Songs You May Not Know Were Covers, Round 7: The First Cut is the Deepest (#4)

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Well, here we are. In a room full of strangers. Oh, wait, that’s a different song. Hope you’re having a good hump day. Here’s a song for you to sing along with, but you may not know it was a cover! #4: The First Cut is the Deepest You see? This is how you do a cover: once every 20-25 years so the newer generation isn’t familiar with the previous version. That was probably Sheryl Crow thought in 2003 when she covered this song. Yeah, who was listening to Rod Stewart in 1977 and will be listening to her now? I don’t know, but if you remember Stewart’s version..... That was a cover, too. Now, a lot of people know that Cat Stevens wrote this, but guess what? He wasn’t the first person to record it! That distinction went to an American soul singer by the name of P.P. Arnold. Now, Arnold never had a charted single in the U.S. She did what might be called a “British invasion retribution,” going to England and making her career there. Her first single was the first recording of this song that’s become quite the classic (there’s a live rendition of Linda Ronstadt singing it, and man, did she miss out by not recording it!). It was a good-sized hit in the UK, which is how Rod Stewart picked up on it. The first take is the soulfulest! The First Cut is the Deepest Written by Cat Stevens Originally recorded by P.P. Arnold, 1967 Famously covered by Rod Stewart, 1977 Also famously covered by Sheryl Crow, 2003 I would have given you all of my heart: