Feel like makin’ love
Recorded by over 100 artistS from BOB James, gladys knight & the pips, Lou Rawls, roberta flack, isaac hays, george benson, Larry coryell, johnny mathis, marlena shaw & george benson TO D’Angelo, lumidee & many more
As the story goes Eugene wrote “Feel Like Makin’ Love” in 1974 in 45 minutes. His inspiration came from a friend who was staying with him in his home in Skyforest, CA. She told him she was heading back to Los Angeles early and when Eugene asked her why she answered, “I feel like making love”. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Like all great songwriters Eugene drew inspiration from the people and events around him, and his observations and interpretations of those events. What may seem mundane or go unnoticed by most people is grist for the mill in the mind of an artist, no matter their medium.
THE FIRST RECORDING SESSION of “Feel Like Makin’ Love” was for ROBERTA FLACK, the song was co-produced by Eugene, Leon Pendarvis and Fleming (no first name) and was the lead single (released in June, 1974) from Flack’s 1975 album of the same name. The song went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, and earned a 3 Grammy nominations; Song of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance and Record of the Year, and was awarded Gold Record status by RIAA on August 8, 1974 (see Gold Record image above) just months after its release.
Jazz legend BOB JAMES released an instrumental of the song the same month as Flack’s single. James had played on Roberta’s studio session just two weeks before recording his own version, and with the same band.
And these were not the only releases of the song in 1974. In what might be a first, 4 other artists released a version of “Feel Like Makin’ Love” in 1974 alone—Roy Ayers Ubiquity, Johnny Mathis, Lou Rawls and even Eugene, as Gene McDaniels, 6 artists in all. The song was released just under 40 more times in the 1970s alone. Clearly Eugene’s song struck a chord for artist and listeners alike.
D'ANGELO
Twenty-five years later, the neo-soul wunderkind D’ANGELO recorded ”Feel Like Makin’ Love” for his critically acclaimed sophomore album Voodoo, incorporating the distinctive percussive rhythms of the brilliant and groundbreaking hip hop producerJ Dilla. According to D’Angelo’s fellow Soulquarian and Voodoo collaborator Questlove, “Jay Dee was all over this track”, referencing that “Feel Like Makin’ Love” was co-produced by the late J Dilla, although he was not credited.
D’Angelo’s 2000 neo-soul release of “Feel Like Makin’ Love”, which reached #9 on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart, connected Eugene’s music to a new generation and listener, and to musicians who were on the vanguard of sound at that time, following their own rules in the new millennium, just as Eugene had 30 years earlier.
“Feel Like Makin' Love" Voodoo (Virgin Records) Pino Palladino on bass, Ahmir Thompson on drums.
The 50 Best J. Dilla Songs
Complex.com ::
Producer: D'Angelo, J Dilla (Uncredited)
Album: Voodoo
Label: Cheeba Sound/Virgin
“Although Jay Dee wasn't credited as a producer on D'Angelo's Voodoo, his sonic signature is all over the album. Recorded during the Soulquarian era at Electric Lady Studios, the groove, percussion and rhythm were all influenced by Dilla and his work with The Ummah. ?uestlove, who served as D'Angelo's co-pilot throughout the recording process, acknowledged Dilla's influence on the album's overall sound and later admitted that: “Jay Dee did the Lauryn track.”
The “Lauryn track" in question was “FEEL LIKE MAKIN’ LOVE”, which was initially supposed to feature Lauryn Hill. Although tapes were Fedexed back and forth between D'Angelo and Lauryn, the collaboration was eventually aborted, thus becoming a D'Angelo solo record. Insiders attest that some Lauryn Hill vocals are featured on the track. That's still up for debate—but whether or not Dilla played a big part in Voodoo is not.”
http://www.complex.com/music/2012/02/the-50-best-dilla-songs/
Roy Ayers Ubiquity
Roy Ayers recorded this phenomenal version of "Feel Like Makin' Love" on his 1974 album Change Up The Groove. Musicians credited on the album include Wilbur Bascomb on bass, Chano O'Ferral on percussion, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie on drums, Calvin Brown on guitar, Harry Whitaker and Leon Pendarvis on piano, clavinet and electric piano, George Braith on soprano saxophone, Pat Rebillot on synthesizers, backing vocals by James "BJ" Boston, Monica Burruss, Terry Burrell and Wayne Garfield, and Roy Ayers himself on vibraphone and vocals.
A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
sampled Roy Ayers' "Feel Like Makin' Love"
A Tribe Called Quest sampled the Roy Ayers Ubiquity version of "Feel Like Makin' Love" for their song "Keep it Rollin" off their third album, Midnight Marauders in 1993 on Jive. This classic hip hop album was largely self produced by ATCQ, recorded and mixed by Bob Power. "Keep it Rollin," however, was produced by Large Professor.
Bob James
Bob James 2010 Java Jazz Festival
In 1974 an instrumental version of "Feel Like Making Love" was released by jazz musician Bob James on his debut LP One on CTI Records. James talked with David Ma, writer for Wax Poetics, "This song was written by Gene McDaniels. I was hired to play piano on Roberta Flack’s record and that’s where I first heard this tune. It was a great song and I had a feeling it could be a hit. We were in the studio recording her version, and within a couple weeks I had the opportunity to do my own record. So I just decided to use the same band, same sax player, same rhythm section; Idris Muhammad on drums, Gary King on bass, and Richie Resnicoff on guitar. So we were just trying to recreate that same groove, but as a funkier instrumental piece. I think it really worked out great." Bob James’ "Feel Like Makin' Love" reached #88 on the charts.
Album credits include Idris Muhammad and “Bad” Steve Gadd on drums, Jon Faddis and Thad Jones on Flugelhorn, Richie Resnicoff on guitar, Bob James on keys, Ralph McDonald on percussion, Wayne Andre on trombone, Alan Rubin, Jon Faddis, Lew Soloff, Marvin Stamm, Thad Jones and Victor Paz on trumpet, Dave Friedman on vibraphone, Charles Libove, David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff, Harold Kohon, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin, Max Ellen, and Paul Gershman on violin.
Common & Will.I.Am
Sampled Bob James' "Feel Like Makin' Love"
Common and Will.I.Am sampled the Bob James version of "Feel Like Making Love" for their song "I Want You" from Common's 2007 album Finding Forevor. The sample comes in at 3:20.
Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes recorded "Feel Like Makin' Love" on his 1978 Stax album Hotbed. Album credits include Erroll Thomas and William Murphy on bass, Jimmy Lee Thompson on congas, Willie Hall on drums, Charles Pitts and Sammy Watts on guitar, The Memphis Horns, Sidney Kirk and Isaac Hayes on keyboards. Produced by Isaac Hayes himself and mastered by Larry Nix.
Lumidee feat. Shaggy
R&B singer and Harlem, NY native Lumidee collaborated with Jamaican born dance hall reggae artist Shaggy on "Feel Like Makin' Love" for her 2007 album Unexpected (TVT Records). Musicians featured on the song include Joey Weiss on guitar, Walter White on horns, Jarred Eliose on keyboards, Pablo O. Bilbraup on percussion, and Eliott Thomas on piano. Produced, recorded and engineered by J Marty.
Marlena Shaw
Marlena Shaw recorded "Feel Like Makin' Love" for her 1974 album, Who Is This Bitch, Anyway on Blue Note. Album credits include Chuck Domanico and Chuck Rainey on bass, King Errison on congas, Harvey Mason on wind chimes, percussion and drums, Jim Gordon on drums, Larry Nash on electric piano, Bernard Ighner on flugelhorn, David T. Walker, Dennis Budlimer and Larry Carlton on guitar, Bernard Ighner, Mike Lang, Marlena Shaw and Bill Mays on piano. Produced by Bernard Ighner.
Monty Alexander
Another great instrumental version of "Feel Like Makin' Love" by Monty Alexander from his 1974 album, Love and Sunshine: Monty Alexander in Concert. Album credits include Eberhard Weber on bass, Kenny Clare on drums and Ernest Ranglin on guitar. Produced by German producer and engineer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer.
Will & Rainbow
Rainbow, featuring Will Boulware recorded "Feel Like Makin' Love" for their 1978 album, Crystal Green. The other players are Ralph McDonald on percussion, 'Bad' Steve Gadd on drums, Cornell Dupree and Eric Gale on guitar, Michael Breckner on tenor saxophone, and Gordon Edwards on electric bass. It was produced by Kiyoshi Itoh and Yasohachi Itoh and engineered by David Baker.
Gramophonedzie
Serbian DJ Marko Milićević aka Gramophonedzie, best known for his 2010 single “Why Don’t You”, covers "Feel Like Makin’ Love" in his 2015 house music release titled "Feels Like Love" feat. Matt Bandy.
