<Table> <Tr> <Td> "Come Little Children" (1974) Come Little Children1974 </Td> <Td> "The Closer I Get to You" (1978) The Closer I Get to You1978 </Td> <Td> "You Were Meant for Me" (1978) You Were Meant for Me1978 </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> "Come Little Children" (1974) Come Little Children1974 </Td> <Td> "The Closer I Get to You" (1978) The Closer I Get to You1978 </Td> <Td> "You Were Meant for Me" (1978) You Were Meant for Me1978 </Td> </Tr> <P> "The Closer I Get to You" is a romantic ballad performed by African American jazz, soul, R&B, and folk singer - songwriter Roberta Flack and African American soul musician Donny Hathaway . The song was written by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, two former members of Miles Davis's band, who were members of Flack's band at the time . Produced by Atlantic Records, the song was released on Flack's 1977 album Blue Lights in the Basement, and as a single in 1978 . It became a major crossover hit, becoming Flack's biggest commercial hit after her success with her 1973 solo single, "Killing Me Softly with His Song". Originally set as a solo - single, Flack's manager, David Franklin, suggested a duet with Hathaway, which resulted in the finished work . </P> <P> "The Closer I Get to You" spent two weeks as number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in April 1978, and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 . The song charted in the top ten spots for fourteen weeks in Canada and one week in France . It was eventually certified gold in the United States on May 1978, and became one of their most familiar duets . </P>

Who wrote the closer i get to you