# Best Version of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 13, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-the-first-time-ever-i-saw-your-face/714941 "2015-03-13T23:15:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-the-first-time-ever-i-saw-your-face/714941/21 "2015-03-15T15:54:32Z")
> [@Brynda](#): > > … > I wanted to love the Peggy Seeger version–honestly, I tried–but hated it. Not fond of that style of singing. Ditto Blech. The rest, in order of bestestness: Roberta Flack Jennifer Hudson Leona Lewis Celine Dion George Michael Gordon Lightfoot Peter Paul Mary Johnny Cash ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-the-first-time-ever-i-saw-your-face/714941/22 "2015-03-15T19:54:07Z")
I find this to be a really interesting study of the evolution of a song over time. Beginning with the original folk version with Peggy Seeger, you get the folk covers from Peter Paul & Mary, and the Kingston Trio. To me, the Gordon Lightfoot version is an outlier, but I feel it still comes from the folk tradition. Then Roberta Flack re-invented the song, everyone after her seems to be doing a twist on her arrangement. The only exception I see is the June Tabor version, she seems to jump over the Flack version and to go back to the original folk roots - with her own twist. Fascinating! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-the-first-time-ever-i-saw-your-face/714941/23 "2015-03-15T22:10:37Z")
I can’t find June Tabor’s version of First Time on youtube. I just listened to a 20 sec sample on Amazon. It’s hard to tell much from 20 seconds. I’ve never heard any of her music before. I missed the Kingston Trio when I searched youtube for the OP. It can be found if you search their name and the song. ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-the-first-time-ever-i-saw-your-face/714941/24 "2015-03-15T22:35:11Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I can’t find June Tabor’s version of First Time on youtube. . [I’ve found it.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3W7_DnqYYs) Personally I think its OK but nothing special. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-the-first-time-ever-i-saw-your-face/714941/25 "2015-03-15T22:43:14Z")
Another really slow contemplative A cappella version. She’s lamenting a lost love. That’s a valid interpretation of the song, but not my favorite approach. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-the-first-time-ever-i-saw-your-face/714941/26 "2015-03-15T22:57:01Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Another really slow contemplative A cappella version. She’s lamenting a lost love. That’s a valid interpretation of the song, but not my favorite approach. She’s one of my favourite singers. This song is fairly representative of her style - melancholy, contemplative versions of folk songs, often with piano rather than traditional instruments. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-the-first-time-ever-i-saw-your-face/714941/27 "2015-03-17T15:47:26Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m a little surprised people here are old enough to know and love a song recorded in 1972. That is our?my 1974 Wedding Song… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-the-first-time-ever-i-saw-your-face/714941.md?page=1)