Roberta Flack, “Conversation Love” | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 95^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2022), we recollect and reflect on “Conversation Love” by Roberta Flack.

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome – we don’t discriminate ‘round here! In the 95^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2022), we recollect and reflect on 🎵 “Conversation Love”, performed by 🎙 Roberta Flack. 

Theme & Lyrics ✍

“All of the pain has to go and find its space / For love will come and take its place.” Now that’s a lyric! When the 🎙 Roberta Flack album, 💿 Killing Me Softly (1973) comes to mind, there’s one song that gets all of the attention: 🎵 “Killing Me Softly With His Song”.  Even so, it is worth having a conversation about another superb musical selection, 🎵 “Conversation Love.” “Conversation Love,” which arrives as the sixth track from Killing Me Softly, was written by Bill Seighman and Terry Plumeri. 

The lyrics from the first verse of “Conversation Love” are sensational, capped off by the concluding two lines. The lyrics from the second verse are sweet as well:

“Full-time illusions always hurt you in the end

And haunting ghosts can replay their part

To keep tender smiles down

Don’t let them turn you around

The answer’s clear

Your peace has always been right here.”

Wow! “Conversation Love” features lush, soulful production courtesy of 🎛 Joel Dorn. The strings (arranged by Don Sebesky), robust bass line, and the piano stand out in particular. Robert Flack sings gorgeously, showcasing her anointed instrument.  In addition to the jazzy production, the 🏆 Grammy winner’s elite vocals, and the poetic, thoughtful lyrics, the harmonic scheme on “Conversation Love” is another selling point.

Final Thoughts 💭

All told, “Conversation Love”, a jazzy soul classic, is hypnotic and mesmerizing in quality – it sort of floats along. Sure, “Killing Me Softly With His Song” will always earn the highest marks and most attention from her 1973 album, but this song marks another stellar moment from the Robert Flack collection.

🎙 Roberta Flack • 💿 Killing Me Softly • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 1973

Roberta Flack, “Conversation Love”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 95 (2022) [📷: Atlantic, Brent Faulkner, Gerhard G., JL G via Pixabay,  Karl Hörnfeldt via Unsplash,  The Musical Hype]