柔殺了我

I feel the trembling tingle of a sleepless night
Creep through my fingers and the moon is bright
Beams of blue come flickering through my window pane
Like gypsy moths that dance around a candle flame

And I wonder if you know
That I never understood
That although you said, you'd go
Until you did, I never thought you would

Moonlight used to bathe the contours of your face
While Chestnut hair fell all around the pillow case
And the fragrance of your flowers rest beneath my head
A sympathy bouquet left with the love that's dead

And I wonder if you know
That I never understood
That although you said, you'd go
Until you did, I never thought you would

Never thought the words you said were true
Never thought you said just what you meant
Never knew how much I needed you
Never thought you'd leave, until you went

Morning comes and morning goes with no regret
And evening brings the memories I can't forget
Empty rooms that echo as I climb the stairs
And empty clothes that drape and fall on empty chairs

And I wonder if you know
That I never understood
That although you said, you'd go
Until you did, I never thought you would

1971年，美國民謠女歌手lori lieberman在偶然機緣下，去聽了當時二十六歲還未大紅大紫的民謠歌手don mclean的現場演唱。

她被他的歌《Empty chairs》深深打動，隨後寫下詩歌《Killing me softly with his blues》。

這首詩後來由charles fox和norman gimbel創作成了歌曲《Killing me softly with his song》，並由lori lieberman親自演唱。

而真正讓這首歌走紅的是黑人女歌手roberta flack；1973年，roberta碰巧在飛機上聽到這歌，下飛機後立即找到作者要求錄製這歌，結果一個月裡登上流行榜的冠軍，接下來收錄在她的專輯裏，獲得當年格林美年度最佳女流行歌手、最佳專輯、最佳歌曲獎。

Strumming my pain with his fingers, 　　Singing my life with his words, 　　Killing me softly with his song, 　　Killing me softly with his song, 　　Telling my whole life with his words, 　　Killing me softly with his song. 　　I heard he sang a good song. 　　I heard he had a style. 　　And so I came to see him 　　To listen for a while. 　　And there he was, this young boy 　　A stranger to my eyes. 　　Strumming my pain with his fingers, 　　Singing my life with his words, 　　Killing me softly with his song, 　　Killing me softly with his song, 　　Telling my whole life with his words, 　　Killing me softly with his song. 　　I felt I flushed with fever, 　　Embarrassed by the crowd. 　　I felt he found my letters 　　And read each one out loud. 　　I prayed that he would finish. 　　But he just kept right on. 　　Strumming my pain with his fingers, 　　Singing my life with his words, 　　Killing me softly with his song, 　　Killing me softly with his song, 　　Telling my whole life with his words, 　　Killing me softly with his song. 　　He sang as if he knew me, 　　In all my dark despair. 　　And then he looked right through me 　　As if I wasn‘t there. 　　And he just kept on singing, 　　Singing clear and strong. 　　Strumming my pain with his fingers, 　　Singing my life with his words, 　　Killing me softly with his song, 　　Killing me softly with his song, 　　Telling my whole life with his words. 　　Killing me softly with his song. 　　oh, oh.............. 　　la, la, la... 　　Strumming my pain with his fingers, 　　Singing my life with his words, 　　Killing me softly with his song, 　　Killing me softly with his song, 　　Telling my whole life with his words, 　　Killing me ...... 　　he was strumming my pain 　　yeah~, he was singing my life 　　killing me softly with his song, 　　killing me softly with his song, 　　telling me whole life with his words, 　　killing me softly with his song.

1972年，roberta與donny hathaway重唱了carole king前一年創唱的《You've got a friend》。

When you're down and troubled
And you need some loving care
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend

Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend
When people can be so cold
They'll hurt you, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them
Oh, but don't you let them

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend

2012年，七十五歲的Roberta重唱the beatles 的一些歌；當然不是每一首都能殺人，但有些真的還動人，如這首：

When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be

And when the brokenhearted people
Living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be

For though they may be parted
There is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Yeah, there will be an answer let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be

And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be

I wake up to the sound of music
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Yeah, let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be