Sarah Brightman - First of May

When I was small, and Christmas trees were tall,
we used to love while others used to play.
Don't ask me why, but time has passed us by,
someone else moved in from far away.

Now we are tall, and Christmas trees are small,
and you don't ask the time of day.
But you and I, our love will never die,
but guess who'll cry come first of May.

The apple tree that grew for you and me,
I watched the apples falling one by one.
And as I recall the moment of them all,
the day I kissed your cheek and you were gone.

Now we are tall, and Christmas trees are small,
and you don't ask the time of day.
But you and I, our love will never die,
but guess who'll cry come first of May.

When I was small, and Christmas trees were tall,
do do do do do do do do do ...
Don't ask me why, but time has passed us by,
someone else moved in from far away.

Music and lyrics: Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb (Bee Gees)

From: Eden -- the single (1999) and at the concert of Sarah's One night in Eden World Tour (see the programme).

Sarah also sang this song at A Gala Christmas in Vienna (1997); on the CD (1998) of that concert there are a live and a studio version; the latter is also on the Eden-single.

Also from: La Luna (European version; 2000), which is the version record live at the Superbowl in Sun City during the One night in Eden World Tour.
The live version is also on the Fly II special edition (2000).
And the CD The very best 1990-2000 (2001) has the song too; do not know whether that is the studio or live version.
And it is released on the Japanese version of A Winter Symphony (2008); do not know whether that is the studio or live version.

 
There seems to be a small difference in the lyrics betweens the studio and the live version, namely in the last line of the third stanza: "the day I kissed your cheek and you were [gone/mine]":
The lyrics I found (see below) had "... mine" but Kat Lai informed me that the very original from the Bee Gees has "... gone".
George pointed out that "gone" is the correct word. "More importantly," he wrote, "the song is about lost opportunity. The turning point (moment of them all) is when a small gesture of affection rather than commitment (I kissed your cheek) and the opportunity (for love) was lost (and you were gone)."

 
Source of the lyrics: page by Ben Hwong [which seems to have vanished from the Web], with some small corrections by me and Carlos Pineda.
With special thanks to Becky Wilson.
Carlos added that the song was recorded by the Bee Gees in August 1968, released as single in February 1969 and on the album "Odessa" in March 1969.

Christopher writes that the most brilliant cover he has ever heard of First of May was by José Feliciano, on the album "10 to 23" (RCA, 1969): it's mind blowing, writes Christopher, gut wrenching, and has soul at the bottom. The blind guitarist/crooner José Feliciano was born on the small island nation of Puerto Rico and emigrated to the United States at the age of five. [Thanks to Jim Reed for this info.]
Web sites:
    ===> José Feliciano personal web site (the official one?)
    ===> The original José Feliciano Home Page
    ===> José Feliciano - The Fantastic
. . . and many others.

 
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created: 1 June 1999
last modified: 22 November 2008