"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 lyrics describe a man looking to love again after being disappointed on his first attempt. The song has been widely recorded and has become a hit single for six different artists: P. P. Arnold, Keith Hampshire, Rod Stewart, Dawn Penn, Papa Dee and Sheryl Crow.
Cat Stevens version
Stevens made a demo recording of "The First Cut Is the Deepest" in 1965, while hoping to become a songwriter. 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. Over decades, it also became 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.
Personnel
Cat Stevens - lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
American expatriate singer P. P. Arnold had the first hit with the song, reaching number 18 on the UK Singles Chart 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. It also appeared in the feature film Seven Psychopaths.
Norma Fraser version
Jamaican singer Norma Fraser covered the song in 1967 on a Studio One recording released as the A side of the Coxsone label 45 rpm disc CS 7017. Fraser's version was subsequently released on various Studio One compilation LPs and CDs.
Keith Hampshire version
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. It also topped the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart. This recording also charted in the US, albeit outside the top 40.
Rod Stewart version
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, 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 albumUnplugged...and Seated.
, ragga and dancehall musician Papa Dee recorded a reggae cover of "The First Cut Is the Deepest" in 1995. It remains his most commercially successful track and was a big hit in Europe. The single peaked at number 5 in Sweden, number 9 in Denmark and Norway, number 20 in Austria and number 38 in Iceland.
Critical reception
Music & Media wrote about the song: "Dee-lightfully our Swedish Papa tackles the old Cat Stevens hit in a pop dance-infused reggae style with a snappy ragga interlude. Radio, club and dub edits are available too."
Track listing
Chart performance
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Sheryl Crow version
Sheryl Crow's version of "The First Cut Is The Deepest" is the first single released from her 2003 compilation albumThe Very Best of Sheryl Crow. It became one of Crow's biggest radio hits, peaking at No. 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and becoming her first top 40 solo country hit following the success of her duet with Kid Rock, "Picture". The song stayed on the Hot 100 for 36 weeks and became a gold seller, also reaching No. 1 on the BillboardAdult Contemporary and Adult Top 40 charts. Internationally, the song was a top-twenty success in Hungary, Ireland and New Zealand.
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 Sheryl in a rocky desert singing with her guitar, riding horses and interacting in a cowboy environment. Sheryl's single was nominated for a Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards, losing to "Sunrise" by Norah Jones.
