Glenn Jones has one of those voices. You know the type. It’s a voice that feels like warm velvet but hits with the power of a freight train when he decides to let it rip. In 1987, he released an album that basically defined a specific era of sophisticated, adult-oriented soul. That record, Glenn Jones, featured a track that still stops people in their tracks today. We’re talking about "We’ve Only Just Begun." It isn’t just a song. It is a clinic in vocal control.
Most people hear the title and immediately think of The Carpenters. Understandable. Karen Carpenter’s version is an all-time pop standard. But Glenn Jones didn't just cover it; he completely dismantled and rebuilt it for the Quiet Storm generation. If the original is a sunny morning wedding, Glenn’s version is the late-night conversation after the guests have gone home. It’s deeper. It’s heavier. Honestly, it’s a bit more "grown folks" business.
The Gospel Roots of a Soul Giant
To understand why we've only just begun glenn jones sounds the way it does, you have to look at where Glenn came from. He wasn't some studio creation. He grew up in the church in Jacksonville, Florida. He spent time with the Modulations and even worked with the legendary Reverend James Cleveland. You can’t fake that. When you hear him hit those high notes on the track, that isn’t just technique. That’s spirit.
Gospel singers have this specific way of attacking a melody. They don’t just sing the notes; they inhabit them. By the time Glenn moved into secular music in the early 80s, he already had the "chops" to out-sing almost anyone on the radio. His first big solo splash was "I Am Somebody," but it was the self-titled 1987 Jive Records release that really cemented his legacy.
Breaking Down the 1987 Version
Let's get into the weeds of the song itself. Produced by LaLa—who was a powerhouse songwriter and producer in her own right—this version of "We’ve Only Just Begun" is a masterclass in 80s R&B production. It’s got that crisp, DX7-heavy synth sound that defined the mid-to-late eighties.
But the star is the vocal arrangement.
Glenn starts soft. He’s almost whispering. He’s inviting you in. As the song progresses, the intensity builds. By the time he gets to the bridge, he’s doing things with his range that shouldn't be legal. He uses these incredible melismas—those long, fluid runs where one syllable covers a dozen notes—that feel effortless. Most singers today would overdo it. They’d "oversing" and lose the emotion. Glenn keeps it grounded in the lyric.
He’s telling a story about a beginning. "White lace and promises / A kiss for luck and we're on our way." In his hands, those lyrics feel like a heavy vow. It’s a complete departure from the Paul Williams and Roger Nichols original composition. While the 1970 version is iconic for its folk-pop simplicity, Jones turns it into a soulful anthem of endurance.
Why This Track Defined the "Quiet Storm" Era
If you grew up listening to R&B radio in the late 80s, you know about Quiet Storm. It was a radio format pioneered by Melvin Lindsey in DC, and it focused on mellow, late-night grooves. We've only just begun glenn jones was a staple of that format.
Why? Because it bridges the gap between traditional soul and the more polished New Jack Swing era that was just starting to bubble up. It’s smooth, but it has grit. It’s the kind of song that worked at a wedding, but also worked on a lonely drive home.
The Cultural Impact of the Album
The Glenn Jones album wasn't just a one-trick pony. While "We've Only Just Begun" was the standout ballad, the album also featured "Living in the Limelight," which hit Number 1 on the R&B charts. People often forget that Glenn was a heavy hitter. He was competing with the likes of Luther Vandross, Freddie Jackson, and Alexander O'Neal. That is stiff competition.
Luther had the silky perfection.
Freddie had the romantic urgency.
Glenn? Glenn had the power.
He could move from a baritone growl to a piercing falsetto in a single breath. On "We've Only Just Begun," he shows off that elasticity. He takes a song that could have been cheesy and makes it profoundly soulful.
The Production Magic of LaLa
We need to talk about LaLa (La Forrest Cope). She doesn’t get enough credit in the history books. She wrote "You Give Good Love" for Whitney Houston. She knew how to write for a big voice. When she sat down to produce Glenn, she didn't try to shrink him. She gave him a massive sonic landscape.
The drums are gated and punchy. The bass is synthesized but melodic. It’s very much of its time, but because Glenn’s vocal is so "organic" and rooted in gospel traditions, the song doesn't feel dated in a bad way. It feels vintage. Like a well-kept 1987 Mercedes. It still runs smooth.
Common Misconceptions About Glenn Jones
A lot of people think Glenn Jones is a "one-hit wonder." That’s just factually wrong. Aside from "We've Only Just Begun" and "Living in the Limelight," he had "Show Me" and later, in the early 90s, the massive hit "Here I Go Again."
Another mistake? Thinking he’s just a balladeer.
Go back and listen to his work with Norman Connors. Or his early stuff on RCA. He had funk in him. He had dance grooves. But because "We’ve Only Just Begun" was such a massive moment of vocal acrobatics, he got pigeonholed as the "ballad guy."
How to Listen to It Today
If you’re going to revisit we've only just begun glenn jones, don't just listen to a low-quality YouTube rip. Find the remastered version. You need to hear the separation in the backing vocals. You need to hear the way the reverb tails off on his final notes.
The song is a journey. It starts at point A and ends at point Z.
Why the Song Still Matters in 2026
In an era of Auto-Tune and "vibe" over "vocals," Glenn Jones represents a standard that feels increasingly rare. There’s no pitch correction here. There’s no hiding behind filters. It’s just a man, a microphone, and a massive amount of talent.
Younger R&B artists like Lucky Daye or Giveon could learn a lot from the pacing of this track. It’s about the build. You don't give the audience everything in the first thirty seconds. You make them wait for it. You earn the climax of the song.
Actionable Steps for Soul Music Fans
If this song hits you in the feels, don't stop there. There is a whole world of 80s soul that lives in the shadow of the giants.
- Deep Dive the Jive Records Catalog: Around 1987, Jive was putting out incredible R&B that often gets overlooked because people associate the label more with the boy band era later on.
- Listen to the "Glenn Jones" Album in Order: Don't just cherry-pick the hits. The sequencing of the album tells a story of an artist at his peak.
- Compare the Versions: Put the Carpenters version, the Curtis Mayfield version, and the Glenn Jones version in a playlist. Listen to how the different arrangements change the meaning of the lyrics. It’s a fascinating exercise in musical interpretation.
- Check Out "At Last": After you finish with "We've Only Just Begun," go find Glenn's 1994 album Here I Go Again. It shows how he adapted his gospel-soul style to the New Jack and Hip-Hop Soul era without losing his identity.
Glenn Jones is still active. He still performs. He still sounds incredible. He’s a reminder that real soul music doesn't have an expiration date. It just waits for the next generation to rediscover it. If you haven't sat down and really listened to his take on this classic, you're missing out on one of the greatest vocal performances in the history of R&B. Go fix that right now.
The genius of the track lies in its restraint before the explosion. It’s a slow burn. It’s a lesson in love, patience, and pure, unadulterated talent. It’s Glenn Jones at his best. And for a lot of us, the appreciation for this level of craft is really only just beginning.