"Killing Me Softly With His Song," as sung by Lauryn Hill, Roberta Flack, & Lori Lieberman
Strong Songs
The Chorus: Killing Me Softly With His Song
The first two phrases are just two bars along a piece, they start right on the downbeat. But then things get interesting. The rhythmic phrasing and the way that it uses repetition and displacement is remarkable. It's really how the song gets away with repeating the title two times after she initially sings it.
It's not uncommon for a song to be written for one artist, only to become widely known after being recorded by another. It's less common for a song to have yet another rebirth decades later. That's just what happened with "Killing Me Softly with His Song."
Originally inspired by Lori Lieberman's profound experience at a 1971 Don McLean concert, Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox's song underwent two dramatic reinventions, first by soul titan Roberta Flack in 1973, and then by Lauryn Hill and her band Fugees in 1996. In this episode, Kirk dives into all three versions, looking to better understand how each singer put her own spin on what was already a classically strong song.
Written by: Music by Charles Fox, lyrics by Norman Gimbel with uncredited contributions by Lori Lieberman
Recorded by: Lori Lieberman (1972), Roberta Flack (1973), Lauryn Hill & Fugees (1996)
Albums: Lori Lieberman (1972), Killing Me Softly with His Song (1973), The Score (1996), A Thousand Dreams (1995), Truly (2022)
ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:
- "She sang ‘Killing Me Softly’ before Roberta Flack. Now she just wants you to hear her side of the story," by Geoff Edgers for the Washington Post, 2020
- "Lori Lieberman comes to terms with 'Killing Me Softly'" by FaceCulture, 2010
- "Empty Chairs" by Don McLean from American Pie, 1971
- "Bonita Applebum" by A Tribe Called Quest from People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, 1989
OUTRO SOLOIST: Joey Brink
Joey Brink is University Carillonist and Professor of Carillon at the University of Denver, where he performs daily on the 65-bell Williams Tower. An award-winning performer and composer, he has released two albums for carillon and performed widely across North America and Europe. Watch him record his solo on YouTube and check out his site at joeybrink.com.
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