The song appears to have been written at some point between the years 2000 and 2002. It was first recorded in 2002 at Cherokee Studio in Los Angeles with guitarists Boz Boorer and Alain Whyte and bassist Gary Day for the audition of drummer Dean Butterworth.

The definitive version may have been recorded alongside the "You Are The Quarry" material at Sarm Hook End in Berkshire in the autumn of 2003 and mixed at Conway Studios in Los Angeles with producer Jerry Finn, although the latter album is generally credited as having been recorded in Los Angeles in 2004. Musicians on this recording were Boz Boorer (guitar), Alain Whyte (guitar), Gary Day (bass) and Dean Butterworth (drums). Roger Manning should be credited for keyboards if the song was recorded during the "You Are The Quarry" sessions, or else Mikey V Farrell if it was recorded shortly after.

single version {2:53}

• 7" and cd single of "First Of The Gang To Die"

• Deluxe edition of "You Are The Quarry" album

• "Swords" album

This song has never been performed specifically for radio, television or the web.

This song has been done in concert 26 times by Morrissey, all on the Tour Of The Tormentors MMVI. It was played every night at the beginning of the tour, then less and less often until the beginning of July after which it was dropped from the setlist.

There are no officially released live recordings of the song at this point in time.

2002 studio outtake {2:51}

Cherokee studio outtake leaked on the internet in 2009. Source: an industry in-house cd-r.