(Credits: Far Out / W. Punt / Dutch National Archives)
Mon 30 March 2026 13:00, UK
Whether it’s Hendrix’s unforgettable take on ‘All Along The Watchtower’ or Johnny Cash’s pulchritudinous rendition of ‘Hurt’, the music industry has seen no shortage of cover versions that, in many ways, eclipse the original recording. In terms of commercial success, at least, the same can be said for one of Rod Stewart’s all-time greatest hits.
Long before ‘Rod the Mod’ became the archetypal rockstar of the 1970s, with his arsenal of impossibly tight trousers and litany of lyrics which have aged about as poorly as his views on immigration, Stewart spent a lot of time rubbing shoulders with the movers and shakers of 1960s London. Namely, after striking upon his modernist look, he made his first major step into the industry by joining The Jeff Beck Group and embarking upon his first solo efforts of any substance.Â
Before too long, those solo works brought Stewart to the door of Immediate Records, the hippest record label of the 1960s and, as it turned out, also one of the most poorly run. Established by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, Immediate played host to some of the brightest sparks of the scene, including The Small Faces and even a pre-Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page. Perhaps their greatest asset, though, was PP Arnold.Â
Once an ‘Ikette’, on tour with the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, Arnold fell so deeply in love with London on one tour that she decided to abandon her Californian origins and settle permanently in the technicolour dreamland of swinging sixties London. Thanks to a blossoming friendship with Mick Jagger, Arnold scored a deal with Immediate and quickly became the label’s premier soul star.
In addition to backing virtually every Small Faces hit, including ‘Itchycoo Park’, Arnold also boasted an incredible solo career, releasing tracks like the northern soul favourite ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Alright’ and, perhaps most notably, ‘The First Cut Is The Deepest’. Penned by the infallible talents of Cat Stevens, Arnold was the first to release the song on her 1967 album, appropriately titled The First Lady of Immediate.Â
Despite being a relative unknown at the time of the single’s release, ‘The First Cut Is The Deepest’ was an instant classic, peaking at number 18 in the UK singles chart. Nowadays, though, if you hear the song at all, you are most likely to hear the version recorded an entire decade later, by Arnold’s Immediate comrade, Rod Stewart.
Immediately, Stewart’s version seemed to eclipse the comparatively modest commercial success of Arnold’s original, spending a whopping four weeks at the top of the UK singles charts and becoming one of the greatest tracks Stewart ever lent his name to.
Even today, ‘The First Cut Is The Deepest’ remains a firm fan favourite and a staple of the ageing rockstar’s live performances – even if his voice doesn’t have quite the same soulful power as Arnold.
Ultimately, the debate over which recording of the track is the superior version is one which will wage on for many more decades. In terms of commercial power, though, Stewart is unmatched. Either way, the sheer number of versions of the song and how beloved those efforts by both Arnold and Stewart are is testament to the timeless songwriting power of Cat Stevens.
