Classic Pop Icons

The Carpenters’ signature song “We’ve Only Just Begun” is Song of the Week on Classic Pop Icons.

“We’ve Only Just Begun” was released on single in August 1970, backed with “All of My Life,” and also appeared on the group’s second album, “Close To You,” which was released the same month.

The Carpenters’ break came the year before when signed by Herb Alpert to his A&M Records. Their first album with A&M, “Offering,” was greeted with indifference by the public, but did yield the single “Ticket to Ride” which was a moderate hit. Alpert believed that Karen and Richard Carpenter had real potential and it didn’t take long before his faith in the pair was rewarded. Their recording of Burt Bacharach’s “Close To You” became a number one success in the summer of 1970 and went on to sell three million copies worldwide.

“We’ve Only Just Begun” was the follow-up single and would confirm that the success of “Close To You” had not been a fluke. The song had an inauspicious beginning as the theme for a television commercial, as recalled by Richard Carpenter on his website:

Around the time we were recording “Close To You,” I took notice of a TV commercial for the Crocker Bank. A soft-sell campaign, it featured a young couple getting married, and driving into the sunset. The song, expressly written for the commercial was “We’ve Only Just Begun.” It caught my ear immediately. As the commercial featured Paul’s [Williams] singing, I assumed it was a Nichols/Williams song, and spoke to Paul on the A&M lot shortly thereafter. Paul informed me that I was correct, and that the song did have both a bridge and a third verse. (I was curious, as the ads contained only the one or two verses.) Upon hearing the demo, I was convinced the song was a hit, and went into the sound stage to work out the arrangement. The single was released in August of 1970 and went on to become a smash, and one of the best known prothalamia ever written.

Here’s the original commercial:

Richard Carpenter’s instincts for what material would work well for the group were spot on. The song would become one of the Carpenters’ best loved recordings and the song that Karen and Richard would come to regard as their “signature” song.

The biggest factor in the success of the Carpenters was Karen Carpenter’s flawless voice. Her rich, smooth alto was one of the greatest and most distinctive voices in popular music. From the opening line of “We’ve Only Just Begun,” the listener is captivated and wants to hear more.

Richard Carpenter’s arrangement is also excellent on this recording, from the subtle and atmospheric piano and clarinet intro, through to the lush production on the bridge, with layers of backing vocals supporting Karen’s lead and expert drumming from the legendary session drummer Hal Blaine.

In a 2012 interview with Jazzwax.com, Hal Blaine remembered the recording session for “We’ve Only Just Begun”:

When I arrived, the Carpenters’ parents were there. You could tell right away they ruled the roost. We started to run through the song, “We’ve Only Just Begun”. But Karen was singing way too high. I stopped the session and took Karen aside. I said, “Look, Karen, I don’t want to bug you with this, but you’re singing way up high. You speak mid-range, which is much better for your singing voice. Why don’t you try it?” At first her parents cut in and insisted that up high was the way she sang. I said to her, “Try taking it down three keys.” So she did, and the rest is history [laughs].

With the song telling of a couple beginning their life together, it’s no surprise that “We’ve Only Just Begun” became a hugely popular wedding song. The Carpenters also received many requests from yearbook committees, asking permission to use the song as the motto of their graduating classes.

In 1998, “We’ve Only Just Begun” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame which recognises songs that are of “lasting quality or historical significance”. Several years later, Rolling Stone ranked the song at #405 on their list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.

“We’ve Only Just Begun” – Carpenters

Authorship

“We’ve Only Just Begun” was written by Roger Nichols (music) and Paul Williams (lyrics). This was the first of many hits penned by Nichols/Williams, including “Rainy Days and Monday” and “I Won’t Last a Day Without You” for the Carpenters; “An Old Fashioned Love Song”, “The Family of Man” and “Out in the Country” for Three Dog Night; and “You and Me Against the World” for Helen Reddy.

Recording date/location

“We’ve Only Just Begun” was recorded in the spring of 1970 at A&M Studios in Hollywood, California.

The Carpenters at A&M Studios, 1970 – Photo credit: richardandkarencarpenter.com

Musicians

The following musicians appeared on “We’ve Only Just Begun”:

• Karen Carpenter – Lead vocal
• Karen and Richard Carpenter – Backing vocals
• Richard Carpenter – Keyboards
• Joe Osborn – Bass
• Hal Blaine – Drums
• Doug Strawn – Clarinet.

The session was engineered by Ray Gerhardt.

Chart performance

“We’ve Only Just Begun” peaked at #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending October 31, 1970. It also topped Billboard’s Adult Contemporary singles chart for seven weeks.

Other notable recordings

“We’ve Only Just Begun” – Paul Williams

Paul Williams featured his own recording of the song that he had co-written on his 1971 album “Just an Old Fashioned Love Song”. It’s a pleasant rendition, with some very attractive acoustic guitar work and an understated vocal from Williams.

“We’ve Only Just Begun” – Ramsey Lewis

Ramsey Lewis featured “We’ve Only Just Begun” on his 1971 album “Back to the Roots”. The laidback, jazzy instrumental is dominated by Lewis’ assured piano work, which is supported by Cleveland Eaton’s melodic bass work, and very effective percussion from Morris Jennings.

“We’ve Only Just Begun” – Andy Williams

With the easy-listening nature of the material, it’s no surprise that Andy Williams was attracted to the song in 1971. Williams’ typically smooth delivery is well suited to the song, which is taken at a slightly faster tempo than the Carpenters’ hit.

The Carpenters’ “We’ve Only Just Begun” is available on the album “Close To You” and a number of compilations, including “Carpenters – Gold”.

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Close To You (CD)	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now
Carpenters – Gold (2 CDs)	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now