ROBERTA FLACK - THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE

THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE

ROBERTA FLACK

SONGWRITER: EWAN MACCOLL

ALBUM: FIRST TAKE

LABEL: ATLANTIC RECORDS

GENRE: FOLK SONG

YEAR: 1969

First Take is the debut album by the Jazz singer Roberta Flack. It was released in 1969 on Atlantic Records. After a track from this album, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" was included by Clint Eastwood in his 1971 film Play Misty for Me with the song becoming a #1 hit in the United States, this album became #1 on the U.S. album chart.

"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a 1957 folk song written by British political singer/songwriter Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger, who would later become his wife, to sing. At the time the couple were lovers, although MacColl was married to someone else. Seeger sang the song when the duo performed in folk clubs around Britain. During the 1960s, it was recorded by various folk singers and became a major international hit for Roberta Flack in 1972, winning the Grammy Awards for Record and Song of the Year. Billboard ranked it as the No. 1 song of the year for 1972.

The first time ever I saw your face

I thought the sun rose in your eyes

And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave

To the dark and the endless skies my love

To the dark and the endless skies

The first time ever I kissed your mouth

I felt the earth move in my hand

Like the trembling heart of a captive bird

That was there at my command my love

That was there at my command my love

And the first time ever I lay with you

I felt your heart so close to mine

And I knew our joy would fill the earth

And last 'till the end of time my love

And it would last 'till the end of time

The first time ever I saw your face

Your face, your face