Lyric discussion by ike 

penny-lane has almost gotten it. The song is indeed about a moving performace at a Don McLean concert. Although the tune was made popular by Roberta Flack, it was actually written and first performed by a woman named Lori Lieberman:

lorilieberman.com/music/killingmesoftly.wma

The "song" that she is referring to is Empty Chairs. Give it a listen; it is actually a very moving composition by one of the most under-appreciated American writer-performers of our time.

@ike nice!

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