"We've Only Just Begun" is a song by American sibling duo the Carpenters. It was released on August 21, 1970 through A&M Records as the second single from their second album, Close to You (1970). It was originally conceived by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols for a television commercial, which the Carpenters saw and sought to record; it was produced by Jack Daugherty. It is a soft rock song with lyrics about continuing the journey of life.
"We've Only Just Begun" was released to immediate success, reaching number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping four other charts; it was nominated at the Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best Contemporary Song. The song boosted the success of Close to You and was acclaimed for its composition, production, and Karen Carpenter's vocals.
"We've Only Just Begun" is an enduring work by the Carpenters, being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and included in several all-time lists.
Background
The origins of We've Only Just Begun can be traced back to a 1970 television commercial for Crocker-Citizens National Bank in California. Facing challenges with name recognition and competition, the bank sought to connect with young customers starting their adult lives. Hal Riney, a creative force at the advertising agency Hal Riney & Partners, envisioned a new kind of commercial – one that told a story through music, rather than selling a product directly. Riney's team provided songwriters Paul Williams and Roger Nichols with the slogan, "You've got a long way to go. We'd like to help you get there," and explained that the commercial would highlight a couple's wedding and their journey ahead.
Williams and Nichols wrote the song in a single afternoon, matching the warmth and optimism Riney wanted. The resulting ad – set to wedding visuals and Williams' heartfelt vocal – intentionally left out direct references to the bank, making the message universal. The commercial was an immediate hit: it resonated with younger customers, boosted brand recognition, and even led to a surge in requests to use the song for weddings and graduations. The unique approach of focusing on storytelling and customer experience, rather than bank products, helped set a new standard for advertising in the industry. and No. 1 on the Cash Box single chart. It spent seven weeks as the top song on the Adult Contemporary chart. Cash Box described the song as having "delicious lyrics and a sparkling production." For Williams and Nichols, the song represented a breakthrough, solidifying their careers as a songwriting team. In 2011, it was included on Rolling Stone list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time."
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|Canada RPM Adult Contemporary
| style="text-align:center;"|1
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|Japan
| style="text-align:center;"|71
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|Quebec (ADISQ)
|align="center"|4
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|US Cash Box Top 100
| style="text-align:center;"|1
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|US Cashbox Radio Active Airplay Singles
| style="text-align:center;"|3
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Year-end charts
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!align="left"|Chart (1970)
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank
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|Australia
| style="text-align:center;"|90
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|US Billboard Hot 100
| style="text-align:center;"|65
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|US Cash Box
| style="text-align:center;"|57
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|Canada
| style="text-align:center;"|16
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Certifications
Personnel
- Karen Carpenter – lead and backing vocals
- Richard Carpenter – co-lead & backing vocals, piano, Wurlitzer electronic piano, orchestration
- Joe Osborn – bass
- Hal Blaine – drums
- Doug Strawn – clarinet
- Bob Messenger – woodwinds
- Jim Horn – woodwinds
- Uncredited – tambourine, trumpets
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)
Paul Williams version
Paul Williams, who had originally composed the song's lyrics, released a version of the song in 1971 on his album Just an Old Fashioned Love Song. It was also released as a single, with "Waking Up Alone" as the B-side. The 1971 version was a different recording from the version he had recorded for the original Crocker Bank commercial.
Bitty McLean version
- Bitty McLean released a version as a single on June 5, 1995, which reached No. 23 on the UK Singles Chart.
See also
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1970 (U.S.)
- R. Coleman: The Carpenters: the Untold Story (New York, 1995)