"First" In Songs Trivia Quiz

Answer: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Roberta Flack studied music at Howard University, and began her music career as a music teacher at different schools, as well as teaching piano lessons and accompanying opera singers. She was able to quit those two jobs in 1968, when she started singing professionally at Mr. Henry's Restaurant in Washington, D.C. Flack went on to become the first person to win the Grammy for Record of the Year two consecutive years, in 1973 and 1974.

The song, about love at first sight, is found on Flack's album "First Take". It was actually originally written as a folk song (!) in Britain in 1957, and was recorded by several folk groups, including The Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul, and Mary. Flack reimagined the song as a ballad, which was ranked as the number one Hot 100 single of the year in 1972.

Answer: Love in the First Degree

The country music band, Wild Country, was formed by cousins Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, and Jeff Cook in 1969; they decided to change the name to Alabama in 1977 to honor their home state. Influenced by the music of Merle Haggard, Alabama is considered to be one of the first country bands to receive considerable airplay. Over the band's long career, it has sold 75 million records and received numerous country music awards, including AMC's Entertainer of the Year award five times from 1982-1986.

"Love in the First Degree", a song about actually finding true love for the first time, was released in 1981 on the album "Feels So Right". It was ranked number one on Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles charts. In addition, it is considered to be Alabama's biggest crossover hit, reaching number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: The First Cut Is the Deepest

Cat Stevens, known today as Yusuf Islam, began his musical career in 1967 with the release of his first album, "Matthew and Son", which reached the top ten in UK charts. His debut was followed by many stellar albums, including "Tea for the Tillerman" (1970) and "Teaser and the Firecat" (1971), which were both certified triple platinum in the United States. Nevertheless, in 1977 Stevens converted to Islam, changing his name, and preferring to work in music education and philanthropic endeavors. He released "An Other Cup" in 2006, which was his first album in twenty-eight years.

Stevens' song, "The First Cut Is the Deepest" (1967), was originally recorded by another artist early in 1967, but appeared on his album, "New Masters" later in the same year. The song, which is about the anguish caused by a first breakup, has been a documented hit for seven other artists, including Rod Stewart and Sheryl Crow, and was finally recognized by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in 2005 and 2006.

Answer: Love in the First Degree

Bananarama was formed in 1980 by three friends, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, and Keren Woodward; eventually they became recognized by the Guinness World Records for the highest number of songs that made the charts by an all-girl group. The trio had a change in 1988 when Fahey left the group. Originally she was replaced, but in 1991 the trio became a duo. Fahey rejoined in 2017, and the group experienced a surge in popularity.

"Love in the First Degree" (same title as the Alabama song but with different lyrics) was released by the group in 1987. While it only reached number three on the UK Singles Chart, it is considered to be one of the group's three highest ranking singles to date. The lyrics take a different twist than most, as the song is about being tried in court and found guilty of first degree love.

Answer: You're the First, the Last, My Everything

Barry White had some voice, didn't he? Nicknamed "The Walrus of Love", White sang a variety of different genres of music, but said that he had been most influenced by artists like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Marvin Gaye. During his career he had 20 gold and 10 platinum singles, and sold more than 100 million records worldwide.

"You're the First, the Last, My Everything" (1974), was originally written as a country song by White's collaborator, Peter Radcliffe. White released it as a disco song about finding a perfect love that transcends everything else for all time; it reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the UK Singles Chart.

Answer: My First Night Without You

Cyndi Lauper's career began in 1983 when she released the album "She's So Unusual". It was the first album released by a woman to have four top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the classic, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun". Lauper was chosen as the Best New Artist and the 1985 Grammy Awards. She has sold 50 million albums worldwide, and works for philanthropic causes; in 2022 she established the Girls Just Want To Have Fundamental Rights Fund, which focuses on the right to abortion and reproductive healthcare.

While "My First Night Without You" (1989), a song about a breakup, did not enjoy the same success as some of Lauper's other songs, the video for the song is considered to have been the first to be close-captioned. Its biggest success was in South America, where it was number one in Colombia for ten weeks.

Answer: For the First Time

Kenny Loggins was half of an extremely successful duo - Loggins and Messina - in the 1970s. It was as a solo act, however, that he became known as King of the Movie Soundtrack, with songs like "I'm Alright" from "Caddyshack" (1980), "Footloose" from the 1984 movie of the same name, and "Danger Zone" from "Top Gun" (1986). Since 2013 the Grammy award winner (1980, 1981) has been a member of the Blue Sky Riders, a country music band.

His "For The First Time" (1996), a song about falling in love with a known acquaintance, was nominated for a Best Original Song Oscar in 1997, and reached number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It was from the movie, "One Fine Day" (1996).

Answer: Feels Like the First Time

Formed in 1976, the band Foreigner released a self-titled album the following year, and enjoyed almost instant success. The group's first four albums were eventually certified as 5x platinum in the United States. Although there is only one founding member - Mick Jones - with the band today, the group continues to tour, recently announcing that they would open for some of Kid Rocks concerts in 2022.

"Feels Like the First Time" (1977), a song about a new start in life, was on the first album, and was one of the songs that the group sang for their audition with the recording company. It was written by band member Mick Jones, who had just remarried and moved from the UK to the United States. It reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: On the First Warm Day

Rosemary Clooney was a singer and actress who began her career in the 1950s. Her most famous role was undoubtedly as Betty Haynes, Bing Crosby's girl in "White Christmas" (1954). Interestingly, it was "White Christmas" that helped revive her career when Crosby asked her to appear in a program which marked his fifty years in the business in 1977. In 2002, the year she passed away, Clooney received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Although "On the First Warm Day" (1952), about falling in love during the Spring, was originally recorded by Rosemary Clooney, at least eight other musicians also recorded it - and as late as 2002. Because the song is also called "On the First Warm Day in May", retailer J.C. Penney believed it would be the perfect background for a 2012 commercial about Spring apparel!

Answer: First in Line

The King of Rock and Roll had to record a song with "First" in the title, right? According to "Guinness World Records" he is the best-selling solo artist of all time, with over 500 million records sold. This statistic is amazing, since Elvis really never had any formal musical training, a fact substantiated by him when he said, "I don't know anything about music. In my line you don't have to".

"First in Line", a song about a girl who was first in line for the most beautiful eyes and lips, was released on his second album called "Elvis" in 1956. It is interesting to note that the ballad was written by Aaron Schroeder and Ben Weisman. Schroeder wrote 17 songs for Elvis, five of which became number one hits; Weisman wrote 57 songs that were recorded by the King.