Killing Me Softly with His Song
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| “Killing Me Softly with His Song” | |||||
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| Single by Roberta Flack from the album Killing Me Softly |
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| B-side | "Just Like a Woman" | ||||
| Released | January 21, 1973 | ||||
| Format | 7" single | ||||
| Recorded | 1972 | ||||
| Genre | Soul | ||||
| Writer(s) | Charles Fox Norman Gimbel |
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| Roberta Flack singles chronology | |||||
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"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 versions
Lieberman 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 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, becoming 1996's best selling single in the country. 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.
A live instrumental version was recorded by Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers in 1998.
The song was prominently featured in the 2002 film About a Boy in which the boy of the title, Marcus, is ridiculed by classmates for singing the song, a favourite of his mother's, at his school talent show because of its feminine associations and its romantic, emotional lyrics.
In 2006 the song became a popular football chant with Irish soccer team Shelbourne F.C. with the lyrics changed to "Dillon Me Softly with His Song" regarding former defender Sean Dillon. The chant has since followed Dillon to his new club Dundee United F.C..
Flack's version ranked #360 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
[edit] Cover versions in other languages
| Country | Artist | Title | Translated title | Lyrics by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | Lill Lindfors (1973), Lotta Engberg (1997) | "Sången han sjöng var min egen" | "The song he sang was my own" | |
| Norway | Inger Lise Rypdal | "Sangen han sang var min egen" | "The song he sang was my own" | |
| Denmark | Sanne Salomonsen | "Søgte mit indre" | "Sought my innermost" | |
| Denmark | Shu-Bi-Dua | "Kylling med Soft Ice" | "Chicken with softice" (parody) | |
| Denmark | Clemens | "Flammende Oprør" (Rap containing samples from Sanne Salomonsen "Søgte mit indre") | "Flaming Rebellion" | |
| Italy | Marcella Bella (1973), Lara Saint Paul (1973), Ornella Vanoni (1973) | "Mi fa morire cantando" | "He kills me singing" | |
| Estonia | Els Himma (1974) | "Millest sa elad ja hingad" | "Of what you live and breathe" | Vally Ojavere |
| Brazil | Joanna (1991) | "Morrendo de amor" | "Dying of love" | |
| Mexico | Pandora | "Mátame muy suavemente" | "Kill me very softly" | |
| Japan | Mariko Takahashi, AI, Misato Watanabe, Saori Minami | "Yasashiku Utatte" | "Sing to me tenderly" | |
| Argentina | Sergio Denis | "Matándome suavemente" | "Killing me softly" | |
| Spain | Tino Casal | "Tal como soy" | "The way I am" | |
| Germany | Manuela (Singer) | "Etwas in mir wurde traurig" | "Something inside me became sad" | |
| Czech Republic | Helena Vondráčková (1974) | "Dvě malá křídla tu nejsou" | "Two little wings are not here" | Zdeněk Borovec |
| Finland | Päivi Paunu (1973) | "Jokainen päivä on liikaa" | "Every day is too much" | |
| Poland | Anna Jantar | "Zabijasz mnie swoją piosenką" | "You're killing me with your song" | |
| France | Gilbert Montagné | "Elle chantait ma vie en musique" | "She was singing my life in music" | |
| Cuba | Omara Portuondo (2006) | "Matándome suavemente" | "killing me softly" | |
| Vietnam | Khánh Hà , Thùy Hương | "Nỗi Đau Dịu Dàng" | "Soft Pain" |
[edit] References
| Preceded by "Crocodile Rock" by Elton John |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Roberta Flack version) February 24, 1973 — March 17, 1973 |
Succeeded by "Love Train" by The O'Jays |
| Preceded by "Love Train" by The O'Jays |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Roberta Flack version) March 31, 1973 |
Succeeded by "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" by Vicki Lawrence |
| Preceded by "How Do U Want It" / "California Love" by 2Pac featuring K-Ci and JoJo / Dr. Dre |
RIANZ (New Zealand) number one single (Fugees version) 31 May 1996 |
Succeeded by "Tha Crossroads" by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony |
| Preceded by "Three Lions" by Baddiel & Skinner & The Lightning Seeds |
UK Singles Chart Number 1 single (Fugees version) June 2, 1996 for 5 weeks |
Succeeded by "Forever Love" by Gary Barlow |
| Preceded by "Macarena" by Los del Río |
United World Chart number one single (Fugees version) July 20, 1996 |
Succeeded by "Macarena" by Los del Río |
