Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever

Subject: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: RobbieWilson
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 11:24 AM

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face: I have a friend who collects versions of this song. She and I have never heard of the man singing it himself. I did however hear what sounded like McColl singing this, very simple, plain and unaccompanied, followed by " Gently Flow the Thames", or something like that. Does anyone know of McColl recording this song and where I might find it?|

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 11:32 AM

Peggy used to sing First Time Ever. So far as I know, Ewan never did.

The other song you're thinking of is Sweet Thames Flow Softly

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: Scrump
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 12:03 PM

I think Fred is right about "First Time" - I think he wrote it for Peggy AFAIK.

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: RobbieWilson
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 12:10 PM

I know of him singing it, in Birmingham at a Birthday celebration. I always thought that he had not recorded it but this did sound like him singing, though in a very gentle mode.

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: Tom Hamilton frae Saltcoats Scotland
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 12:12 PM

He wrote for Peggy and he never sang it well on record anyway or at concerts.

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: Greg B
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 12:26 PM

>He wrote for Peggy

To sing to him? :-)

>e never sang it well on record anyway or at concerts

He definitely didn't have the kind of lyrical voice that
it would take to make the song work. Vocally he was more
of a piano than a violin.

The song seems to have more of a woman's sensibility in
any case.

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 12:35 PM

The song seems to have more of a woman's sensibility

I'd disagree with that:

The first time ever I kissed your mouth
And felt your heart beat close to mine
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
That was there at my command, my love
That was there at my command.

I'm sure I can remember hearing Ewan sing this at Ballads and Blues, as a new song.

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: Roberto
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 01:01 PM

I have a recording with Ewan MacColl singing the song. As soon as possible, I'll check at home. It is on LP. I'll let you know. R

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 01:11 PM

I saw Ewan sing it once at the Singers Club. He didn't announce it, just sat down in characteristic fashion on a chair the wrong way round on the left of the stage as Peggy and a few others were setting up and did it unaccompanied.

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 01:13 PM

Oh, and can a kind Mudelf please correct the spelling in the title to 'MacColl'.

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: johnross
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 02:46 PM

As Peggy told it, he wrote the song over a transatlantic telephone call. Peg was in the U.S., and scheduled to do a TV appearance later that day. For reasons I don't remember, the TV producers wanted her to do a love song. She called Ewan in England, and he dictated the song to her over the telephone.

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 02:49 PM

Ewan 'made' the song over the telephone to Peggy when she was on tour in the States. She had called to say she needed a contemporary love song for a concert she was performing at.
She recorded it on a Folkways LP of new songs called New Briton Gazette.
Ewan sang it at The Singers Club several times but I don't think he ever recorded it.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 04:57 PM

Roberto,

"I have a recording with Ewan MacColl singing the song. As soon as possible, I'll check at home. It is on LP. I'll let you know. R"

Are you able to record this onto soundforge or wavelab or somesuch, turn it into an mp3 and get it onto the net so we can blueclicky it?

I'd love to hear it.

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: Joybell
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 05:22 PM

Strange the stories that get around - I once had a woman tell me that this song was written by a mother about her new-born baby. I'd just sung the song at my gig at a restaurant. "Ewan MacColl never had a baby," said I. But she wasn't convinced. She'd heard the explanation on TV and it was surely true. Recently I heard of it being sung at the funeral of a baby. I've always heard it at as very earthy, and obviously about adult love, but the line, "...ever I lay with you...." is up for re-interpretation I suppose.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: SylviaN
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 07:46 PM

Don't know if this is of any help, but I do know that Dave Burland recorded an unaccompanied version of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", and it's one of the best versions of the song I've ever heard. Unfortunatly, I don't have a copy and I don't know the title of the LP.
Cheers
Sylvia

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 10:52 PM

First Ewan MacColl CD I picked has it as first track!

'Antiquities'
Recall 2CD, A snapper Music Label
LC1770SMDCD 149
321 ARC
Issued under licence from Cooking Vinyl
c. 1998 Snapper Music

It's also track 18 on
'The Definitive Ewan MacColl'
COOK CD 038,
c. 1990 Cooking Vinyl

but it's not on the other 4 CDs I own.

sandra

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl singing First Time Ever
From: Anglo
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 01:38 AM

Yes Sandra, but in each instance the song is actually sung by Peggy Seeger. (They're almost certainly the same take).

It seems to me I've heard him sing it somewhere, but I can't place it. Sorry.

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 01:49 AM

I just listened to the track on the Antiquities CD, Sandra. MacColl sings it in a sweet soprano that sounds amazingly like the way Peggy Seeger sings it....
[grin]

I had a similar problem trying to find a John Prine recording of "Angel From Montgomery" - I had it on several John Prine CD's, but the voice always sounded like Bonnie Raitt. I finally did find it on Prine's self-titled album - but I don't think you're going to find a MacColl recording of "First Time."

I'm also looking for a Woody Guthrie recording of "Deportee." Joe Klein says Woody used to chant that song, and didn't really have a tune for it.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 02:31 AM

Joe I've got the track from ' Antiquities ' playing now, it's Peggy singing not Ewan.

eric

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: GUEST,DaveS at Work
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 02:38 AM

Hi Sylvia - that would probably be "The Songs of Ewan MacColl" which
Dave recorded with Tony Capstick and Dick Gaughan.

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: Scrump
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 04:23 AM

Yes, be careful if buying a CD, because some of the CDs available by Ewan MacColl have this track on, but sung by Peggy Seeger (not always credited clearly on the cover, etc.). So if seeking a version by him instead of her, you'll need to check very carefully first.

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 04:27 AM

Joe
Might have 'Deportee' recording somewhere - will look it out.
Have a vague memory of having heard him sing it.
Would it be on the 1940s Lomax radio interview?
Jim Carroll
Any info on Antiquities CD - track listing would be helpful

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: Folkiedave
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 04:38 AM

Track listing for antiquities Here
and what is claimed to be a complete discography here though this does not give track listings.

A google search will often help once you have the record name.

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: rich-joy
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 05:27 AM

I really thought I remembered Ewan singing it, with Peggy, when they came to Perth (West Aussie) in ... in ... (hmmm, early 80s was it?!)

But now, as the years roll by, and with the doubt in this thread, I really can't be sure anymore ...   :~(

... sigh ...



Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: gnomad
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 05:45 AM

SylviaN: I was lent a copy of that LP, The Songs of Ewan MacColl recorded by Dave Burland, Tony Capstick and Dick Gaughan [sorry, failed to note the label] and you are right, a lovely track.

I too thought I had recording of Ewan singing this, but find I have not, the track on Black and White is Peggy again, so how come I can hear his voice in my head?

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: RobbieWilson
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 05:34 PM

I suspect that what I heard was Dave Burland because on the album of MacColl songs people have mentioned Burland sings First time followed by Sweet Thames flow softly.

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 07:43 PM

"how come I can hear his voice in my head?"

Surely because he had such a distinctive voice, and you know they are his words. A bit like reading anything by Garrison Keiller.

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Mar 12 - 01:57 PM

For Roberto: Please, could you put your version on LP up on youtube of Ewan MacColl singing The First Time Ever? I remember hearing him sing it from an LP (solo, w/o his wife Peggy) on public radio in the early 70's I think. I thought it was a fantastic rendition of the song. Best I have ever heard.

Paul

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: The Sandman
Date: 11 Mar 12 - 03:20 PM

how I miss Scrump, he had a great sens of humour, this is brilliant
Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: Scrump - PM
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 04:23 AM

Yes, be careful if buying a CD, because some of the CDs available by Ewan MacColl have this track on, but sung by Peggy Seeger (not always credited clearly on the cover, etc.). So if seeking a version by him instead of her, you'll need to check very carefully first.

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 04 Jun 16 - 07:17 AM

The Dave Burland version mentioned above is here
https://youtu.be/3PpNir7-UEM 


https://www.discogs.com/Dave-Burland-Tony-Capstick-Dick-Gaughan-Songs-Of-Ewan-MacColl/release/3804439

Subject: RE: Ewan MacColl singing First Time Ever
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 04 Jun 16 - 07:30 AM

Four new CDs of Ewan have been in the pipeline for a long time now (I understand from son Neil)
They are gatherings of some of the rarer recordings, including public performances - we donated a few of our own.
Still looking forward to it.
Jim Carroll