In October 1970, an unforgettable melody was born that would soon captivate millions: “We’ve Only Just Begun” by the legendary Carpenters. But what many don’t know is the astonishing origin of this timeless classic—it all started as a mere commercial jingle for Crocker National Bank. Crafted by young songwriters Paul Williams and Roger Nichols, and originally sung by Williams himself, the ad portrayed the wedding of a hopeful young couple, symbolizing a bright future.
This well-intended bank campaign aimed directly at luring the youth market for loans, but an unexpected twist came when Crocker realized many of these potential customers had no collateral to secure loans, resulting in the suspension of the campaign. Yet this did not stop the song from exploding into the hearts of millions.
The Carpenters’ journey was anything but smooth. Their debut album barely made a ripple, selling fewer than 20,000 copies, and threatened their continuance with A&M Records. Rumors swirled about the label dropping them, but a bold move by Herb Alpert would turn everything around. He took a daring gamble by launching their next single, the Burt Bacharach classic, “Close To You,” which soared to their very first #1 hit.
Riding this unprecedented success wave, the album “Close To You” featured the now-legendary “We’ve Only Just Begun,” which propelled the Carpenters into a legendary career backed by two Grammy wins and a string of chart-topping hits on both the Top 40 and Adult Contemporary charts.
Before the tragic and untimely death of Karen Carpenter in 1983, the duo had sold over 90 million records, securing their place as one of the most successful duos in music history.
As this hauntingly beautiful ballad continues to echo through generations, its genesis from a simple bank commercial to a global sensation remains a breathtaking tale of perseverance, chance, and sheer talent.