killing me softly with his song "Killing Me Softly with His Song" is a 1971 song composed by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel. The song was inspired by a poem by Lori Lieberman, "Killing Me Softly with His Blues", which she wrote after seeing a then-unknown Don McLean perform the song "Empty Chairs" live.[1] Don McLean does not wear his glasses when performing, thus the line "he looked right through me as if I wasn't there"[edit] Song and cover versionsLieberman was the first to record Fox and Gimbel's song, in 1971, but it became a bigger hit when covered by Roberta Flack in 1973. Her version won three Grammy Awards: Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Female Performer and it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 4 weeks. It was replaced by "Love Train" by the The O'Jays, then returned to the top of the U.S. charts for another week. In 1999 Flack's version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[2]In 1975, an instrumental version of "Killing Me Softly" served as the main musical theme of the film The Drowning Pool, starring Paul Newman. Charles Fox received credit as composer and conductor.R&B artist Al B. Sure was the next to cover the song in 1988 on his debut album In Effect Mode... and experienced some success with it. He was voted the top new Male R&B solo artist in 1989. Hip hop group The Fugees covered the song in 1996 on their album The Score, with Lauryn Hill singing the lead vocals. Their version became a massive hit reaching number two on the U.S. airplay chart, and had similar success in the UK, reaching number one and selling over a million copies. Propelled by the success of the Fugees track, the version by Flack was remixed in 1996 and topped the Hot Dance Club Play chart.Other major artists to cover the song include Herb Alpert, Engelbert Humperdinck, Frank Sinatra, Tori Amos, Alison Moyet, Eva Cassidy, Perry Como, The Jackson 5, Mina, Anne Murray, Luther Vandross, Toni Braxton, Alicia Keys, Jaco Pastorius, The Plain White T's, The Youngblood Brass Band, Shirley Bassey, John Holt and Usha Uthup.Stromin my pain with his fingersSingin my life with his wordsKilling me softly with his song x2Telling my whole life with his wordsKilling me softly with his songYea yea yea do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do doI heard he sang a good song,I heard he had a style,And so I came to see him and listen for a whileAnd there he was this young boyStranger to my eyesChorus:Stromin my pain with his fingers (one time, one time)Singin my life with his words (two times, two times)Killing me softly with his song x2Telling my whole life with his wordsKilling me softly with his songI felt all flushed with feverEmbarrased by the crowd,I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud,I pray that he would finishBut he just kept right onRepeat chorus