Quiet Fire (Roberta Flack album)
| Quiet Fire | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 1971 | |||
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| Length | 41:37 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Producer | Joel Dorn | |||
| Roberta Flack chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Quiet Fire | ||||
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Quiet Fire is the third studio album by American singer Roberta Flack, released in November 1971 by Atlantic Records.[1] It was recorded at Atlantic Recording Studios, Regent Studios, and The Hit Factory in New York City.[2] The album peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape, and its single "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" charted at number 76 on the Hot 100.[3] At the 15th Annual Grammy Awards, the album secured Roberta Flack a nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | C[4] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [5] |
In a contemporary review for The Village Voice, Robert Christgau gave Quiet Fire a C rating, writing that Flack occasionally "sounds kind, intelligent, and very likable, but she often exhibits the gratuitous gentility you'd expect of anyone who said 'between you and I'."[4] In a retrospective review, The Rolling Stone Album Guide (1992) gave it two out of five stars and claimed it "barely sparks at all."[5] AllMusic's Stephen Cook was more enthusiastic, giving it four-and-a-half out of five stars and calling it "one of Flack's best." He believed its "varied mix all comes off sounding seamless." while writing: "Forgoing the full-throttled delivery of, say, Aretha Franklin, Flack translates the pathos of gospel expression into measured intensity and sighing, elongated phrases."[1]
Track listing
All tracks produced by Joel Dorn.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Go up Moses" | 5:20 | |
| 2. | "Bridge over Troubled Water" | Paul Simon | 7:13 |
| 3. | "Sunday and Sister Jones" | Gene McDaniels | 4:48 |
| 4. | "See You Then" | Jimmy Webb | 3:40 |
| 5. | "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" | 3:59 | |
| 6. | "To Love Somebody" | 6:41 | |
| 7. | "Let Them Talk" | Sonny Thompson | 3:50 |
| 8. | "Sweet Bitter Love" | Van McCoy | 6:06 |
| Total length: | 41:37 | ||
Personnel
Performers and musicians
- Roberta Flack – piano, vocals
- Joshie Armstead – background vocals
- J.R. "Jim" Bailey – background vocals
- Seymour Barab – cello
- David Carey – vibraphone
- Ron Carter – bass guitar
- The Newark Boys Chorus – background vocals
- Joel Dorn – background vocals
- Joe Farrell – flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
- Corky Hale – harp
- Hilda Harris – background vocals
- Cissy Houston – background vocals
- Ted Hoyle – cello
- Wally Kane – bassoon
- Hubert Laws – flute
- Buddy Lucas – harmonica
- Ralph MacDonald – percussion, congas
- Arif Mardin – background vocals, string arrangements, flute arrangement
- Les McCann – background vocals
- Hugh McCracken – guitar
- Gene McDaniels – background vocals
- Kermit Moore – cello
- Romeo Penque – flute, soprano saxophone
- Terry Plumeri – double bass
- Seldon Powell – tenor saxophone
- Bernard Purdie – drums
- Chuck Rainey – bass guitar, electric bass
- George Ricci – cello
- William Slapin – flute
- Grady Tate – percussion, drums
- Richard Tee – organ
- Tasha Thomas – background vocals
- Sammy Turner – background vocals
Technical
Charts
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[3] | 18 |
| US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard)[6] | 5 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[7] | 4 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[8] | Gold | 500,000^ |
| ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ a b c d e Cook, Stephen. "Quiet Fire - Roberta Flack". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
- ^ "Roberta Flack - Quiet Fire CD Album". CD Universe. Muze. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
- ^ a b "Roberta Flack Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert (January 20, 1972). "Consumer Guide (23)". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
- ^ a b Anthony DeCurtis, James Henke, Holly George-Warren (October 27, 1992). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. p. 248. ISBN 0679737294.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Roberta Flack Chart History (Top Jazz Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
- ^ "Roberta Flack Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
- ^ "American album certifications – Roberta Flack – Quiet Fire". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 2, 2024.