Described as "classic UK rock delivered with whiskey vocals", the band have been summarised as possessing a sound akin to the genres of alternative rock and "British traditional rock". Stereophonics' debut album, Word Gets Around, was released in August 1997 and charted at number six in the UK, aided by the singles "Local Boy in the Photograph", "More Life in a Tramps Vest" and "A Thousand Trees". The band reached mainstream success with the release of Performance and Cocktails (and its promotional singles "The Bartender and the Thief", "Just Looking" and "Pick a Part That's New") in 1999 and have achieved a total of ten top-ten singles as well as one number one: "Dakota" (2005). Having sold around 10 million copies worldwide by 2016, Stereophonics are one of the most successful Welsh rock acts. Upon their release of Pull the Pin, they achieved five consecutive UK number one albums.
The band have also been praised for their live performances, which have landed them headlining slots at many of the UK and Ireland's most high-profile music festivals, including Reading and Leeds in 2000, Glastonbury in 2002, V Festival in 2002, the Isle of Wight in 2004 and 2009, Oxegen in 2010, Tramlines Festival and TRNSMT in 2018, and Latitude in 2019. The band is part of the Cardiff music scene.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereophonics
Studio albums
Word Gets Around (1997)
Performance and Cocktails (1999)
Just Enough Education to Perform (2001)
You Gotta Go There to Come Back (2003)
Language. Sex. Violence. Other? (2005)
Pull the Pin (2007)
Keep Calm and Carry On (2009)
Graffiti on the Train (2013)
Keep the Village Alive (2015)
Scream Above the Sounds (2017)
Kind (2019)
Oochya! (2022)
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Stereophonics 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 endless skies,
And the first time ever I kissed your mouth
I felt the earth move in my hands
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
And the first time ever I lay with you
I felt your heart so close to mine
And I knew our joy would fill the earth
And last till the end of time
The first time ever I saw your face
Your face, your face, your face
In Stereophonics's song "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", the lyrics describe the overwhelming feeling of falling in love at first sight. The singer describes the first time they saw the person they love, and how it felt as if the world was suddenly brighter and more beautiful. The sun seemed to rise in their eyes, and the stars and moon were all the more magical because of the presence of this person. It's as if the entire world became more vivid and alive in the presence of this person.
As the song progresses, the singer describes the first kiss and the first time they "lay" with their partner, suggesting a deeply intimate connection. They describe feeling the earth move and the bird's heart tremble at their touch, showing how intense and powerful these moments were. The singer concludes by saying that they knew their love would last until the end of time, emphasizing the timeless nature of their connection.
Overall, the lyrics of "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" are a celebration of the intense emotions that come with falling deeply in love. The singer is overwhelmed by their feelings and describes the transformative power of love and intimacy.
Line by Line Meaning
The first time ever I saw your face
I was fully captivated by your beauty and presence in my life, as though the sun rose just to shine in your eyes, and all the stars and the moon were a gift to the night, because you were in it.
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave to the dark and endless skies,
You were so lovely and ethereal that I thought you must have been the one to gift the world with the moon and the stars, and to make the darkness a little brighter.
And the first time ever I kissed your mouth, I felt the earth move in my hands
Your kiss was so powerful that it made me feel as though the earth beneath us was shaking, and my hands were trembling with excitement.
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird, that was there at my command, my love
The way you made me feel was as though I had power over a trembling bird, but instead of power it was love that guided me, and you were the one I felt commanded by.
And the first time ever I lay with you, I felt your heart so close to mine
Being with you felt like we were one, our hearts entwined together, beating as one.
And I knew our joy would fill the earth, and last till the end of time
I knew then, as I know now, that our happiness together would be so great that it would fill the earth, and that we would always be together, even to the very end of time.
The first time ever I saw your face, your face, your face, your face
Your beautiful face was so memorable that it repeats in my mind like a refrain, each time more lovely and captivating than the last.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ewan Maccoll
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mick Power
They reckon you can not beat the original version but this tops it. What a voice moves me all the time.
Jordan Burns
Why did 37 people dislike it??? What's to not like about this version of this incredible song???
Christopher Mullins
The first pic with Stuart Cable in it makes the opening bars of the track that much more poignant. Rest easy big lad ❤
Taco Veldstra
Stereophonic how good can you be...what a voice what a band!
Mark Connelly
Is there anything this guy can't can't sing simply amazing
David Bundy
Brilliant version of a classic song. Kelly's vocal suits this so well.
topgazza
Best version since the original... wonderful....just wonderful
barry robinson
obviously welsh lol, not bad
Deirdre Gillooly
WOW WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SONG....I FELT THIS IN MY HEART AND SOUL X💜X
Shrinking Wallflower
I already love this song. This version is beautiful.