Killing Me Softly With His Song
Roberta Flack Lyrics

Strumming my pain with his fingers
He was playing the guitar and hitting every chord that resonates with my internal struggles, reminding me of my pain.

Singing my life with his words
He was performing with lyrics that were so personal to me, describing my past experiences that I thought only myself knew about.

Killing me softly with his song
Although his beautiful performance was soothing, it was also a painful experience that made me feel like he was exposing my innermost thoughts and emotions.

Telling my whole life with his words
Through his verses, he was telling the story of my entire being, laying it all out for the world to see.

I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style
Rumors of his talent preceded him, so I went to check him out for myself. I had to find out what made him so special.

And so I came to see him to listen for a while
Without any expectations, I simply showed up, hoping to be entertained or moved.

And there he was this young boy, a stranger to my eyes
When I finally saw him, I noticed his youth and fresh face, which made me a stranger to him, as well.

I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd
His performance was so spellbinding that I felt like I was on fire, yet I also worried about standing out among the others who were enjoying the show with me.

I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud
Metaphorically, it seemed like he had read my innermost thoughts and secrets, and then he was singing them for everyone around us to hear.

I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on
Although I was uncomfortable, I hoped it would all end soon. However, he refused to stop, as he had more to say and convey.

He sang as if he knew me in all my dark despair
As he was performing, it felt like he knew me better than anyone else and knew about the times in my life when I was really struggling.

And then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there
Even though I felt like he knew me, it was apparent that I was insignificant to him. It was as if I was transparent and he was only focused on delivering his message.

And he just kept on singing, singing clear and strong
He didn't let up on his delivery or his message, continuing with the same amount of intensity and enthusiasm.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh La, la, la, la, la, la, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, la La
The final notes of the song were hopeful and enduring, leading us all to a place of promise and potential.

He was strumming my pain Yeah, he was singing my life
The performer was bringing to life every painful and joyful moment that I had ever experienced, making my past come to life in a haunting way.

Killing me softly with his song
It was as if he was tearing away at the very essence of me, slowly but methodically breaking me down with each word and note.

Telling my whole life with his words
His words became more than just lyrics; they were windows into my soul, showing everyone around me everything they had ever wanted to know about me.

Killing me softly with his song
The agonizing experience of having my innermost thoughts exposed was breaking me down from within, yet I couldn't look away.