In the middle of the night, I was on youtube checking out some old school jams. Then, I wanted to listen to the remakes, if there were any. I had a question. Which one do you prefer? Think about it, if it has a remake doesn't the original song have to speak to a person in some sort of way? But instead of speaking in broad statements, I'm just going to pick one song specifically and analyze. "Killing Me Softly With His Song" by Roberta Flack(original) and "Killing Me Softly" by The Fugees(remake), out of those two which is better?
In all actuality, Roberta Flack's version of "Killing Me Softly" is a remake. Little known artist, Lori Lieberman was the first to record it. Flack's version was recorded and released two years later, in 1973. Her version won three Grammys for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal. It dominated the charts for four weeks. The O'Jays' hit, "Love Train" knocked "Killing Me Softly" out of the top spot for one week. By the next week, "Killing Me Softly" was back on top. Roberta Flack's version has a coffee house vibe, I think. It's very mellow and relaxing. The style that Flack is singing the song sounds as if she were taken aback when she heard this stranger "singing her life with his words." This is going to get me in trouble with some of my older family, but I have to say, The Fugees version is better.
If we're talking about awards and such, Roberta Flack's version has won more awards, but I just feel Lauryn Hill's voice. It was like the stars aligned on their version. Lauryn's voice, the "Bonita Applebum" sample, Wyclef's "one time, two time" chant injects a bit more fun in this version. Plus, being that I'm an eighties baby and grew up with a music video accompying the song, the video is very creative. The three memebers go to a movie and watch a movie about themselves. While at he movies, you get the typical drama of going to a movie in the hood. Fights breaking out, people talking all loud, throwing popcorn at others. But I digress, this is about the song not the video. Lauryn Hill sings way down from her gut and I don't get that from Roberta Flack, even though she does have the ability. Think about it, when you think of Lauryn Hill, you think The Miseducation is a classic and She ripped it on "Killing Me Softly". Nothing else, oh wait, you might say it's a damn shame she went crazy. Furthermore, you know you did something when people are doing covers of your remake. Melanie Fiona performed The Fugees version at her concert last August at SOBs. I was there, and she said something to the effect of "I'm a fan of 90's R&B." Then, she dove into the song. So what does that tell you? In case you're wondering, The Fugees won Best R&B Performance By a Duo or Group for this.
I'm not saying everybody is going to agree with me, vut they are going to have to argue with me for a while for me to even consider Roberta Flack's version better than L-Boogie's. Leave you pick in the comment section.
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This is the one case where I have to say that the remake is better than the original in my opinion. The originial is too slow for my liking and too jazzy. Don't get me wrong I like jazz, but I may be bias because the first one I heard was from the fugees.
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