I Loved Her First - Heartland
Song Lyrics / Chart History / Artist Information

• Written by Walt Aldridge and Elliott Park
• Originally performed by the country band "Heartland"
• Formed in 2006 in Huntsville Alabama, Heartland consists of the following members:
  • Jason Albert – lead vocals
  • Craig Anderson – acoustic guitar
  • Todd Anderson – drums
  • Chuck Crawford – fiddle, acoustic guitar, background vocals
  • Mike Myerson – lead guitar
  • Kenny West – bass guitar, background vocals
• The song was the first singe to be released from the band's first album, also entitled "I Loved Her First"
• The single "I Love Her First" raced to the top of the Billboard country music singles chart, reaching #1 in November 2006
• It also reached #34 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #56 on the Pop 100 chart
• The album reached #3 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, and made it to #11 on the Top 200 Albums chart
• The song has become very popular for use at wedding as a Father / Daughter Dance or Parent Dance, considering the heartfelt lyrics and the waltz beat that is perfect for dancers of all abilities

Song Lyrics - I Loved Her First

Look at the two of you dancing that way
Lost in the moment and each others face
So much in love you’re alone in this place
Like there’s nobody else in the world

I was enough for her not long ago
I was her number one
She told me so
And she still means the world to me
Just so you know
So be careful when you hold my girl

Time changes everything
Life must go on
And I’m not gonna stand in your way

But I loved her first and I held her first
And a place in my heart will always be hers
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
And I prayed that she’d find you someday
But it still hard to give her away
I loved her first

How could that beautiful women with you
Be the same freckle face kid that I knew
The one that I read all those fairy tales to
And tucked into bed all those nights

And I knew the first time I saw you with her
It was only a matter of time

But I loved her first,
I held her first
And a place in my heart will always be hers
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
And I prayed that she’d find you someday
But its still hard to give her away
I loved her first

From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
Someday you might know what I'm goin' though
When a miracle smiles up at you
I loved her first