Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song (Lower Key)
Hello! Below you'll find my "Killing Me Softly With His Song" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
This song has one of my favorite chord progressions and melodies of all time. It was originally made famous by Roberta Flack, though I grew up with the great Fugees cover. The chords below are for a lower key that suits my voice better, but you can find the original key here. I teach both versions in the video.
Enjoy!
Killing Me Softly With His Song Piano Tutorial
Here's a piano tutorial video for Killing Me Softly With His Song:
Killing Me Softly With His Song Chords & Lyrics
[Chorus]
Am7 Dm7
Strumming my pain with his fingers
Am7 Dm7
Strumming my pain with his fingers
G7 C
Singing my life with his words
Am7 D
Killing me softly with his song
Am7 D
Killing me softly with his song
G F
Killing me softly with his song
C F
Telling my whole life with his words
Bbmaj7 A7
Killing me softly, with his song
C F
Telling my whole life with his words
Bbmaj7 A7
Killing me softly, with his song
[Verse]
Dm7 G7 C
I heard he sang a good song
F
I heard he had a style
Dm7 G7 Am7
And so I came to see him and listen for a while
Dm7 G7 C
And there he was this young boy
E7
A stranger to my eyes
Dm7 G7 Am7
And so I came to see him and listen for a while
Dm7 G7 C
And there he was this young boy
E7
A stranger to my eyes
[Chorus]
Am7 Dm7
Strumming my pain with his fingers
G7 C
Singing my life with his words
Am7 D
Killing me softly with his song
Am7 D
Killing me softly with his song
G F
Killing me softly with his song
C F
Telling my whole life with his words
Bbmaj7 A7
Killing me softly, with his song
C F
Telling my whole life with his words
Bbmaj7 A7
Killing me softly, with his song
[Verse]
Dm7 G7 C
I felt all flushed with fever
Dm7 G7 C
I felt all flushed with fever
F
Embarrassed by the crowd
Dm7 G7
I felt he found my letters
Embarrassed by the crowd
Dm7 G7
I felt he found my letters
Am7
and read each one out loud
Dm7 G7 C
I prayed that he would finish
Dm7 G7 C
I prayed that he would finish
E7
But he just kept right on
But he just kept right on
[Chorus]
Am7 Dm7
Strumming my pain with his fingers
G7 C
Singing my life with his words
Am7 D
Killing me softly with his song
Am7 D
Killing me softly with his song
G F
Killing me softly with his song
C F
Telling my whole life with his words
Bbmaj7 A7
Killing me softly, with his song
C F
Telling my whole life with his words
Bbmaj7 A7
Killing me softly, with his song
[Interlude]
| Am7 | Dm7 | G7 | C | Am7 | D | G | F |
| C | F | Bbmaj7 | Bbmaj7 | A7 | A7 |
(Woah...)
| Am7 | Dm7 | G7 | C | Am7 | D | G | F |
| C | F | Bbmaj7 | Bbmaj7 | A7 | A7 |
(Woah...)
[Chorus]
Am7 Dm7
Strumming my pain with his fingers
G7 C
Singing my life with his words
Am7 D
Killing me softly with his song
Am7 D
Killing me softly with his song
G F
Killing me softly with his song
C F
Telling my whole life with his words
Bbmaj7 A7
Killing me softly, with his song
C F
Telling my whole life with his words
Bbmaj7 A7
Killing me softly, with his song
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
Killing Me Softly With His Song Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "Killing Me Softly With His Song" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.
3. Simplify if need be: "Killing Me Softly With His Song" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.
