Killing Me Softly
Captain Smartypants 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 Captain Smartypants's "Killing Me Softly" tell a story of a woman who becomes entranced by a young man's singing and guitar-playing. The first verse describes how the man is able to tap into the woman's emotions and pain, singing about her life in a way that deeply resonates with her. The second verse reveals that the woman has come to see the young man perform live, and is embarrassed by the intensity of her feelings for him.


In the third verse, the woman describes how the young man's singing makes her feel seen and understood, even though they are strangers. She is overwhelmed by his ability to convey her pain through his music. The chorus repeats the phrase "killing me softly with his song" several times, emphasizing how deeply moved the woman is by the young man's performance.


Overall, the lyrics to "Killing Me Softly" are about the power of music to connect people on a deep emotional level. Through his singing and guitar-playing, the young man is able to understand and articulate the woman's feelings in a way that she cannot do herself.


Line by Line Meaning

Strumming my pain with his fingers
Playing the tune that matches my emotional pain with his skilled fingers


Singing my life with his words
Expressing my life experiences through the lyrics he sings


Killing me softly with his song
Affecting me deeply and emotionally with the power of his music and lyrics


Telling my whole life with his words
Unveiling my entire life story through the words he chooses to sing


I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style
I became aware of his reputation and talent for his unique style of singing


And so I came to see him to listen for a while
I went to his performance to witness his exceptional singing for myself


And there he was this young boy, a stranger to my eyes
He stood before me, a young and unfamiliar person


I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd
I became feverish and embarrassed by the attention drawn from the audience to me


I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud
I perceived that he found my written material and revealed each detail publicly


I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on
I fervently hoped he would stop, but he continued to sing without pause


He sang as if he knew me in all my dark despair
He sang as if he possessed an empathetic understanding of all my hopeless feelings


And then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there
Suddenly, he seemed to disregard my presence and sang as if I weren't present


And he just kept on singing, singing clear and strong
He persisted in singing with vocal strength and clarity despite my emotions


He was strumming my pain, yeah, he was singing my life
His music resonated with my personal struggles and experiences, enhancing my emotional pain


With his song
The power of his music and words continued to affect me deeply




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Norman GImbel, Charles Fox

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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