"Feels Like the First Time" is the debut single by British-American rock band Foreigner. It was written by Mick Jones and released in 1977 from the band's eponymous debut album. It reached No. 4 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.

Background

Jones wrote "Feels Like the First Time" while putting together the band that would become Foreigner. According to Jones, "I started writing by myself. Before I knew it, I had two or three songs, and I wondered what to do with them. One of those songs was 'Feels Like the First Time.'" Jones also said: "Feels Like the First Time" was one of four songs (along with "Take Me to Your Leader," "At War with the World" and "Woman, Oh Woman") that

Lou Gramm Lou Gramm (born Louis Andrew Grammatico; 2 May 1950) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for being the lead singer of the rock band Foreigner from 1977 to 1990 and 1992 to 2003 during which time the band had numerous successful albu ...

sang at his audition to become the lead singer of Foreigner. These same four songs were used on the

demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...

Foreigner used to get their recording contract.

Reception

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'' called "Feels Like the First Time" "tasteful, high energy rock" with "a direct, happy, love lyric." ''Billboard'' called the guitars "booming" and Gramm's lead vocal "intense but controlled." ''

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'' said that "the heavy rock feeling is there at bottom, but glittering backing vocals and keyboard work add the patina necessary to soothe top 40" and also commented on the "spine-tingling guitar chords" that open the song. ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' critic

John Rockwell John Sargent Rockwell (born September 16, 1940) is an American music critic, dance critic and arts administrator. According to '' Grove Music Online'', "Rockwell brings two signal attributes to his critical work: a genuine admiration for all ...

called the song a "none-too-imaginative" example of a "straightforward rock song" that combines "latter-day British rock with a hint of

synthesizer A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...

progressiveness." ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' critic

Dave Marsh Dave Marsh (born March 1, 1950) is an American music critic, and radio talk show host. He was an early editor of ''Creem'' magazine, has written for various publications such as ''Newsday'', ''The Village Voice'', and ''Rolling Stone (magazine), ...

said the song "combines

Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock music, rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson (musician), Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera ...

-like

with the eternal thump" and said that Jones' songwriting on this song and its follow-up single " Cold as Ice" "places him among the better English hard-rock writers." Henry McNulty's contemporary review of ''Foreigner'' in the ''

Hartford Courant The ''Hartford Courant'' is the largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is considered to be the oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States. A morning newspaper serving most of the state north of New Haven ...

'' said that "Feels Like the First Time" was a good choice for the album's first single due to "Jones' guitar blasting out metal-tinged chords at the outset and plenty of clever little

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s." ''

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'' critic Denise Sullivan described "Feels Like the First Time" as " one of those typically generic, much reviled by critics, '70s corporate rock hits" which nonetheless had "insta-appeal." Sullivan attributed its popularity in part to its ability to bridge between heavy metal and

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rock, with "hard-hitting"

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, "layered instruments and fist-pumping guitar riffs." She describes lead singer Gramm as turning in a "blueprint metal screamer vocal performance." ''Livingston County Daily Press and Argus'' critic Scott Pohl said the song "expressed how anyone feels with a new lover." ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' critic Matt Wardlaw ranked "Feels Like the First Time" as Foreigner's 7th greatest song, stating that it represented a new beginning for Jones "as he had gotten married, moved to America and started what would become a very successful rock 'n' roll band." ''Classic Rock History'' critic Janey Roberts ranked "Feels Like the First Time" as Foreigner's all-time top song. ''Billboard'' reviewer Gary Graff rated "Feels Like the First Time" to be Foreigner's 3rd greatest song, calling it "a perfect introduction and statement of purpose, brimming with optimism and intent."

In popular culture

In 2010, "Feels Like the First Time" was re-recorded to be included in the rhythm game '' Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock''. The song appears at the end of the 2012 film ''

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'' and was also used during the Riff Medley by the Treblemakers in the movie ''

Pitch Perfect ''Pitch Perfect'' is a 2012 American musical comedy film directed by Jason Moore and written by Kay Cannon. It features an ensemble cast, including Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Skylar Astin, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Hana Mae Lee, Alexis Knap ...

''. It was also featured in the 2013 film '' Anchorman 2'', the 2017 film ''

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'', and the end credits of the 2021 film '' Eternals''. A heavily-edited version appears in the 2020

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

movie ''

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''. In

, the Bellas have a Riff off one of their oppositions starts to sing the song.https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1981677/soundtrack/

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Personnel

– lead vocals * Mick Jones – lead guitar, backing vocals * Ian McDonald – rhythm guitar, backing vocals *

Al Greenwood Alan Greenwood (born October 20, 1951) is an American rock musician who was a founding member and keyboardist of the rock band Foreigner from 1976 to 1980. He performed on the albums '' Foreigner'' (1977), ''Double Vision'' (1978) and '' Head ...

– keyboards, Hammond organ, synthesizer *

Ed Gagliardi Edward John Gagliardi (February 13, 1952 – May 11, 2014) was an American bass guitarist, best known as the original bass player for the 1970s rock band Foreigner. He was a member of Foreigner from the beginning in 1976. Gagliardi, most notably ...

– bass guitar, backing vocals *

Dennis Elliott Dennis Leslie Elliott (born 18 August 1950, in Peckham, London) is a British musician and artist, who was the original drummer for the rock band, Foreigner. He played with the band from 1976 until leaving between 1991 and 1993. He went on to ...

– drums

References

{{authority control 1977 debut singles Foreigner (band) songs Songs written by Mick Jones (Foreigner) 1976 songs Atlantic Records singles