Gene Puerling and Don Shelton had originally formed part of the successful all-male vocal group, The Hi-Lo's, some years previously. The Singers Unlimited Group were originally formed to record for commercials in the USA, but as time progressed, they were persuaded to enter the recording studio to record a series of albums. On the recommendation of Oscar Peterson (who was also signed to the label at the time), they gained a contract with German label MPS. They recorded two albums in 1971, the first a cappella, the second with Peterson's then current trio.
The group produced 15 albums, of which arguably the most well-known is their Christmas Album (which was actually recorded before the group's association with MPS.) All of the 14 albums they recorded specifically for MPS (between the years 1971-1982) are collected in the 7 CD box set entitled Magic Voices.
Magic VoicesPuerling's Singers Unlimited arrangements earned him the reputation as one of the best vocal writers in the world. The renowned jazz-gospel vocal group Take 6 often gives credit to Puerling and the Singers Unlimted as innovators in the a cappella world, claiming that Take 6 "went to school" on Puerling's arrangements.
Puerling took advantage of cutting-edge multitracking techniques of German studio engineer Hans George Brunner-Schwer to create his advanced harmonic concepts and the group's signature sound. In the overdubbing process, baritone Puerling and tenor Shelton would often add two additional middle parts, after which all parts were "doubled" and "tripled." Creating these extra tracks created the fuller, richer sound of the group's recordings, and is now a common recording practice.
Len Dresslar (born 1924), bass of the Singers Unlimited, arguably best known as the voice of the Jolly Green Giant ("Ho, Ho, Ho!") for well over 40 years, as well as the voice behind countless other jingles from Chicago, passed away in 2005. He had also been the President of the Chicago branch of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) for several years in the mid to late eighties.
Killing Me Softly With His Song
Singers Unlimited Lyrics
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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
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
The lyrics to Singers Unlimited's "Killing Me Softly with His Song" tell a story of a woman who hears a man singing and becomes enamored with his voice and style. She feels a connection to the lyrics and is moved by the way he plays his guitar, as he appears to be singing about her own life experiences. The woman becomes overwhelmed with emotion, feeling both embarrassed by the attention she is receiving from the singer and yet captivated by his performance.
The chorus of the song, "Killing me softly with his song / Telling my whole life with his words," suggests that the woman feels like the singer is able to tap into her innermost thoughts and feelings through his music, and that the experience is somehow both painful and exhilarating. The final verse suggests that the woman feels like the singer is able to see the most vulnerable parts of herself, even if he is a complete stranger. The song therefore speaks to the powerful emotional impact that music can have on people, and how it can be used to tell stories of pain, love, and personal experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style
I heard the boy had a good voice and unique style of singing
And so I came to see him to listen for a while
I came to hear him perform and enjoy his music for a bit
And there he was this young boy, a stranger to my eyes
He was a new and unknown face to me, but he was there, and performing
Strumming my pain with his fingers
He played the guitar, and his music helped me feel and move through my emotions
Singing my life with his words
I felt like he was telling my own personal story, and making sense of my experiences
Killing me softly with his song
His music was so powerful and moving that it gave me a feeling of being overwhelmed and vulnerable
Telling my whole life with his words
His lyrics painted a picture of where I came from, what I’ve been through, and where I'm going
I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd
I was overcome with emotion and felt as though everyone else could see that
I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud
I was worried he knew all my secrets and was revealing them to the entire audience
I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on
I hoped that the performance would end soon so I could compose myself, but he didn't stop singing
He sang as if he knew me in all my dark despair
The boy sang as if he knew and understood my deepest pains and darkest moments
And then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there
Despite the connection I felt through his performance, he seemed unaware of my personal feelings towards it all
And he just kept on singing, singing clear and strong
He continued singing in a powerful and captivating way, giving me no choice but to keep listening
He was strumming my pain, yeah, he was singing my life
The boy was using his music to evoke emotions and memories that were personal and specific to me
With his song
Through his music, the boy was able to pull at my heartstrings and give me a sense of clarity and perspective
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Robin Spielberg, Norman Gimbel, Charles Fox
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind