Released July 1983 | ||
Format 7" single, picture disc CD Writer(s) Peter Coyle, Jeremy Kelly, Gerard Quinn | ||
"The First Picture of You" is a song by English band The Lotus Eaters. It was released as the group's debut single in July 1983, and was included on their debut album No Sense of Sin released the following year.
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Recording
The song was first recorded during a John Peel Radio 1 session in 1982 and, when aired, stimulated a bidding war between major UK record labels. It took some time for the band to find the right producer, but they eventually teamed up with Nigel Gray, who had produced The Police and Siouxsie and the Banshees. Recorded at Surrey Sound Studios in Leatherhead, the track features session bassist Alan Spenner, well known for his work with Joe Cocker and Roxy Music. Former bassist of The Cure and The Associates Michael Dempsey joined soon after and is featured on the rest of the band's debut album.
Release
"The First Picture of You" was a top 20 hit in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 15 after the band had twice appeared on BBC TV's Top of the Pops. The follow-up single, "You Don't Need Someone New", scraped into the UK Top 40, but this and subsequent songs were more successful for the band in France, Italy, Japan and the Philippines.
The song received more UK radio plays in 1983 than any other song.
Veteran DJ Peter Powell cites it as being his all-time favourite song.