I heard he sang a good song I heard he had a style
And so I came to see him to listen for awhile
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 all flushed with fever embarrassed by the crowd
I felt he found my letters and read each word out loud
I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on
Strumming my pain with his fingers

He sang as if he knew me in all my darkest pair
And then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there
But then he was there this stranger singing clear and strong
Strumming my pain with his fingers