The First Cut Is The Deepest - Cat Stevens Version

Cat Stevens Version

The song concerns someone apprehensive about entering a new romantic relationship because he is still suffering from being hurt by his first love:

"The first cut is the deepest, Baby I know —

The first cut is the deepest

'Cause when it comes to being lucky, she's cursed

When it comes to lovin' me, she's worst

But when it comes to being loved, she's first

That's how I know

The first cut is the deepest."

While the Stevens, Arnold and Hampshire recordings sang this chorus intact, the Stewart and Crow renderings omitted the last three lines, an omission which might give the listener a different sense of the song.

Stevens made a demo recording of "The First Cut Is the Deepest" in 1965, but originally hoped 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, as well as 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.