We've Only Just Begun

"We've Only Just Begun" is a single by the Carpenters, written by Roger Nichols (music) and Paul Williams (lyrics). It was ranked at No. 414 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time."[2]

"We've Only Just Begun"
Artwork for U.S. vinyl single
Single by Carpenters
from the album Close to You
B-side"All of My Life"
ReleasedAugust 21, 1970
Recorded1970
GenreSoft rock,[1] traditional pop
Length3:05
LabelA&M
1217
Songwriter(s)Paul Williams; Roger Nichols
Producer(s)Jack Daugherty
Carpenters singles chronology
"(They Long to Be) Close to You"
(1970)		 "We've Only Just Begun"
(1970)		 "Merry Christmas Darling"
(1970)

Song information

The song was originally recorded by Smokey Roberds, a friend of Nichols, singing under the name of "Freddie Allen".[3] It debuted within a wedding-themed television commercial for Crocker National Bank in California in the winter of 1970, with Paul Williams on vocals.[4] Hal Riney of the San Francisco-based advertising agency Hal Riney & Partners had commissioned the song to help Crocker appeal to young people. The song played over footage of a couple getting married and just starting out. In the song, direct reference to the bank was left out, in part to make the song more marketable. The commercial turned out to be very popular, but it attracted customers in which the bank was not interested: young adult customers with no collateral for loans. The campaign was eventually suspended, and Crocker subsequently franchised it to other banks.[5]

Richard Carpenter saw the TV commercial and guessed correctly that Williams was the vocalist (both of them were under contract to A&M Records). Carpenter ran into Williams on the record company's lot and asked whether a full-length version was available. Although the TV commercial had only two verses and no bridge, Williams stated that there was a bridge and an additional verse, forming a complete song, which was then delivered.

According to Williams in the documentary Close to You: Remembering The Carpenters "We'd had some success with songs before, a few album cuts and some B-sides - but no singles. This was a major break, a chance to get an A-side and maybe even a hit, so we would have absolutely lied through our teeth if there wasn't a full song."

Carpenter selected the composition for the duo's third single and included it on the LP Close to You. Released in late summer 1970, the single featured Karen's lead vocals and the overdubbed harmonies of both siblings. Following their hit "(They Long to Be) Close to You" onto the charts, "We've Only Just Begun" hit No. 1 on the Cash Box singles chart and No. 2 on the U.S.Billboard Hot 100 behind the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There" and the Partridge Family's "I Think I Love You", becoming the pair's second million-selling gold single, spending nine weeks in the Top 10. It was considered by both Karen and Richard to be their signature song. According to The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (6th edition), on the U.S. Adult Contemporary singles chart, it was the duo's best-performing tune, lasting seven weeks at No. 1 (beating the six-week stay at the top of "Close to You").[6] The song also helped them to win two Grammy Awards in 1971: Best New Artist and Best Contemporary Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus (for "Close to You").

Williams recorded his own version of the song for his 1971 album Just an Old Fashioned Love Song.

Cash Box described the song as having "delicious lyrics and a sparkling production."[7]

For Williams, the song was a personal victory; it was his first collaboration with Nichols that resulted in a hit single, and it opened the door to many more thereafter. In 1998, the recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for recordings "of lasting quality or historical significance".[8]

Although it only charted at number 28 in the UK Singles Chart in 1970, its subsequent growth in popularity in the UK saw it voted second in The Nation's Favourite Carpenters Song, broadcast by ITV in 2016.[9]

Music video

The music video for the song was shot in a red background with the letters for the word "you". Karen was sitting in the letter "u" while Richard was standing beside her. He also was not playing the piano as he usually did. The video was shot as part of the 1971 television series Make Your Own Kind of Music.

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[16] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[17] Gold 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

Carpenters compilation appearances
  • 1973 – The Singles: 1969–1973 (1973 remix with intro)
  • 1980 – Beautiful Moments
  • 1985 – Yesterday Once More: Their Greatest Hits (1985 remix)
  • 1989 – Anthology
  • 1991 – From the Top (1991 remix)
  • 1995 – Interpretations: A 25th Anniversary Edition
  • 1997 – Carpenters: Their Greatest Hits And Finest Performances
  • 1998 – Love Songs
  • 2000 – The Singles: 1969-1981
  • 2002 – The Essential Collection
  • 2004 – Gold: 35th Anniversary Edition
  • 2009 – 40/40
  • 2014 – Icon (as part of Universal Music's budget line compilation series)

Notable cover versions
  • Bitty McLean, released as a single on June 5, 1995, and reached No. 23 on the UK Singles Chart[18][19]

See also

References
  1. Smith, Sophie (July 17, 2021). "Best Wedding Songs: Tunes For Every Moment Of Your Big Day".
  2. "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 2011-04-07. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  3. Pierce, Dave (2008). Riding on the ether express: a memoir of 1960s Los Angeles, the rise of Freeform Underground Radio, and the legendary KPPC-FM. Center for Louisiana Studies, ISBN 9781887366779
  4. Schmidt, Randy (Randy L.) (2010). Little girl blue : the life of Karen Carpenter. London. ISBN 978-1-84938-550-3. OCLC 858842610.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. "Excerpt from Hal Riney biographical feature". Youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  6. "Billboard Adult Contemporary Week of October 10, 1970". Billboard.
  7. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. September 12, 1970. p. 14. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  8. "GRAMMY Hall Of Fame". GRAMMY.org. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
  9. "The Nation's Favourite Carpenters Song". ITV. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  10. "Archived copy". Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on 2016-10-09. Retrieved 2016-09-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. "Image : RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
  12. "Top 100 1970-11-07". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  13. "Top 100 Hits of 1970/Top 100 Songs of 1970". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
  14. "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1970". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
  15. "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 2013-07-17. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
  16. "British single certifications – Carpenters – We've Only Just Begun". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  17. "American single certifications – The Carpenters – We've Only Just Begun". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  18. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. June 3, 1995. p. 35.
  19. "Bitty McLean". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
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