Lyr Req: Killing Me Softly with His Song (R Flack)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Killing Me Softly with His Song (R Flack)
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 20 Aug 13 - 03:37 PM

"Strumming my pain with his fingers"? All these years later, this sounds dangerously close to some of the "Horse With No Name"" kind of lyrics. Or "blowin' through the jasmine in my mind." Seventies, dude.

Subject: Lyr Add: KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Aug 13 - 12:28 AM

KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG
Words by Norman Gimbel, music by Charles Fox,
As recorded by Roberta Flack, 1973.

CHORUS: 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.

1. 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,— CHORUS

2. 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,— CHORUS

3. 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,— CHORUS, BREAK, CHORUS TWICE.

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jul 08 - 02:02 PM

I'm looking for "killing me softly with kung fu." Can anyone help me?
Sylvia Herold

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Noreen
Date: 14 Feb 01 - 09:02 PM

Works fine for me just now, Mickey.

Noreen

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Mickey191
Date: 14 Feb 01 - 07:45 PM

For Jon Freeman: Please tell me how to get back to the Killing Me Softly site. I've tried Home.istar.ca Etc., Perry Com etc.I'm told the page is not available,etc. Thank you inadvance.

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 11:22 PM

Have sung 'First Time Ever' many times ..at many weddings. Remains my favorite song that I never sing unless the 'moment' is deserving of it. In my mind, it is the most intimate song ever writen...but perhaps that's another thread??? Lyrical Lady

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Noreen
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 01:19 AM

Aaaaah, Mark, you'll have to tell me it sometime...

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 11:32 PM

Well, truth be told, I don't. But that's another story...

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Abby Sale
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 11:05 AM

Burke: Thanks for the concern but what with syndication & reruns, you can never entirely miss a TV show. It always returns at you. Well, I'm still waiting to refresh my memory of some of my favorite episodes of Captain Video. Maybe it's the exception.

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Noreen
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 11:01 AM

Thanks, 'Spaw and Mark, I really needed that! *grin*

Noreen

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 02:17 AM

Thanks, Noreen. Now, unlike poor 'Spaw, I get it.

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: catspaw49
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 10:22 PM

....circa 1970/71...........I'm in DC for a demonstration against the ICBM's. We're happily sitting on the Capitol steps, bored to death, and someone says, "Hey....Let's go over to this little place I know. They have a really great singer.....just the best. You all will really go for her."..........and he continues with a description. I elected not to go since this Columbia girl I was interested in decided that she wasn't going. Besides, this singer was unknown, some small timer. They came back with rave reviews later and said that this girl was "gonna' make it big" and we should have gone. Indeed. Yeah.......Roberta Flack.

.......and I didn't get a thing off the girl from New York. Never lead with your dick.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: GUEST,Burke
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 09:43 PM

Abby, did you also miss the television series "Kung Fu" starring David Carradine? It ran for 3 seasons 1972/73-1974/75 and would make great parody material.

I can't find the words in a web search, but two pages connect the song with Michael Spiro.

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Noreen
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 08:45 PM

Quote taken from the link above, Mark: Roberta Flack: I got on a flight from L.A. to New York, and on the plane was in-flight entertainment -- eight different channels of music you could listen to on a personal headset. I ran down the list of song titles on this one channel and got to 'Killing Me Softly with His Song.' I though, 'Hmm, that's different,' and instantly plugged in. I said, 'I'm gonna wait for that,' and sat back and waited for it to come on. And when I heard it, I freaked. I absolutely freaked. When I got to New York, I went to the hotel and called Quincy Jones. I said, 'Tell me how to find the guys who wrote this song -- Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel.'

"I got it from Charles Fox that they wrote the song, in its final form, based on the feelings of Lori Lieberman. At first, the tune was called 'Killing Me Softly with His Blues.' Similar, but not really the same song. Then Lori went and had the experience of seeing Don McLean perform at the Troubadour."

The song that moved Lori so much was "American Pie." Fox and Gimbel completed their tune and then had Lori record it for Capitol Records. Although it did get "air play" in the sky, Lori's version fell flat on the charts on the ground below.

Roberta previewed "Killing Me Softly" live, without rehearsal, at a concert held in L.A.'s Greek Theater. Afterward, Quincy Jones, the other act on the bill, leaned over and said, "Don't you ever sing that song again until you get it recorded. Don't you know that the crowd is full of singers looking for material?"

Roberta then went into the studio with producer Joel Dorn and arranger Eumir Deodato (himself to become famous within weeks, with the hit instrumental "2001"). They released "Killing Me Softly" in late January 1973, and within a month, it had been certified gold by the RIAA. The song rapidly climbed up the charts, taking just four weeks to reach number one, and it remained a good seller for more than a dozen more. "Killing Me Softly" also repeated Roberta's earlier Grammy feat by winning Record of the Year as well as Best Pop Vocal -- Female, and Song of the Year for composers Gimbel and Fox.

Noreen

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 04:16 PM

Noreen, maybe I'm the one in the dark here, and my erratic cell phone connection wouldn't let me follow your link. What I remember hearing is that the song was written by a former flame of McLean's who went to hear him perform somewhere and heard him do a song about their relationship. But it seems the song was originally written by Norman Gimbel as "Killing Me Softly With HER Song" (which I'd never known), which would tend to discount that story. Unless I'm missing something obvious, which is always possible.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Matt_R
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 01:37 PM

Of course, don't forget the classic remake by The Fugees back in 1996!

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Don Firth
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 01:31 PM

I'd heard the original (Killing Me Softly with Her Song) of course. Then one evening back in the late Seventies, at a Seattle Song Circle held at the home of Sally Ashford, Sally's son (in his late teens or early twenties -- I can't recall his name) sang Killing Me Softly with Kung Fu. Cracked everybody up!

I can't add any actual knowledge about . . . Kung Fu except that apparently it got around some.

Incidentally, Sally Ashford was one of Seattle's most outrageously marvelous folksingers. Unfortunately, for us anyway, she's no longer living in this area.

By the way, if anybody has the words to Kung Fu. . . .

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Abby Sale
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 10:24 AM

Happily, I was 'abroad' in 1972 cut "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." (I'd wooed my future spouse with this in 1964 and regret to report I'm still married - be careful you guys) And I've not yet heard "Killing me Softly" so possibly I've never heard Flack at all. I'm not sure I care but there's a local, knownish singer, Pete Easton, who sings "Killing me Softly with Kung-Foo." This is a good song but obviously I'd missed half the joke.

What's the story behind "Kung-Foo?" Is it well-known too?

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Noreen
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 01:01 AM

"Killing Me Softly With His Song" Well I just had to find out for myself, then.

Noreen

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Noreen
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 12:40 AM

I seem to remember reading it in the program at a Don McLean concert... but that was about 25 years ago...

Noreen

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Noreen
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 12:37 AM

Why 'apparently not', Mark? What have i missed?

Noreen

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 12:01 AM

Now that's interesting. I had also heard it was written about Don McLean. Apparently not. However, the title track of the Perry Como album in Jon's link, "And I Love You So", is by Don McLean. Hmmmm....does this tell us something about Norman Gimbel? Or Don McLean? Or Perry Como? The beat goes on....

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Margo
Date: 10 Feb 01 - 11:43 PM

I heard this song being played quietly in the background of a radio ad. The ad was for a mortuary. No lie! someone had a sense of humor...Margo

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Noreen
Date: 10 Feb 01 - 08:57 AM

Anni, I believe it was inspired by the singing of Don M^cLean.

Noreen

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 10 Feb 01 - 08:08 AM

Click here for the info you want.

Jon

Subject: RE: Killing me softly
From: Ritchie
Date: 10 Feb 01 - 06:08 AM

Anni, It was sung by Roberta Flack but I can't remember who wrote it. I think you're right about the title.

regards Ritchie

Subject: Killing me softly - mental blank
From: GUEST,Anni
Date: 10 Feb 01 - 05:23 AM

I know it's been done to death, but I was singing that song (I don't even know if that's the right title "Killing me softly", but everyone must know it) today and I just thought I really want to do that, not to perform, but just for me. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's ever felt like they knew exactly what that woman felt like. So, I don't know who wrote it either, could some kind soul do me a favour and point me to the lyrics and any other relevant detail. Thanks