The First Cut Is the Deepest

"The First Cut Is the Deepest" is a 1967 song written by Cat Stevens, originally released by P. P. Arnold in May 1967. Stevens' own version originally appeared on his album New Masters in December 1967.

The song has been widely covered and has become a hit single for four different artists: P. P. Arnold (1967), Keith Hampshire (1973), Rod Stewart (1977), and Sheryl Crow (2003).

Cat Stevens version

Stevens made a demo recording of "The First Cut Is the Deepest" in 1965, but originally hoped to become a songwriter.^[1] He wrote the song earlier to promote his songs to other artists, but did not record it as his own performance until early October 1967 with guitarist Big Jim Sullivan, and it did not appear until his second album, New Masters, was released in December 1967. He sold the song for £30 to P.P. Arnold, and it became a huge hit for her,^[2] as well as an international hit for Keith Hampshire, Rod Stewart, and Sheryl Crow. The song has won Stevens songwriting awards, including two consecutive ASCAP songwriting awards for "Songwriter of the Year" in 2005 and 2006.^[3]

Personnel

• Cat Stevens - lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
• Big Jim Sullivan - electric guitar
• Herbie Flowers - bass guitar
• Chris Hunt - drums

P. P. Arnold version

American expatriate singer P. P. Arnold had the first hit with the song, reaching number 18 on the UK Singles Chart^[4] with her version in May 1967, well ahead of the song appearing on Stevens' album. The Arnold hit featured an up-tempo, soulful vocal set against harpsichord, horns, and strings.

Keith Hampshire version

Keith Hampshire had the first chart-topping hit of the song when his recording of it became a number one hit in Canada in 1973, reaching the top of the RPM 100 national singles chart on 12 May of that year.^[5] It also topped the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart.^[6] This recording also charted in the US, albeit outside the top 40.

Rod Stewart version

"The First Cut Is the Deepest"
Single by Rod Stewart
from the album A Night on the Town
B-side	"I Don't Want to Talk About It"
Released	February 1977
Format	7-inch single
Recorded	1976
Genre	Rock
Length	3:21
Label	Riva
Songwriter(s)	Cat Stevens
Producer(s)	Tom Dowd
Rod Stewart singles chronology
"I Don't Want to Talk About It" (1976) "The First Cut Is the Deepest" (1977) "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" (1977)
"I Don't Want to Talk About It" (1976) "The First Cut Is the Deepest" (1977) "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" (1977)

Stewart recorded the song at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama, United States, and it appeared on his 1976 album A Night on the Town. It was released as a double A-side single with "I Don't Want to Talk About It". It was a huge success, and spent four weeks at number one on the UK Singles Chart in May 1977,^[7] number 11 in April in Canada, and also reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. In a departure from the original, Stewart excludes the concluding "But when it comes to being loved, she's first" from the refrain. In 1993, he recorded a live version during a session of MTV Unplugged. This was included on the album Unplugged...and Seated.

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts

Year-end charts

Sheryl Crow version

"The First Cut Is the Deepest"
Single by Sheryl Crow
from the album The Very Best of Sheryl Crow
Released	20 October 2003
Recorded	2003
Genre	Pop, pop rock, country
Length	3:44
Label	A&M
Songwriter(s)	Cat Stevens
Producer(s)	John Shanks
Sheryl Crow singles chronology
"It's so Easy" (2002) "The First Cut Is the Deepest" (2003) "Light in Your Eyes" (2004)
"It's so Easy" (2002) "The First Cut Is the Deepest" (2003) "Light in Your Eyes" (2004)
Audio sample
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Sheryl Crow's version of "The First Cut Is The Deepest" was the first of two singles released to promote her 2003 compilation album The Very Best of Sheryl Crow. It became one of Crow's biggest radio hits, remaining 36 weeks in the Billboard Hot 100, and was also Crow's first Top 40 solo country hit, following the success of her hit duet with Kid Rock, "Picture". The song topped the airplay charts in the US and became a platinum seller, also reaching No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and went to number one on the AC chart for two nonconsecutive weeks. It was also featured during an episode of HBO's The Sopranos and The CW's One Tree Hill, in which she also guest starred.

Music video

The Sheryl Crow music video for "The First Cut Is the Deepest" was directed by Wayne Isham. Filmed in southern Utah, the video features Crow in a rocky desert singing with her guitar, riding horses and interacting in a cowboy environment. Crow's single was nominated for a Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards,^[15] losing to "Sunrise" by Norah Jones.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics