"First Time" is a song by American singer Robin Beck from her second album, Trouble or Nothin' (1989). The song was released as a single in July 1988 and was originally recorded for a Coca-Cola commercial in 1987. In the United Kingdom, the power ballad climbed to No. 1 and spent three weeks there in November and December 1988, spending 14 weeks on the UK Singles Chart in total. The song additionally reached number one in Austria, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, and West Germany. Despite being also released as a single in the US and critically praised by Billboard, it failed to chart due to business political differences between Mercury Records and Coca-Cola wanting to promote either First Time or Save Up All Your Tears, according to Beck's interview with Rock Eyez in 2009.

Critical reception

Bill Coleman from Billboard wrote, "Fledgling rock vixen takes another shot at radio approval with this well-sung power ballad."

Music video

There were two (completely different) professionally filmed music videos for the single. One is almost exclusively performance footage of Beck and her band, shot in a style used by many hair metal acts of the late 1980s. The other version is a "concept" video: At the beginning, Beck is seen in her bathroom, applying mascara and checking her hair, then makes a quick phone call. She goes through her apartment with scenes of her with her boyfriend. She looks out of a window before watching television (more scenes of her with her boyfriend). She flips through a magazine on the mantelpiece (more scenes), then makes another phone call. At the end of the video, the doorbell rings. Beck turns the television off and answers the door, but the person behind the door cannot be seen.

Track listings

7-inch single 12-inch and CD single Cassette single

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Cover versions

The song was covered in a Spanish version for the Latin American Coca-Cola campaign by Mexican singer Rocío Banquells, under the title Primera Vez, released on her album En El Alambre. In 1999, Polish singer Kasia Kowalska recorded a Polish-language version of the song for the Polish Coca-Cola campaign, under the title "Chcę zatrzymać ten czas". Polish singer Margaret also recorded her version of the song titled "Smak radości" for Polish Coca-Cola commercial. It was released for digital download on April 16, 2015.

Unique version

In 2003, the song was covered by Unique which achieved minor success in Switzerland.

Track listing

CD maxi

Charts

Sunblock version

In 2006, Sunblock, an electronic music group from Sweden, recorded a cover of the song with Robin Beck for their second single. It became their second top-10 hit, charting at number nine on the UK Singles Chart.

Charts