Puerling's Singers Unlimited arrangements earned him the reputation as one of the best vocal writers in the world. Members of 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 they "went to school" on Puerling's arrangements.
Killing Me Softly With His Song
The 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 Singers Unlimited's song "Killing Me Softly With His Song" is about the impact a musician's performance can have on someone's life. The singer hears about a talented musician and decides to go see him perform. The singer captivates the singer with the way he plays his instruments and delivers his lyrics. The singer feels like the musician is singing about her own life and experiences. The description of being "killed softly with his song" means that the music is affecting the singer deeply and, in a way, destroying her, but in a gentle and subtle way.
As the song goes on, the singer becomes more and more affected by the music as she feels like the musician is speaking to her directly. She becomes embarrassed by the emotions that the music is bringing out of her, and feels vulnerable as if the musician knows her deepest secrets. Despite this, she finds herself captivated, unable to look away as the musician continues to play, singing as if he knows her story.
Overall, the song speaks to the profound impact that music can have on us. It has the power to touch us deeply and transform our lives, even if just for a moment.
Line by Line Meaning
I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style
I heard that he was a talented singer with his unique style.
And so I came to see him to listen for a while
I went to listen to him sing for a short time.
And there he was this young boy, a stranger to my eyes
I saw a young boy who I have never met before.
Strumming my pain with his fingers
He played the guitar in a way that expressed my emotional pain.
Singing my life with his words
His lyrics were so relatable that it felt as if he was singing about my own experiences.
Killing me softly with his song
His performance was so powerful that I was emotionally affected by it.
Telling my whole life with his words
His lyrics were telling my entire life story.
I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd
I became self-conscious and embarrassed in front of the audience.
I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud
It felt like he had read my personal letters and was singing about my secrets to the world.
I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on
I wanted his performance to end, but he continued singing.
He sang as if he knew me in all my dark despair
His singing captured the feeling of my darkest moments as if he had experienced them himself.
And then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there
He appeared to ignore my presence and kept singing as if he was singing to someone else.
And he just kept on singing, singing clear and strong
He continued singing in a clear and strong way.
He was strumming my pain, yeah, he was singing my life
Through his guitar and singing, he was expressing my emotional pain and life experiences.
With his song
His performance was so powerful that it felt like it was his song, and it was killing me softly.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Robin Spielberg, Norman Gimbel, Charles Fox
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind