<P> According to Lori Lieberman , who performed the original recording in 1971 , the song was born of a poem she wrote after experiencing a strong reaction to the Don McLean song `` Empty Chairs '' , writing some poetic ideas on a napkin at the Troubadour Club after seeing him perform the song , and then relating this information to Norman Gimbel , who took her feelings and converted them into song lyrics . Gimbel passed his lyrics to Charles Fox , who set them to music . </P>
<P> According to Lori Lieberman , who performed the original recording in 1971 , the song was born of a poem she wrote after experiencing a strong reaction to the Don McLean song `` Empty Chairs '' , writing some poetic ideas on a napkin at the Troubadour Club after seeing him perform the song , and then relating this information to Norman Gimbel , who took her feelings and converted them into song lyrics . Gimbel passed his lyrics to Charles Fox , who set them to music . </P>
who sang killing me softly with his song first
who sang killing me softly with his song first
Lori Lieberman
Lori Lieberman