The Origin Story Of Robert Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song”

The song “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” which was released in January 1973, became an immediate sensation and topped the charts in the United States, Australia, and Canada. The legendary Roberta Flack, who died on February 24, left behind a wealth of timeless music, but this song stands out above the rest. In 1974, the famous track also earned Flack two Grammy Awards: Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Record of the Year.

Although the song’s popularity is widely recognized, many people are unaware that Flack wasn’t the first to record it, and its origin is equally fascinating. The song, which was first performed by Lori Lieberman and was written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel, has a contentious past.

How Flack Discovered the Song

The origins of “Killing Me Softly With His Song” trace back to 1971, when Lori Lieberman attended a Don McLean concert in Los Angeles. Deeply moved by his performance of “Empty Chairs,” Lieberman jotted down her feelings on a napkin. She later brought these notes to Fox and Gimbel, the songwriting duo managing her at the time. Together, they shaped the lyrics while Fox composed the music.

Lieberman recorded and released the song in 1972, but it failed to gain traction on the charts. Meanwhile, Flack happened to hear it in an unexpected place—on an airplane.

Flack recalled this moment in an interview with NME (via Far Out Magazine), saying:

“The title, of course, smacked me in the face. I immediately pulled out some scratch paper, made musical staves [then] play[ed] the song at least eight to 10 times jotting down the melody that I heard. When I landed, I immediately called Quincy [Jones] at his house and asked him how to meet Charles Fox. Two days later I had the music.”

Feeling a deep connection to the song, Flack reworked it, making subtle changes to suit her style. She then performed her version at a 1972 Quincy Jones concert, where the audience’s enthusiastic reaction convinced her to record and release it the following year. The song became the title track of her August 1973 album, Killing Me Softly, which eventually gave her a place in music history.

The Dispute Over Songwriting Credits

Despite the song’s massive success, its origin remains a subject of controversy. While Lori Lieberman has long maintained that she helped write the lyrics based on her concert experience, Fox and Gimbel later downplayed her involvement.

In 1973, Gimbel seemed to confirm Lieberman’s role, telling the New York Daily News (via Songfacts):

“[Lieberman] told us about this strong experience she had listening to McLean. I had a notion this might make a good song so the three of us discussed it.”

However, by 2010, the story had changed. Fox contradicted that earlier account, telling Songfacts:

“Norman Gimbel and I wrote that song for a young artist whose name was Lori Lieberman. … She loved it; she said it reminded her of being at a Don McLean concert. So in her act, when she would appear, she would say that. And somehow the words got changed around so that we wrote it based on Don McLean.”

Whether Lieberman’s role was as significant as she claimed or not, one thing is certain—Flack’s version of the song made it legendary. It not only topped the charts in the 1970s but was later revived in 1996 by The Fugees, with Lauryn Hill delivering a fresh take that introduced the song to a new generation.

Even decades later, “Killing Me Softly With His Song” remains one of the most beloved ballads of all time and we’re sure that Roberta Flack’s voice and legacy will never fade.