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The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

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The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

"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 later became his third wife. At that time, MacColl was still married to his second wife, Jean Newlove. During the 1960s, it was recorded by various folk-pop singers, including the Kingston Trio, We Five, The Chad Mitchell Trio, Gordon Lightfoot, and Peter, Paul and Mary. It became a major international hit for Roberta Flack in 1972, winning Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Billboard ranked it as the number-one Hot 100 single of the year for 1972.

Infobox

B-side
"Trade Winds"
Released
March 7, 1972 (1972-03-07)
Recorded
February 1969
Studio
Atlantic Studios (New York, NY)
Genre
Soul vocal jazz
Length
5:22 4:20 (1972 radio edit)
Label
Atlantic 2864
Songwriter
Ewan MacColl
Producer
Joel Dorn

Tables

· Roberta Flack version
"It's a perfect song. Second only to 'Amazing Grace', I think.... It's the kind of song that has two unique and distinct qualities: it tells a story, and it has lyrics that mean something....Because of [its meaningful lyrics] the [song] can be interpreted by a lot of people in a lot of different ways: the love of a mother for a child, for example, or [that of] two lovers.... I wish more songs I had chosen had moved me the way that one did. I've loved [most] every song I've recorded, but that one was pretty special."
"It's a perfect song. Second only to 'Amazing Grace', I think.... It's the kind of song that has two unique and distinct qualities: it tells a story, and it has lyrics that mean something....Because of [its meaningful lyrics] the [song] can be interpreted by a lot of people in a lot of different ways: the love of a mother for a child, for example, or [that of] two lovers.... I wish more songs I had chosen had moved me the way that one did. I've loved [most] every song I've recorded, but that one was pretty special."
Roberta Flack on "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"
"It's a perfect song. Second only to 'Amazing Grace', I think.... It's the kind of song that has two unique and distinct qualities: it tells a story, and it has lyrics that mean something....Because of [its meaningful lyrics] the [song] can be interpreted by a lot of people in a lot of different ways: the love of a mother for a child, for example, or [that of] two lovers.... I wish more songs I had chosen had moved me the way that one did. I've loved [most] every song I've recorded, but that one was pretty special."
Roberta Flack · Charts › Weekly charts
Australia (Go-Set)
Australia (Go-Set)
Chart (1972)
Australia (Go-Set)
Peakposition
1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)
Canada Top Singles (RPM)
Chart (1972)
Canada Top Singles (RPM)
Peakposition
1
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)
Chart (1972)
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)
Peakposition
1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
Chart (1972)
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
Peakposition
9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)
Netherlands (Single Top 100)
Chart (1972)
Netherlands (Single Top 100)
Peakposition
6
New Zealand (Listener)
New Zealand (Listener)
Chart (1972)
New Zealand (Listener)
Peakposition
17
South Africa (Springbok)
South Africa (Springbok)
Chart (1972)
South Africa (Springbok)
Peakposition
2
UK Singles (OCC)
UK Singles (OCC)
Chart (1972)
UK Singles (OCC)
Peakposition
14
US Billboard Hot 100
US Billboard Hot 100
Chart (1972)
US Billboard Hot 100
Peakposition
1
US Best Selling Soul Singles (Billboard)
US Best Selling Soul Singles (Billboard)
Chart (1972)
US Best Selling Soul Singles (Billboard)
Peakposition
4
US Easy Listening (Billboard)
US Easy Listening (Billboard)
Chart (1972)
US Easy Listening (Billboard)
Peakposition
1
US Cashbox Top 100 Singles
US Cashbox Top 100 Singles
Chart (1972)
US Cashbox Top 100 Singles
Peakposition
1
Chart (1972)
Peakposition
Australia (Go-Set)
1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)
1
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)
1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)
6
New Zealand (Listener)
17
South Africa (Springbok)
2
UK Singles (OCC)
14
US Billboard Hot 100
1
US Best Selling Soul Singles (Billboard)
4
US Easy Listening (Billboard)
1
US Cashbox Top 100 Singles
1
· Charts › Weekly charts
US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales (Billboard)
US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales (Billboard)
Chart (2025)
US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales (Billboard)
Peakposition
4
Chart (2025)
Peakposition
US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales (Billboard)
4
Celine Dion · Charts › Weekly charts
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)
Chart (2000)
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)
Peakposition
76
Ireland (IRMA)
Ireland (IRMA)
Chart (2000)
Ireland (IRMA)
Peakposition
32
Scotland Singles (OCC)
Scotland Singles (OCC)
Chart (2000)
Scotland Singles (OCC)
Peakposition
19
UK Singles (OCC)
UK Singles (OCC)
Chart (2000)
UK Singles (OCC)
Peakposition
19
Chart (2000)
Peakposition
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)
76
Ireland (IRMA)
32
Scotland Singles (OCC)
19
UK Singles (OCC)
19
Leona Lewis · Charts › Weekly charts
UK Singles (OCC)
UK Singles (OCC)
Chart (2007)
UK Singles (OCC)
Peakposition
73
Chart (2007)
Peakposition
UK Singles (OCC)
73
Glee cast · Charts › Weekly charts
US Billboard Hot 100
US Billboard Hot 100
Chart (2012)
US Billboard Hot 100
Peakposition
70
Chart (2012)
Peakposition
US Billboard Hot 100
70
Matt Cardle · Charts › Weekly charts
UK Singles (OCC)
UK Singles (OCC)
Chart (2012)
UK Singles (OCC)
Peakposition
92
Chart (2012)
Peakposition
UK Singles (OCC)
92
Roberta Flack · Charts › Year-end charts
Canada Top Singles (RPM)
Canada Top Singles (RPM)
Chart (1972)
Canada Top Singles (RPM)
Position
16
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
Chart (1972)
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
Position
96
Netherlands (Single Top 100)
Netherlands (Single Top 100)
Chart (1972)
Netherlands (Single Top 100)
Position
75
South Africa
South Africa
Chart (1972)
South Africa
Position
17
US Billboard Hot 100
US Billboard Hot 100
Chart (1972)
US Billboard Hot 100
Position
1
US Top Easy Listening Singles (Billboard)
US Top Easy Listening Singles (Billboard)
Chart (1972)
US Top Easy Listening Singles (Billboard)
Position
5
US Top Soul Singles (Billboard)
US Top Soul Singles (Billboard)
Chart (1972)
US Top Soul Singles (Billboard)
Position
44
US Cashbox Pop Singles
US Cashbox Pop Singles
Chart (1972)
US Cashbox Pop Singles
Position
19
Chart (1972)
Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)
16
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
96
Netherlands (Single Top 100)
75
South Africa
17
US Billboard Hot 100
1
US Top Easy Listening Singles (Billboard)
5
US Top Soul Singles (Billboard)
44
US Cashbox Pop Singles
19
Roberta Flack · Charts › All-time charts
US Billboard Hot 100
US Billboard Hot 100
Chart (1958–2018)
US Billboard Hot 100
Position
140
Chart (1958–2018)
Position
US Billboard Hot 100
140
Roberta Flack · Certifications
New Zealand (RMNZ)
New Zealand (RMNZ)
Region
New Zealand (RMNZ)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
15,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)
United Kingdom (BPI)
Region
United Kingdom (BPI)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
400,000‡
United States (RIAA)
United States (RIAA)
Region
United States (RIAA)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Region
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Region
Certification
Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)
Gold
15,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)
Gold
400,000‡
United States (RIAA)
Gold
1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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