We 've Only Just Begun - wikipedia We 've Only Just Begun This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( October 2016 ) `` We 've Only Just Begun '' Single by Carpenters from the album Close to You B - side `` All of My Life '' Released September 12, 1970 Format 7 '' single Recorded 1970 Genre Soft rock, traditional pop Length 3 : 05 Label A&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 ) `` ( They Long to Be ) Close to You '' ( 1970 ) `` We 've Only Just Begun '' ( 1970 ) `` Merry Christmas Darling '' ( 1970 ) Close to You track listing Side one `` We 've Only Just Begun '' `` Love Is Surrender '' `` Maybe It 's You '' `` Reason to Believe '' `` Help ! '' `` ( They Long to Be ) Close to You '' Side two `` Baby It 's You '' `` I 'll Never Fall in Love Again '' `` Crescent Noon '' `` Mr. Guder '' `` I Kept on Loving You '' `` Another Song '' `` We 've Only Just Begun '' is a hit single by Carpenters written by Roger Nichols ( music ) and Paul Williams ( lyrics ). Ranked at No. 405 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of `` The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time '', it is frequently used as a wedding song. Contents 1 Song information 2 Chart performance 2.1 Weekly charts 2.2 Year - end charts 3 Personnel 4 Carpenters compilation appearances 5 Notable cover versions 6 In cinema 7 See also 8 References 9 External links Song information The song was originally recorded by Smokey Roberds, a friend of Nichols, under the name `` Freddie Allen ''. It debuted in a wedding - themed television commercial for Crocker National Bank in California in the winter of 1970 with Williams on vocals. Hal Riney, founder of the San Francisco - based advertising agency Hal Riney & Partners, commissioned the song to help Crocker appeal to young people. The song played over footage of a young couple getting married and just starting out. Direct reference to the bank was left out, in part to make the song more marketable. The commercial was very popular and Crocker National 's business flourished. Richard Carpenter saw the 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 if a full - length version was available. Although it had only two verses and no bridge, Williams stated that there was a bridge and an additional verse, forming a complete song ; he and Nichols went on to write them. Carpenter selected the composition for the duo 's third single and included it on the LP Close to You. Released in the late summer of 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, becoming the pair 's second million - selling gold single. 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 '' ). The song also helped them to win two Grammy Awards in 1971 : for the Best New Artist ( The Carpenters ) and Best Contemporary Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus ( `` Close to You '' ). 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 ''. A 1981 cover version by Lee McDonald has been a modern soul classic for many years. The song was sampled in R&B singer Miguel 's song `` How Many Drinks ? '', taken from his Grammy - nominated 2012 album Kaleidoscope Dream. In 2016, the song was used in another commercial, this time for Lowe 's Home Improvement. Chart performance Weekly charts Chart ( 1970 -- 71 ) Peak position Australia 6 Canada RPM Top Singles Canada RPM Adult Contemporary Japan 71 UK 28 US Billboard Hot 100 US Billboard Easy Listening US Cash Box Top 100 Year - end charts Chart ( 1970 ) Rank Australia 90 US Billboard Hot 100 65 US Cash Box 57 Canada 16 Personnel Karen Carpenter -- lead and backing vocals Richard Carpenter -- co-lead & backing vocals, piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, orchestration Joe Osborn -- bass Hal Blaine -- drums Doug Strawn -- clarinet Uncredited - tambourine, trumpets Carpenters compilation appearances 1973 -- The Singles : 1969 -- 1973 ( 1973 remix ) 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 ( 1995 ), reached No. 23 on the UK charts O'Donel Levy ( 1972 ), sampled by Pete Rock, Miguel, Craig Mack, etc. ( per Whosampled.com ) Bing Crosby, recorded for his album Beautiful Memories ( 1977 ) In cinema The song was used in an unusual context in 1408, a film adapted from a short story by Stephen King ; it marked the onset of the protagonist 's horrific ordeal. It also closed the 2000 gay ensemble, The Broken Hearts Club : A Romantic Comedy, performed by Mary Beth Maziarz. `` We 've Only Just Begun '' was featured at the conclusion of the Australian film, The Castle, where it was sung by Kate Ceberano. It was also part of the score of John Carpenter 's In the Mouth of Madness, where it was heard playing over loudspeakers while the protagonist was committed to a psychiatric hospital. The song was also sung by Carl Weathers in the motion picture, Happy Gilmore, and was featured in the film version of Starsky & Hutch. See also 1970s portal List of number - one adult contemporary singles of 1970 ( U.S. ) References Jump up ^ 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 Jump up ^ `` GRAMMY Hall Of Fame ''. GRAMMY.org. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 03. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2016 - 10 - 09. Retrieved 2016 - 09 - 28. Jump up ^ http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.6967&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.6967.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.6967 title = Archived copy accessdate = 2016 - 12 - 05 Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2016 - 07 - 01. Retrieved 2016 - 06 - 12. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Hits of 1970 / Top 100 Songs of 1970 ''. Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 03. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2016 - 03 - 04. Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 07. Jump up ^ `` Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada ''. Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 03. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics 1970 Crocker Bank commercial 1970s US Air Force commercial using the song 2016 Lowe 's hardware commercial The Carpenters Karen Carpenter Richard Carpenter Albums Offering ( Ticket to Ride ) Close to You Carpenters A Song for You Now & Then Horizon A Kind of Hush Passage Made in America Voice of the Heart Lovelines As Time Goes By Live albums Live in Japan Live at the Palladium Compilation albums The Singles : 1969 -- 1973 The Singles : 1974 -- 1978 The Very Best of the Carpenters Yesterday Once More Only Yesterday From the Top Interpretations : A 25th Anniversary Celebration Love Songs Reflections The Singles : 1969 -- 1981 The Essential Collection : 1965 -- 1997 Carpenters Perform Carpenter Gold : 35th Anniversary Edition The Ultimate Collection 40 / 40 Other Christmas Portrait An Old - Fashioned Christmas Time ( Richard Carpenter ) Karen Carpenter ( album ) Pianist, Arranger, Composer, Conductor ( Richard Carpenter ) Singles `` Looking for Love '' `` Ticket to Ride '' `` ( They Long to Be ) Close to You '' `` We 've Only Just Begun '' `` Merry Christmas, Darling '' `` For All We Know '' `` Rainy Days and Mondays '' `` Superstar '' `` Bless the Beasts and Children '' `` Hurting Each Other '' `` It 's Going to Take Some Time '' `` Goodbye to Love '' `` Sing '' `` Yesterday Once More '' `` Top of the World '' `` Jambalaya ( On the Bayou ) '' `` I Wo n't Last a Day Without You '' `` Please Mr. Postman '' `` Santa Claus Is Comin ' to Town '' `` Only Yesterday '' `` Solitaire '' `` There 's a Kind of Hush ( All Over the World ) '' `` I Need to Be in Love '' `` Goofus '' `` Breaking Up Is Hard to Do '' `` All You Get from Love Is a Love Song '' `` Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft '' `` The Christmas Song ( Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire ) '' `` Sweet, Sweet Smile '' `` I Believe You '' `` Touch Me When We 're Dancing '' `` ( Want You ) Back in My Life Again '' `` Those Good Old Dreams '' `` Beechwood 4 - 5789 '' `` Make Believe It 's Your First Time '' `` Your Baby Does n't Love You Anymore '' `` Now '' `` Little Altar Boy '' `` Honolulu City Lights '' `` Something in Your Eyes '' `` If I Had You '' `` Let Me Be the One '' `` Tryin ' to Get the Feeling Again '' `` Ave Maria '' `` The Rainbow Connection '' TV series / specials Make Your Own Kind of Music Live at the BBC Very First TV Special Space Encounters A Christmas Portrait Music, Music, Music DVDs Gold : Greatest Hits Interpretations Close to You : Remembering the Carpenters Related articles Discography Songs John Bettis Joe Osborn Tony Peluso If I Were a Carpenter The Karen Carpenter Story Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=We%27ve_Only_Just_Begun&oldid=788692100 '' Categories : 1970 singles A&M Records singles Songs written by Paul Williams ( songwriter ) Songs written by Roger Nichols ( songwriter ) The Carpenters songs Barbra Streisand songs Andy Williams songs Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles Songs based on jingles Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from October 2016 All articles needing additional references Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from October 2016 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Italiano 日本 語 Norsk nynorsk Português Simple English Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 2 July 2017, at 22 : 50. 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Question: who wrote the song we've only just begun
Answer: Roger Nichols (music) and Paul Williams (lyrics)