"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 Louis Andrew Grammatico (born May 2, 1950), known professionally as Lou Gramm, is an American singer and songwriter. He is best known as co-founder and original frontman of the rock band Foreigner from 1976 to 1990 and again from 1992 to 2003, ...

sang at his audition to become the lead singer of Foreigner. These same four songs were used on the demo Foreigner used to get their recording contract.

Reception

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' 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." ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' 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. ''

Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of three major weekly music industry trade magazines in the United States, with ''Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 as ''Music Vendor''. In 1964, it was changed to ''Record World'' under the ...

'' said that Foreigner "has elegantly captured the magic of power pop with their first effort." ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' 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 ki ...

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 synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...

progressiveness." ''

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

'' critic

Dave Marsh Dave Marsh (born ) 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'', and has published num ...

said the song "combines

Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock music, rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry (lead vocals/keyboards/principal songwriter) and Graham Simpson (musician), Graham Simpson (bass). By the time the band recorded their Roxy Music (album), first albu ...

-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 advertised as the oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States. A morning newspaper serving most of the state north of New Haven and ...

'' 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

hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved/bent back or has a deeply grooved indentation, which serves to grab, latch or in any way attach itself onto another object. The hook's d ...

s."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

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 MOR rock, with "hard-hitting"

snare drum The snare drum (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often u ...

, "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 Brian Kachejian 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 ''

Magic Mike ''Magic Mike'' is a 2012 American independent comedy-drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, and Matthew McConaughey. The plot revolves around Adam, a 19-year-old ...

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

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''. It was also featured in the 2013 film ''

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'', the 2017 film '' I, Tonya'', and the end credits of the 2021 film '' Eternals''. A heavily-edited version appears in the 2020

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

movie ''

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''.

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 '' He ...

– 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,) is a British musician and artist who was the original drummer for the rock band Foreigner (band), Foreigner. He played with the band from 1976 until leaving between 1991 and 1993. He went on to beco ...

– drums

References

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