Music has this weird way of moving in circles. You hear a song in a movie, it becomes a massive hit for one person, and then, a decade later, someone else picks it up and completely changes the DNA of the track. That is exactly what happened when Roberta Flack decided to record "It Might Be You."
Most people recognize the tune instantly as the theme from the 1982 film Tootsie. It was originally a soft-rock staple by Stephen Bishop. But honestly? Flack's version, tucked away on her 1994 album Roberta, feels like a totally different animal. While Bishop gave us that breezy, 80s yearning, Roberta Flack did what she always does—she slowed time down. She made it about the quiet, almost painful patience of waiting for a soulmate.
The 1994 Renaissance: Why "Roberta" Matters
By the early 90s, the music industry was obsessed with New Jack Swing and the rise of hip-hop soul. Longtime legends were often pushed to the side. But Roberta Flack didn't care about trends. She released an album simply titled Roberta in 1994, and it was a masterclass in "Quiet Storm" elegance.
The album was basically a collection of covers, but "covers" feels like a cheap word for what she was doing. She was reimagining the American songbook through a lens of jazz, R&B, and classical precision. "It Might Be You" was one of the standout tracks.
If you listen to the arrangement, it’s lush. We're talking about a production team that included Jerry Barnes and Katreese Barnes. They didn't just throw a beat behind her; they built a sonic atmosphere. It features these incredible background vocals from Tony Terry and Andre Smith that swell up behind Roberta's lead, making the whole "it might be you" hook feel like a collective realization rather than just one person's hope.
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Breaking Down the Flack Style
What makes the Roberta Flack It Might Be You version so distinct?
First, let's talk about the tempo. Roberta is the queen of the "languorous crawl." She doesn't rush a lyric. When she sings "I've been passing time watching trains go by," you actually feel the weight of those years. It’s not just a line; it’s a lived experience.
Second, there is the piano work. Flack was a classically trained prodigy who got into Howard University on a full scholarship at age 15. That training is all over this track. The chords are sophisticated. They lean into jazz territory in a way that the original pop version never dared.
- The Original: Stephen Bishop (1982). Very "yacht rock." Light, airy, focused on the melody.
- The Flack Version: Roberta (1994). Soul-jazz fusion. Heavy on the "Quiet Storm" vibes. Deeply emotive.
A Song of "What Ifs"
The lyrics, written by the legendary Alan and Marilyn Bergman along with Dave Grusin, are some of the most romantic ever penned. "Something's telling me it might be you... all of my life."
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There’s a vulnerability there that fits Roberta’s voice perfectly. She has this "hushed intensity." It's like she's whispering a secret to you in a crowded room. In the 1994 recording, she adds these little vocal ad-libs toward the end—little "maybe it's you" riffs—that feel completely spontaneous. It turns the song from a movie theme into a personal confession.
Why You Probably Haven't Heard It (But Should)
It’s kind of a tragedy that this version isn't as famous as "Killing Me Softly" or "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face."
The mid-90s were a crowded time for R&B. While Roberta's 1991 hit "Set the Night to Music" with Maxi Priest got a lot of radio play, the Roberta album was more of a "connoisseur's record." It was for the people who wanted to sit in a dark room with a glass of wine and really listen.
Also, "It Might Be You" is so inextricably linked to Dustin Hoffman in a dress that many people find it hard to separate the song from the film Tootsie. But if you strip away the 80s comedy context and just listen to Flack’s interpretation, it becomes a universal anthem for anyone who has ever felt like they were "saving love songs and lullabies" for a person they hadn't met yet.
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The Impact of the Bergman-Grusin Connection
You can't talk about this song without mentioning Dave Grusin and the Bergmans. These are the heavyweights of cinematic songwriting. Grusin's melody is deceptively simple, but it has these intervals that allow a singer like Roberta to really stretch her range.
The Bergmans are known for lyrics that are literate and poetic. Roberta Flack has always been drawn to that kind of writing. She doesn't do "disposable" pop. She picks songs that have meat on the bones. On the same album, she covered "Looking for Another Pure Love" by Stevie Wonder and "In a Sentimental Mood" by Duke Ellington. Placing "It Might Be You" alongside those giants shows you exactly how much respect she had for the composition.
How to Listen Today
If you’re looking to find this track, don’t just search for a random "best of" collection. Go straight to the 1994 album Roberta.
The mastering on that record is superb. Even in 2026, it sounds crisp and modern because it wasn't over-compressed like so much of the music that came out later. You can hear the fingers on the bass strings. You can hear the breath before the note.
Actionable Next Steps for Music Lovers
If this deep dive into Roberta's catalog has sparked your interest, here is how to truly appreciate her 90s era:
- Queue up the "Roberta" (1994) album in its entirety. Don't shuffle. Let the mood build from the jazzier tracks into the ballads.
- Compare the Bishop and Flack versions back-to-back. Notice the "space" Flack leaves between the notes. That's where the magic happens.
- Explore the Barnes production era. Look into other tracks produced by Jerry and Katreese Barnes from this period; they brought a specific sophisticated soul sound to the 90s that is often overlooked.
- Watch the 2023 documentary "Roberta". It gives amazing context to her late-career choices and her struggle to remain an "interpreter" of songs in a world that wanted her to be a "hit-maker."
Roberta Flack has always been about the feeling. Whether she was singing about a face she saw for the first time or a person she might spend the rest of her life with, she remained the ultimate storyteller. "It Might Be You" isn't just a cover; it's a testament to her ability to find the soul in any melody.