First Girl I Loved

First girl I loved
Time has come I will sing you this sad goodbye song
When I was seventeen
I used to know you

Well, I haven't seen you now since many is the short year
And the last time I seen you, you said you'd joined the Church of Jesus
But me, I remember your long red hair falling in our faces
As I kissed you

I want you to know, I just had to go
I want you to know, we just had to grow

And you're probably married now, house and car and all
And you turned into a grownup female stranger
And if I was lying near you now
I wouldn't be here at all

We parted so hard
Me, rushing round Britain with a guitar
And making love to people
I didn't even like to see

I would think of you
And I mean in the six sad morning
And in the lonely midnight
Try to hold your face before me

I want you to know, I just had to go
I want you to know, we just had to grow

You're probably married now, kids and all
You turned into a grownup female stranger
And if I was lying near you now
I'd just have to fall

Well, I never slept with you
Though we must have made love a thousand times
We were just young, didn't have no place to go
But in the wide hills and beside many a long water
You have gathered flowers and they do not smell for me

I want you to know, I just had to go
I want you to know, we just had to grow

So it's goodbye first love and I hope you're fine
I have a sweet woman
Maybe someday to bear babies by me, she's pretty
Is a true friend of mine