"Jim Carroll may say something"
I agree entirely David - you ight say that 'First Time Ever was made at the beginning of their relationship
Although Peggy says it was written at her request to fill in a gap in her programme, she also describes how she had gone to America at the time to decide whether she wished to become involved with this "older man" - so you can be sure it was a declaration of love as well
Personally, although I sand it (far earlier than it ever became as popular as it did) I never counted it as anything like his best song.
Peggy says that they were staggered when the cheque arrived - she said they both expected that if any of his songs made any money it would be 'Dirty Old Town   
Of all the 'personal' songs Ewan made, I think I prefer those about his parents - he gave a very moving description of how his mother's songs came to be written after a day out on the beach with his mother.
His 'dedication' proved a major problem for me one time when I was doing an electrical job for them
They asked me to re-wire their ancient lighting system as it had reached the stage of blowing fuses regularly - Ewan was writing 'The Festival of Fools' scripts under pressure.
I had planned to complete so many lights in one day (as you had to) and was half way though the circuit when Ewan came down from his writing and insisted that Peggy and I listen to what he had written so far and make comments
As we sat and listened it began to grow dark so that in the end I had to finish the circuit with the aid of a torch
Good days!!
Jim Carroll