I heard she sang a good song, I heard she had a style. 
And so I came to see her And listen for a while. 
And there she was this young girl, stranger to my eyes. 
 [bad word] my pain with her fingers, 
Singing my life with her words, 
Killing me softly with her song, 
Killing me softly with her song, 
Telling my whole life with her words, 
Killing me softly with her song 

I felt all flushed with fever, Embarrassed by the crowd, 
I felt she found my letters And read each one aloud. 
I prayed that she would finish But she just kept right on. 

She sang as if she knew me In all my dark despair 
And then she looked right through me As if I wasn't there. 
But she was there this stranger, Singing clear and strong.