Greetings!
We've heard our parents and grandparents
use this expression all the time, and it's true!
The first cut is the deepest!
Can you ever forget your first boyfriend or
girlfriend? Your first day at school in highschool,
the first stage you performed on, the first time
you flew to a foreign country to perform, or
the first time you fell in love with the art of
playing music for crowds?! Those are all 'first
cuts!'
In Reggae, Norma Fraser originated the chune
"The First Cut Is the Deepest" for Studio One
which when released in 1967, was a massive
hit, and an immediate classic (her song was a
cover from the original written and sung by
Rock artist Cat Stevens, also in 1967). Between
the guitar riff intro, the bubbling vibe of the bass
and Norma's sweet sugary voice, people find it
hard to resist dancing to this chune, even with
its age.
In 1984, George Phang re-made the instrumental
for his Power House Records label, and released
it as a riddim which included the vocals of Dennis
Brown, Pinchers, Super Cat and Charlie Chaplin.
Each song did well for the artists, adding depth to
their performance catalogue.
Today, a 'big people's' Dancehall session is not the
same if the DJ doesn't play Norma Fraser's chune,
as well as cuts from the riddim!
Broadcasting at 320kbps, catch the First Cut Is
The Deepest riddim, including the original by
Norma Fraser here:
Note: "The First Cut is The Deepest" has also been
covered by Marcia Griffiths and Cynthia Schloss
from the UK!
P.S. Thanks to DJ Raize, I was linked to Byze who
through down a classic radio show a few weeks ago
which is all classics. You have to check out the show
For me to tell you like this means it a shat dih place.
You can even hear the vinyl records scratching!
