<Tr> <Th> Songwriter (s) </Th> <Td> Cat Stevens </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Producer (s) </Th> <Td> Mike Hurst </Td> </Tr> <P> "The First Cut Is the Deepest" is a 1967 song written by Cat Stevens, originally released by P.P. Arnold in May 1967 . Stevens' own version originally appeared on his album New Masters in December 1967 . </P> <P> The song has been widely covered and has become a hit single for four different artists: P.P. Arnold (1967), Keith Hampshire (1973), Rod Stewart (1977), and Sheryl Crow (2003). </P>

Who sang the first cut is the deepest originally