Roberta Flack

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About Killing Me Softly

"Killing Me Softly with His Song" is a song composed by Charles Fox with lyrics by Norman Gimbel. The song was written in collaboration with Lori Lieberman, who recorded the song in late 1971. In 1973 it became a number-one hit in the United States and Canada for Roberta Flack, also reaching number six in the UK Singles Chart. The song has been covered by many artists; the version by the Fugees won the 1997 Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

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Strumming my pain with his fingersSinging my life with his wordsKilling me softly with his songKilling me softly with his songTelling my whole life with his wordsKilling me softly with his songI heard he sang a good song,I heard he had a styleAnd so I came to see him,To listen for a whileAnd there he was this young boy,A stranger to my eyesStrumming my pain with his fingersSinging my life with his wordsKilling me softly with his songKilling me softly with his songTelling my whole life with his wordsKilling me softly with his songI felt all flushed with fever, Embarrassed by the crowdI felt he found my letters,And read each one out loudI prayed that he would finish,But he just kept right onStrumming my pain with his fingersSinging my life with his wordsKilling me softly with his songKilling me softly with his songTelling my whole life with his wordsKilling me softly with his songHe sang as if he knew me,In all my dark despairAnd then he looked right through me, As if I wasn't thereAnd he just kept on singing,Singing clear and strongStrumming my pain with his fingersSinging my life with his wordsKilling me softly with his songKilling me softly with his songTelling my whole life with his wordsKilling me softly with his songStrumming my pain with his fingersSinging my life with his wordsKilling me softly with his songKilling me softly with his songTelling my whole life with his wordsKilling meHe was strumming my painYeah, he was singing my lifeKilling me softly with his songKilling me softly with his songTelling my whole life with his wordsKilling me softly with his song

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Roberta Flack

Roberta Flack (born February 10, 1937) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music. Roberta Flack is best known for her Hot 100 #1 singles "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "Killing Me Softly with His Song" and "Feel Like Makin' Love", as well as "Where Is the Love" and "The Closer I Get to You", two of her many duets with Donny Hathaway. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" won the 1973 Grammy Record of the Year and "Killing Me Softly with His Song" won the same award at the Grammy Awards of 1974. She and U2 are the only artists to win the award in consecutive years. more »

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Written by: Norman Gimbel, Charles Fox

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

10 facts about this song

Song Origin

"Killing Me Softly" was originally written by Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox in 1971, inspired by a poem Lori Lieberman wrote after seeing a performance by Don McLean.

First Recording

Lori Lieberman was the first to record the song in 1971 for her album "Lori Lieberman".

Breakthrough Cover

The biggest hit version of the song was covered by Roberta Flack in 1973. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks and won the Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Fugees Version

The Fugees' version, released in 1996, won the 1997 Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. It catapulted the band to international fame.

Music Video

The music video directed by Aswad Ayinde earned the Fugees an MTV Music Video Award.

Lieberman Controversy

There was a controversy regarding the song's inspiration. While Lori Lieberman always maintained that she inspired the song, songwriters Gimbel and Fox publicly disputed this claim, stating that they wrote the song before presenting it to Lieberman.

Cultural Impact

Contrasting the Roberta Flack version and the Fugees cover shows cultural shifts in music. While Flack’s version is a simple, piano-driven ballad, the Fugees’ take is a blend of hip-hop and soul, reflecting the rise of hip-hop culture in the 90s.

Re-imagining the Song

The Fugees' version uses a sample from the song "Bonita Applebum" by A Tribe Called Quest, offering a more layered and textured interpretation which differed greatly from the version Roberta Flack performed.

Film feature

The Roberta Flack's version of "Killing Me Softly" has been featured in many movies, like "About a Boy" in 2002 and "Invincible" in 2006.

Lieberman's Reaction

Lori Lieberman was so moved and shocked when she heard the Fugees’ rendition of her song in the '90s, that she had to pull the car over to the side of the road.

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