“The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes “

Because I spent much of my youth listening to folk singers and groups such as Peter, Paul and Mary; The Chad Mitchell Trio; The Kingston Trio; The Brothers Four; and Gordon Lightfoot, all of whom recorded this song, I know I heard the song in the 1960s.  However, I never really heard “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” until Roberta Flack’s version was released in 1972.

It was written in 1957 by Scottish singer Ewan MacColl for American folk singer Peggy Seeger (sister of Pete Seeger) whom he later married.  MacColl disliked every recorded version he ever heard and had a special “Chamber of Horrors” section in his record collection for all of them.

I recently read that he didn’t quite know what to make of Roberta Flack’s version, but it was her recording that won the Grammy Awards Record of the Year and Song of the Year and was ranked by Billboard as the number one Hot 100 single 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

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

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

The first time ever I saw your face
Your face, your face

Songwriter: Ewan MacColl

(The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face lyrics © The Royalty Network Inc.)

Thanks to This Thing Called Life One Word At a Time for hosting this challenge every week. It’s so much fun!