First Man

Album: Romance (2019)
Charted: 94
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is Camila Cabello's tribute to her father, Alejandro, who was born in Mexico and moved to Cuba, where Camila was born. When she was 6, Camila immigrated to the United States with her mother; Alejandro joined them about a year later.

    Camila's dad worked hard to provide a good life for her, and was always supportive of her dreams to become a singer. In this song, she lets him know that no matter how many boyfriends come in and out of her life, he will always be the first man who really loved her.
  • Cabello wrote this in Nashville with the songwriters Jordan Reynolds and Amy Wadge; Reynolds produced it with Billie Eilish's brother, Finneas.
  • Cabello sang this at the Grammy Awards in 2020, where home movies of her and her dad (who was also her date for the evening) were projected as she sang. Near the end of the song, she walked off stage and sang it to her father, who was seated in the first row. He was moved to tears.

    The song's co-producer, Finneas, won the Grammy for Producer of the Year.
  • This beautiful message to her father was the first tune that Cabello wrote for Romance. She told Radio.com: "I was so happy with it because I feel like I set an intention to just be as vulnerable as possible, and that's definitely the proudest I've ever been of writing a song."
  • The emotional music video is a compilation of home videos dedicated to the singer's dad. Cabello dropped the clip on Father's Day (June 21), 2020.

Comments: 1

  • Tammy Pettygrew from Booneville ArkansasI love this song! I sat that night a watched her performance and i just cried thinking how proud her Daddy must be of her! Thank you such a beautiful song! I love it and your beautiful sole shows through this song for your Father! Thank you for such an amazing song! <3 Tammy P.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Wolfgang Van Halen

Wolfgang Van HalenSongwriter Interviews

Wolfgang Van Halen breaks down the songs on his debut album, Mammoth WVH, and names the definitive Van Halen songs from the Sammy and Dave eras.

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse Pop

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse PopSong Writing

Songs that seem to glorify violence against women are often misinterpreted - but not always.

Edie Brickell

Edie BrickellSongwriter Interviews

Edie Brickell on her collaborations with Paul Simon, Steve Martin and Willie Nelson, and her 2021 album with the New Bohemians.

U2

U2Fact or Fiction

How did The Edge get his name? Did they name a song after a Tolkien book? And who is "Angel of Harlem" about?

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & FireSongwriter Interviews

The longtime bassist of Earth, Wind & Fire discusses how his band came to do a holiday album, and offers insight into some of the greatest dance/soul tunes of all-time.

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"They're Playing My Song

Armed with a childhood spent devouring books, Mike Scott's heart was stolen by the punk rock scene of 1977. Not surprisingly, he would go on to become the most literate of rockers.