Brown was a star football quarterback at Mount Vernon High School in New York, but rejected an athletic scholarship to the University of Iowa to pursue a music career. In 1987, Quincy Jones selected Brown as the first winner of the Sony Innovators Talent Search. Subsequently, Brown went on to work with Jones on several projects, most notably the platinum single "Secret Garden" from Jones' double platinum album Back on the Block. On this recording, Brown was one of a quartet with Barry White, El DeBarge, and James Ingram.
His debut album from 1988, In Effect Mode, sold more than two million copies, topping the Billboard R&B chart for seven straight weeks. The album included his memorable single "Nite and Day", which topped the R&B singles chart and reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. He received numerous Grammy and American Music Award (AMA) nominations, and won an AMA for Best New R&B Artist. He also received several Soul Train Award nominations, and won the award for Best New Artist. He also won several New York Music Awards. In addition, Al's 900 phone line was third in generating revenue, following those for New Kids on the Block and Run-DMC.
As a writer and producer, Brown introduced the multi-platinum group Jodeci and teen R&B performer Tevin Campbell (also one of Quincy Jones's former protégés), as well as Faith Evans, Dave Hollister, Case, and Usher to the music scene.
On June 23, 2009, Al released his fourth studio album, Honey I'm Home. It features the hit song, "I Love It (Papi Aye Aye Aye)." The single peaked at #77 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart and at #22 Adult R&B.
Killing Me Softly
Al B. Sure! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style
And there he was this young boy, a stranger to my eyes
Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd
I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud
I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on
Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
He sang as if he knew me in all my dark despair
And then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there
And he just kept on singing, singing clear and strong
Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
He was strumming my pain, yeah, he was singing my life
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
With his song
"Killing Me Softly" by Al B. Sure! is a song about the powerful impact that music can have on an individual. The song tells the story of someone who hears a young musician sing a song that resonates deeply with them. The musician's words and melody connect with the listener in a profound way, telling their entire life story and causing them to feel flushed with emotion.
The lyrics are full of vivid imagery that illustrate the impact that music can have on a person. The opening line, "Strumming my pain with his fingers," suggests that the musician is playing the listener's emotions like a guitar, while the repetition of the phrase "killing me softly" reinforces the idea that the music is having a powerful, transformative effect on the listener.
Throughout the song, the listener is drawn into the story of the musician and their music, ultimately coming to a place of catharsis and emotional release as they connect with the words and melody of the song. Ultimately, "Killing Me Softly" is a powerful ode to the transformative power of music and the ways in which it can connect us to our deepest emotions and experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Strumming my pain with his fingers
He played the notes that expressed my emotional pain perfectly
Singing my life with his words
He sang about my life experiences in a way that resonated deeply with me
Killing me softly with his song
His song hit me so deeply that it felt like it was emotionally destroying me
Telling my whole life with his words
The lyrics of his song painted a complete picture of my life story
I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style
I had heard about this musician and his impressive singing abilities and style
And so I came to see him to listen for a while
I decided to check out his performance and listen to his music for a little bit
And there he was this young boy, a stranger to my eyes
When I saw him, he was just a young, unknown musician to me
I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd
I was overcome with a strong emotion, feeling hot and embarrassed by all the people around me
I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud
His lyrics felt so personal, it was like he had found my private letters and was sharing them with the audience
I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on
I hoped his performance would end soon, but he just kept playing his music relentlessly
He sang as if he knew me in all my dark despair
His singing sounded like he intimately understood my feelings of sadness and hopelessness
And then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there
Despite his emotional connection to my feelings, he didn't acknowledge my presence and sang as if I wasn't in the audience
And he just kept on singing, singing clear and strong
He continued to sing with a powerful and compelling voice, not stopping for anyone
He was strumming my pain, yeah, he was singing my life
The combination of his playing and singing made it feel like my own pain and life story was being performed right in front of me
With his song
The power of his song and performance was overwhelming and continued to affect me even after it was over
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Robin Spielberg, Norman Gimbel, Charles Fox
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind