Killing Me Softly
B.T.F Lyrics

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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 heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style

And so I came to see him to listen for a while
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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to B.T.F.'s song "Killing Me Softly" are a melancholic reflection on the transformative power of music. The song is about the emotional impact that music can have on us, particularly when we listen to a song that resonates deeply with our own experiences.

The opening lines of the song—"Strumming my pain with his fingers, singing my life with his words"—set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer hears a young boy singing a powerful and emotive song, and feels as if the boy is telling her own life story through his lyrics. She is both moved and disturbed by the experience: the boy is "killing her softly" with his song, taking her on an emotional journey that she finds simultaneously painful and cathartic.

In the second verse, the singer becomes even more wrapped up in the boy's performance. She feels "all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd" as the boy sings her deepest secrets and fears to a roomful of strangers. Despite her discomfort, however, she finds herself unable to tear herself away from the performance. The boy's voice is a form of emotional medicine, and she needs to hear every word.

The chorus repeats several times throughout the song, emphasizing the transformative power of music. The boy's lyrics are so powerful that they feel as if they are "telling [her] whole life with his words." The singer is simultaneously frightened and liberated by this experience, and her conflicting emotions are reflected in the song's haunting melody.

Line by Line Meaning

Strumming my pain with his fingers
He played the guitar in a way that reached deep into my emotions and made me feel the pain I was going through

Singing my life with his words
His lyrics resonated so much with my personal experiences that it almost felt like he was telling my life story

Killing me softly with his song
His performance was so moving and powerful that it was almost too much for me to bear

Telling my whole life with his words
His lyrics captured every detail of my struggles and hardships, conveying the depth of my pain perfectly

I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style
I knew of his reputation as a great musician and performer, and I was eager to see and hear him live

And so I came to see him to listen for a while
I sought refuge in his music, hoping to ease my pain temporarily and escape my problems

And there he was this young boy, a stranger to my eyes
He was just a boy, someone I had never met or seen before, but his talent was evident from the moment he started playing

I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd
I was overwhelmed by the intensity of my emotions and the attention I was receiving from the audience

I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud
I felt vulnerable and exposed, as if he had uncovered my deepest secrets and was sharing them with everyone

I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on
I was so emotionally drained that I wanted him to stop, but he continued playing and singing, oblivious to my discomfort

He sang as if he knew me in all my dark despair
His voice and lyrics spoke to me on a level that was almost spiritual, as if he understood the pain and struggle I was going through

And then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there
Although his music was incredibly personal and relatable, he was still a stranger who didn't know me beyond the performance he was giving

And he just kept on singing, singing clear and strong
He continued playing and singing, pouring his heart and soul into the music, even if he didn't fully understand the impact it was having on me

He was strumming my pain, yeah, he was singing my life
His music was so intense and powerful that it felt like he was taking my personal pain and transforming it into something real and tangible

With his song
The song was the medium through which he was able to connect with me and articulate my deepest feelings

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Robin Spielberg, Norman Gimbel, Charles Fox

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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