The First Time (Surface song)

"The First Time" is a single by American R&B/pop music trio Surface that hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991 for two weeks, the trio's only chart-topper. The song also spent one week at number one on the U.S. R&B chart^[2] and two weeks atop the adult contemporary chart.^[3]

"The First Time"
Single by Surface
from the album 3 Deep
B-side	"Closer Than Friends"
Released	October 1990 October 11, 1990 December 6, 1990
Recorded	1989
Genre	R&B[1] quiet storm[1]
Length	4:16
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Brian Simpson Bernard Jackson
Producer(s)	Surface
Surface singles chronology
"Can We Spend Some Time" (1990) "The First Time" (1990) "All I Want Is You" (1991)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1990–1991) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[4] 103 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[5] 1 Canada RPM Top Singles[6] 18 New Zealand Singles Chart[7] 7 UK Singles Chart 60 US Billboard Hot 100 1 US Billboard R&B Singles[2] 1 US Billboard Adult Contemporary[3] 1 US Cash Box Top 100[8] 1

Year-end charts Year-end chart (1991) Position US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[9] 9 US Cash Box[10] 21 All-time charts Chart (1958–2018) Position US Billboard Hot 100[11] 278

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[12]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1991 (U.S.)
• List of number-one R&B singles of 1991 (U.S.)
• List of Hot Adult Contemporary number ones of 1991