Isaac Lee Hayes (born Aug 20, 1942, in Covington, Tennessee - died Aug 10,… Read Full Bio ↴Isaac Lee Hayes (born Aug 20, 1942, in Covington, Tennessee - died Aug 10, 2008, in Memphis, Tennessee) was an influential soul singer, songwriter, musician, producer, arranger, and actor. One of the key creative forces behind Memphis' Stax Records, Hayes began his recording career in 1962, soon playing saxophone for The Bar-Kays. Hayes and writing partner David Porter would pen numerous hits for Stax artists such as Sam & Dave ("Hold On! I'm Comin'", "Soul Man") and Carla Thomas ("B-A-B-Y") during the mid-1960s.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Hayes became famous as a recording artist in his own right, scoring with critically and commercially successful albums such as Hot Buttered Soul and Black Moses. Hayes is best known today for composing the score to the 1971 blaxploitation film Shaft. That film's "Theme from Shaft" was one of the best-selling singles in Stax Records history, and Hayes became the first African-American to win an Oscar for a non-acting category when "Theme from Shaft" won the 1972 Academy Award for Best Song.

Isaac Hayes may be known to today's youngest generation as the voice of the character "Chef", the ladies' man/school cook, on the animated sitcom South Park from 1997 until his resignation from the show in March 2006. While Hayes' departure was tagged to a controversial South Park episode on Scientology that had supposedly offended him, Hayes rarely declared anything about the departure in first person.

The first time ever I saw your face
Isaac Hayes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the endless skies, my love

And the first time ever I kissed your mouth
I felt the earth move in my hand
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
That was there at my command, my love

And the first time ever I lay with you
I felt your heart so close to mine

Your face, your face, your face

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Isaac Hayes’s song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, capture the feeling of being in love with someone. The song opens with the metaphor that the sun rose in the eyes of the person he’s in love with, indicating that their radiance and beauty are unparalleled. Hayes then draws attention to the moon and the stars, which he believes were gifts that the person he loves gave to the “dark and the endless skies,” bringing light and beauty to the darkest aspects of life.

The chorus focuses on the first time the singer ever got physically intimate with the person they love. The lyrics describe how the singer felt the ground shake and their own body tremble with ecstasy at the first kiss. The metaphor of the “trembling heart of a captive bird” that was there at his command suggests a feeling of power and control over the person he loves. This insinuates that in their relationship, he’s the one leading and the other person is following.

The second section of the chorus moves to the first time they had sex. The lyrics describe the feeling of their hearts being so close that it was as if they were linked as one. This implies that their love is more than just physical and that they have a deep emotional and spiritual connection as well.

Overall, the song captures the feeling of being in love in a profound and intoxicating way. The beautiful metaphors and vivid images make this song one of the most beautiful love ballads ever written.

Line by Line Meaning

I thought the sun rose in your eyes
I believed that you were the source of all the beauty and light in my life.

And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
Everything that I found beautiful and magical in the world was because of you.

To the dark and the endless skies, my love
You brought light to even the darkest and most infinite corners of the universe for me.

And the first time ever I kissed your mouth
The first time I kissed you, it was a life-changing and unforgettable experience.

I felt the earth move in my hand
I felt an overwhelming sense of passion and connection that shook the very core of my being.

Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
I had complete control over my feelings and desires, like a powerful captor holding a delicate, trembling creature.

That was there at my command, my love
I felt empowered and loved knowing that you were there for me, at my every beck and call.

And the first time ever I lay with you
The first time we were together was an intimate and transformative experience.

I felt your heart so close to mine
Our hearts were beating in perfect harmony, and I felt completely connected to you.

Your face, your face, your face
Your beauty and the memory of your face are constantly on my mind and in my heart.

Contributed by Eva O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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