First by Cold War Kids

Album: Hold My Home (2014)

Charted: 105

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Asked about the song's meaning by Radio.com, Cold War Kids frontman Nathan Willet replied: "I think it's got something in common with probably a large number of Cold War Kids songs, kind of overcoming some doubt. There's a story there where there's like somebody just kind of burning out and needs to get their life back together."

"There are some very clear things in there; it's just the idea of like waking up in somebody's front lawn with the sprinklers turning on and not knowing where you are."
This was released as the second single off Hold My Home but it nearly didn't make it onto the album. Willet explained: "It was literally just the last, last, last song for the record where we were thinking it was just maybe a B-side or something, and we thought, 'Okay, we'll finish this one.' And the minute that we were sending these songs in to the label and management and said, 'Okay, these are all done,' and people freaked out the minute they heard that song. And we were shocked. And they were like, 'This is gonna be a great single,' and we were like, 'Wow, okay. So we'll put it on the record, we won't just let it be a B-side.'"
The song lived up to its title, by becoming Cold War Kids' first ever #1 when it topped the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. It spent seven weeks at the summit.
According to data from Broadcast Data Systems, "First" was the most-played song of the 2010s on Alternative radio. It determined the song's 214,342 spins was the most of any song on the format over the decade.

Comments: 4

Juansaninx from MiamiThis songs reflect my life and specially one friend of mine who die in 1979! Lalo Carlos Sanchez this songs is for you
A Recovering Alcoholic, Seeking Meaning from MinnesotaThis song changed my life.
Moosehead from Scstrong song. still love it
Alden Williams from New Jersey Excellent song by some underrated dudes. The kind of vocals that sort of just ooz emotion even when you’re not exactly sure what to feel. I guess I’ve always seen it as an edgy look into the long and confusing rebuilding of your own humanity a lot of people hit after being hurt. And the reflection that comes with it. Whether by a relationship or childhood or something else, the hurt always comes first. The song luckily has hope we can always still choose after the fact who we want to be.

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