From 1965 to 1967 Vicki sang with the Young Americans musical group and, also, appeared in the feature film "The Young Americans" which won an Academy Award for Best Documentary.
During her senior year of high school Vicki sent Carol Burnett a letter which included a local newspaper article mentioning their resemblance. Vicki invited Ms. Burnett to the local fire department’s "Miss Fireball Contest" in which she was performing. Ms. Burnett, looking for an actress to play her kid sister on her new variety series, contacted Vicki and made arrangements to come to the event. The rest is television history. "The Carol Burnett Show" premiered in the fall of 1967; the same year Vicki entered UCLA to study Theater Arts. She spent eleven years with Carol, earning one Emmy Award and five Emmy nominations. In 1995 Simon and Schuster published her story. Her autobiography is entitled "Vicki!: The True Life Adventures of Miss Fireball".
In 1968, Vicki went to Viet Nam to visit the U.S. troops with Johnny Grant. Several years later, in 1973, Vicki received a gold record as a recording artist for he international hit single "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia".
After the Burnett show ended, Vicki went on to star in her own TV series, "Mama’s Family" with Ken Berry, Dorothy Lyman, Beverly Archer, and Allan Kayser. The last original episode was made in January of 1990, completing five years of first-run syndication. The show still can be seen daily throughout most of the country.
Vicki was the honorary head of the D.A.R.E. program in Long Beach, California for two years while her kids were still young and in school. Around that time she and her husband also became members of the Long Beach Police Officer’s Association that raises money to protect the widows and families of slain police officers. Her efforts to protect women’s rights were recognized in 1988 when Vicki was the first woman to be honored as "Person of the Year" by the Coalition of Labor Union Women. Shortly thereafter, Vicki became one of the few successful, female game show hosts when she took on the daytime network-version of "Win, Lose or Draw".
Vicki further perfected her hosting skills on her own daytime talk show, appropriately called "Vicki!", from 1992 to 1994. She received critical acclaim when she was the only talk show host since Oprah to be nominated for a Daytime Emmy in her freshman year. In the fall of 1997, she briefly returned to daytime talk as the host of "Fox After Breakfast" from New York City.
On stage Vicki has appeared in numerous productions, including "Carousel", "Send Me No Flowers", "No, No, Nanette", "My Fat Friend", "Chapter Two", "Twigs", "Hello Dolly", "Special Occasions", "I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It ON The Road", "Annie Get Your Gun", and live from the Grand Ole Opry, "Nunsense 3: The Jamboree" which aired on TNN. Most recently she appeared in the Vagina Monologues.
Vicki also travels all over the country speaking to women’s organizations about her life and career, women’s health, and being a woman in a man’s world. All the while she approaches everything with her characteristic sense of humor, reminding us all that "Life is much too serious to be taken seriously!" She also can be seen across the country in her stage production: "Vicki Lawrence and Mama, A Two Woman Show."
Recently Vicki was invited to join The Board of Trustees for Miller Children’s Hospital at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. One of only eight children’s hospitals in the state, Miller Children’s Hospital was dedicated in 1970 as a community, non-profit hospital and now services patients within a 100-mile radius in LA and Orange counties. Vicki also hosts the annual WALK FOR THE CURE in her hometown where all the proceeds go to breast and ovarian cancer research at Long Beach Memorial Center.
In 1974 Vicki married the head of CBS make-up, Al Schultz, who is both her best friend and professional partner. Al and Vicki have two children, Courtney, 30, and Garrett, 28. They live at the beach with their two dogs, Hannah, a black Labrador Retriever and Watson, a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. They adopted a Yorkie Mix named Rosie when Vicki was hosting the Humane Society Telethon in Michigan. In their spare time Al and Vicki enjoy yacht racing. They own a 70-foot sloop named, fittingly, "Vicki".
Killing Me Softly
Vicki Lawrence Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
Vicki Lawrence's "Killing Me Softly" is a song about the emotional power of music. The song describes the experience of hearing a talented young musician sing a deeply moving song that seems to speak directly to the listener's soul. The singer of the song is drawn to the musician because she has heard he sings a good song, and in listening to him perform, she finds that he has a unique style that captivates her. As he performs, she feels as though he is "strumming my pain with his fingers" and "singing my life with his words." She becomes emotionally overwhelmed by his performance, feeling "flushed with fever" and "embarrassed by the crowd." She imagines that he has read her personal letters and is singing directly to her, revealing her deepest fears and secrets. Despite feeling exposed and vulnerable, she is unable to tear herself away from his performance, and the experience leaves her feeling like she has been "killed softly" by the power of his song.
The song is a powerful commentary on the cathartic and transformative power of music. It suggests that music can make us feel truly seen and understood, even by strangers. The young musician in the song is able to connect with the singer through his lyrics and performance in a way that feels deeply personal and intimate. The song highlights the way that music can function as a kind of emotional lifeline, helping us to navigate our most difficult and painful experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I heard he sang a good song
I had heard of his musical talents and abilities.
I heard he had a style
I was told that he had a unique and impressive style of singing.
And so I came to see him to listen for a while
I decided to see and hear him for myself, even if just for a short time.
And there he was this young boy
I saw him standing there, a young and unfamiliar face to me.
A stranger to my eyes
He was someone I had never seen before.
Strumming my pain with his fingers
He touched my heartstrings and played the chords that resonated with my deepest emotions.
Singing my life with his words
He expressed my personal experiences and feelings through his lyrics.
Killing me softly with his song
He was affecting me in such an emotionally powerful way that it felt like he was taking my life away with his music.
Telling my whole life with his words
Through his lyrics, he told the story of my entire life, every experience and emotion that I had ever felt.
I felt all flushed with fever
I became overwhelmed with emotion, feeling excited, nervous, and even a bit embarrassed in front of the crowd that surrounded us.
Embarrassed by the crowd
I felt self-conscious and uncomfortable because all eyes were on us.
I felt he found my letters
I sensed that he had discovered and read the private messages I had written about my innermost thoughts and feelings.
And read each one out loud
He recited my most intimate messages so that everyone could hear them.
I prayed that he would finish
I wished that he would stop singing about my personal life and move on to something else.
But he just kept right on
He ignored my plea and continued to sing about me.
He sang as if he knew me
His lyrics were so accurate and relatable that it was as if he had known me personally for a long time.
In all my dark despair
He sang about my lowest moments and darkest feelings.
And then he looked right through me
He completely ignored my presence and just focused on his music.
As if I wasn't there
I felt invisible and ignored, even though he was singing about me.
And he just kept on singing
He didn't stop or pause, but continued to sing without any interruption.
Singing clear and strong
He sang with confidence and power, leaving a lasting impression on me.
Writer(s): Norman Gimbel, Charles Fox
Contributed by Isabelle F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Melody K
Beautiful. All the songs on this album are. She doesn’t get the acknowledgement she deserves. She’s more than Carol Burnets sidekick!
Melody K
Stephanie um okay? You made me change my mind completely, whoever you are.
Crys Brown
Thank you I somehow never heard her version...i love it
jesse ruiz
Love her version
Elijah Johnson
Such a pretty version.
David Blakeman
Never knew Vickie did a version of this song.
JA Reviews & Tutorials
One of my favorite songs!
Kenny Schneider
Such a talented person,could make you smile as an actress,and make you smile with her music,I can do neither.lol
jankuya
Nice, smooth vocals!
Andrew Francisco
This is very good!