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 is credited as having been recorded during the "You Are The Quarry" sessions in Los Angeles in 2004, but the latter sessions were actually split between Sarm Hook End in Berkshire in the autumn of 2003 and Conway Studios in Los Angeles in late 2003 or January 2004, with producer Jerry Finn. Musicians on this recording were Boz Boorer (guitar), Alain Whyte (guitar), Gary Day (bass), Dean Butterworth (drums) and Roger Manning (piano).

single version {4:09}

• USA single of "First Of The Gang To Die", all formats

• DVD-single and Europe (non-UK) 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 was on the setlist each and every night on the 2009 Swords tour, but two concerts were interrupted early before it had a chance to be played, so it ended up being done 24 times in total.

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

2002 studio outtake

Cherokee studio outtake has not yet leaked on bootlegs but is in the hands of a few lucky fans and collectors.