Roberta Flack, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face | COVERS

In the 38^th edition of COVERS (2023), Roberta Flack delivers a compelling rendition of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” originally performed by Bonnie Dobson.

Ah, it’s time to get cozy and totally cover up! In COVERS, we highlight a musician or band covering songs by another musician (likely a popular musician). COVERS focuses solely on the musician who covers, as opposed to the original/most famous performer.  It is open to both established musicians and musicians who may not be as well-known. In the 38^th edition of COVERS (2023), Roberta Flack delivers a compelling rendition of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, originally performed by Bonnie Dobson.

“The first time, ever I saw your face / I thought the sun rose in your eyes …” Those memorable lyrics hail from the epic classic, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”. While iconic, Grammy-winning musician Roberta Flack is renowned for her definitive take, that definitive take is indeed a cover . Shocking, right? “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” predated the ‘Flack treatment’ by 12 years .  British singer, songwriter, and playwright Ewan MacColl penned it in 1957, whereas Flack recorded it as the sixth track on her 1969 album, First Take. So, while MacColl wrote the song, who first released it? That would be Bonnie Dobson in 1961.

“And the first time, ever I kissed your mouth

I felt the earth move in my hands

Like the trembling heart

Of a captive bird.”

“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” marked one of six top-10 hits for Roberta Flack. That’s impressive. Even more impressive is the fact that the record spent six weeks at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her first of three number one hits. Adding to the accolades, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” was certified gold by the RIAA, while parent album, First Take, has been certified platinum . Oh, and how about the Grammys? Flack took home the highly coveted Record of The Year at the 15^th Annual GRAMMY Awards, a ceremony where she’d win two of her four trophies. So, what makes this one of the best records of the 1970s and, honestly, all-time? It’s Flack’s pure performance, which is truly hypnotic and mesmerizing in its quality. More often than not, she takes a calm, cool, and collected approach.  Still, she understands when to dig in more – up the ante.  Beyond impeccable, sophisticated singing, the arrangement and production ( Joel Dorn) are utterly sublime. “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” always sounds organic, embracing being non troppo (not too much). It benefits from subtlety, with its piano ( Flack), guitar ( John Pizzarelli), and light, tasteful drumming ( Ray Lucas), string bass ( Ron Carter), and the glorious, glorious, strings . So much more could be said about the sheer elegance, and stupendous-ness of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”.  Ultimately, the music speaks for itself, and DEFINITELY speaks volumes.

Roberta Flack • First Take • Atlantic • 1969

Roberta Flack, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face: Covers No. 38 (2023) [: Brent Faulkner /The Musical Hype; Atlantic; cottonbro studio, MART PRODUCTION, Ron Lach from Pexels; Paul Brennan from Pixabay]