate vocal arrangements with a smooth melody that highlights both artists' strengths.
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Don't Make Me Wait Too Long — With its yearning lyrics and soulful delivery, this song captures the tension of longing and desire, showcasing Flack's emotive performance alongside Hathaway's harmonies.
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Stay With Me — This track stands out for its intimate plea for companionship, featuring a delicate interplay of voices that illustrates vulnerability and connection.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album's rich vocal interplay and orchestration create an engaging listening experience.
What we noticed
- The album features a consistent use of lush string arrangements that complement the vocal harmonies throughout.
- Each track typically showcases both Flack and Hathaway alternating verses, creating a conversational dynamic in their performances.
- The tempo varies slightly, but most tracks maintain a slow to mid-tempo pace, contributing to the intimate atmosphere.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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8/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady emotional exploration of love
- heartfelt duets for intimate moments
- rich harmonies that invite connection
- ideal for reflective listening sessions
Maybe skip if you
- prefer upbeat, fast-paced tracks
- looking for standalone singles
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Fan Favorite — Showcases the strong collaboration between Flack and Hathaway, cherished by dedicated fans.
- Career context
- Released in 1980, this album marked a collaboration between Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, following their successful previous partnership on 'Where Is the Love' in 1972. At this point in her career, Flack was already an established artist, known for her smooth blend of soul and jazz, while Hathaway's distinctive voice added depth to their collaborative sound.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Nina Simone· Bill Withers· Aretha Franklin
Tracklist
- 1 Only Heaven Can Wait (For Love) Start here 4:03
- 2 God Don’t Like Ugly 4:34
- 3 You Are My Heaven 4:10
- 4 Disguises 2:24
- 5 Don’t Make Me Wait Too Long 7:45
- 6 Back Together Again 9:45
- 7 Stay With Me 3:47
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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