Richard Carpenter was hunched over a television set in 1970 when a bank commercial caught his ear. It wasn’t the visuals. He didn't care about the marketing. It was the melody. That simple, ascending line paired with a voice that sounded like velvet. Most people ignore the music in a Continental Bank of Chicago ad, but Richard wasn't most people. He heard a hit.
The song was "We've Only Just Begun." At that moment, the trajectory of the duo known as the Carpenters changed forever.
People often think of 1970s pop as a monolith of disco or hard rock, but the Carpenters only just begun their reign by leaning into something much more traditional yet technically sophisticated. It wasn't just "soft rock." It was a masterclass in arrangement. Paul Williams and Roger Nichols had written the track for that bank commercial, never imagining it would become a wedding anthem for the next fifty years. When Karen and Richard got their hands on it, they transformed a thirty-second jingle into a multi-generational touchstone.
The Secret Sauce of the Carpenters Only Just Begun Era
Why does it still work? Honestly, it’s the contrast. You have Karen’s "basement" voice—that rich, low contralto—hitting notes that feel like a warm blanket. Then you have Richard’s obsessive, almost mathematical approach to the studio. He didn't just record a song; he built it layer by layer.
Take the background vocals. That's not a choir. It’s Karen and Richard overdubbing their own voices dozens of times to create that "wall of sound" effect. It’s thick. It’s lush. It’s also incredibly difficult to replicate live without sounding thin. They were pioneers of the multitrack vocal stack.
Back in the early 70s, the "cool" crowd at Rolling Stone didn't get it. They called it "saccharine." They were wrong. If you strip away the layers, you find a deep, almost melancholic yearning in Karen’s delivery. She isn't just singing about a wedding; she’s singing about the terrifying uncertainty of a new life. "White lace and promises." It’s hopeful, sure, but there’s a weight to it.
The Paul Williams Connection
Paul Williams is a legend. Short guy, huge talent. He wrote the lyrics after being told the bank wanted something about young people starting out. He didn't have a whole song. He just had a verse and a chorus for the ad.
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When Richard Carpenter called him to ask if there was a full version, Williams basically said, "Uh, yeah, of course!" and then scrambled to finish it. That’s the reality of the music business. Sometimes the greatest songs of all time are finished in a mild panic because a rising star is on the other end of the phone line.
Williams later noted that the song saved his career. Before the Carpenters only just begun their climb to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with his track, he was just another struggling songwriter in Los Angeles. The success of that single gave him the leverage to write "Rainy Days and Mondays" and "I Won't Last a Day Without You."
Breaking Down the Arrangement
Music nerds love this track for a reason. It starts with that iconic piano intro. It’s simple, but the spacing is perfect. Then the flute comes in. Most pop bands in 1970 were trying to sound like Led Zeppelin or The Rolling Stones. The Carpenters went the other way. They went toward the orchestra.
Richard used a Wurlitzer electric piano to give it that specific "bark." He also understood the power of the bridge. When the drums finally kick in—played by Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew, though Karen was a world-class drummer herself—the song opens up. It breathes.
Karen's Vocal Health and Technique
One thing people get wrong is thinking Karen was "just" a singer. She was a musician's musician. Her breath control on "We've Only Just Begun" is insane. Listen to the long phrases. She doesn't gasp for air. She flows.
Interestingly, Karen originally wanted to stay behind the drums. She felt safe there. It was Herb Alpert and Richard who pushed her to the front of the stage. Can you imagine if she had stayed in the back? We would have missed out on the most distinct microphone presence in recording history. She sang close to the mic—very close. It created an intimacy that felt like she was whispering directly into your ear.
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The Cultural Impact Nobody Predicted
By the mid-70s, this song was everywhere. It wasn't just a hit; it was a utility.
- Weddings: It became the de facto processional song.
- Graduations: Schools used it for every commencement ceremony.
- Commercials: It ironically went back to its roots, selling everything from insurance to cars.
But there’s a darker side to the nostalgia. As the Carpenters only just begun to dominate the charts, the pressure on Karen was mounting. The "clean-cut" image the media forced on them was a cage. While the world was singing along to their hits, Karen was struggling with the beginnings of the anorexia that would eventually take her life.
It’s a strange juxtaposition. You hear this incredibly bright, optimistic song about beginnings, knowing the tragic end of the singer. It adds a layer of pathos that the writers never intended. It makes the line "sharing horizons that are new to us" feel heartbreaking in retrospect.
Technical Specs: Why It Sounds "Expensive"
If you listen to a modern pop song, it’s often compressed to death. There’s no dynamic range. Everything is loud.
"We've Only Just Begun" is the opposite. It uses the full spectrum of the tape. The quiet parts are actually quiet. The crescendos actually feel like they’re rising. Richard used a lot of "air" in the mix. He wasn't afraid of silence between the notes.
The song was recorded at A&M Studios in Hollywood. They used state-of-the-art (for the time) consoles that gave the low end a specific warmth. If you play the original vinyl on a decent turntable, you can hear the wood of the piano. You can hear the reed in the woodwinds. It's an organic recording in an era that was starting to experiment with synthesizers. Richard stayed away from the moog and stuck to the soul of the instruments.
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The "A&M Sound"
Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss created a specific vibe at A&M Records. They valued melody over grit. They wanted artists who could sell to your parents and your siblings. The Carpenters were the crown jewel of this philosophy.
While the "counterculture" was happening in San Francisco, the Carpenters were in Downey, California, perfecting the art of the three-minute pop song. They weren't trying to change the world with politics; they were trying to perfect the bridge-to-chorus transition.
Misconceptions About the Duo
A lot of people think Richard did everything and Karen just sang. That's a huge mistake. Karen was a phenomenal drummer. Many jazz legends, including Buddy Rich, praised her timing and her "pocket."
On the early records, she played the drums. Eventually, as they became more successful and the touring schedule got grueling, they hired session players like Hal Blaine. But the DNA of the rhythm was often dictated by Karen’s sensibilities. She knew where the beat should land.
Another myth: They were "uncool."
Well, maybe in 1972. But look at the 1990s. Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon wrote "Tunic (Song for Karen)." Shonen Knife covered their songs. The "alternative" generation realized that the Carpenters were actually subversive because they were so unapologetically sincere in an era of posturing.
Actionable Insights for Music Lovers and Creators
If you’re a songwriter or just someone who appreciates the craft, there is so much to learn from the era when the Carpenters only just begun their streak.
- Listen to the layers. Get a good pair of headphones. Don't use cheap earbuds. Listen to "We've Only Just Begun" and try to count how many vocal tracks are in the chorus. It’s a lesson in arrangement.
- Study the "Close-Miking" technique. If you’re a singer, notice how Karen doesn't project like a Broadway star. She uses the proximity effect of the microphone to create bass and warmth in her voice.
- Appreciate the "Jingle" origins. Great art can come from anywhere. Don't dismiss a melody just because it’s in a commercial. If it moves you, there's a reason.
- Balance your dynamics. If you’re producing music, stop squashing your tracks. Let the quiet moments exist. The impact of a chorus is only as good as the silence that precedes it.
- Look for the subtext. Listen to Karen’s phrasing. She often hits the "blue notes" (the slightly sadder notes) even in happy songs. It’s what gives her music longevity.
The legacy of the Carpenters isn't just about nostalgia. It’s about the pursuit of sonic perfection. They didn't just stumble into success. They engineered it. They took a bank commercial and turned it into a piece of the American songbook. That doesn't happen by accident. It happens through relentless rehearsal, a brilliant ear for melody, and one of the greatest voices to ever grace a recording studio.
Next time you hear that opening piano trill, don't just think of it as "oldies" music. Think of it as a masterclass in how to build a song that lasts forever. Richard and Karen were just getting started in 1970, but they left a blueprint that musicians are still trying to follow today. It’s all there in the tracks. You just have to listen.