🎵 Carpenters - We've Only Just Begun REACTION

[@scottmenser3930]

Karen had one of the most beautiful voices ever. She was also a pretty wicked drummer!

[@CJ-Fischer]

Gonna say the same thing but you beat me to it. Karen was an incredible drummer….beautiful person and amazing talent! RIP Karen

[@billcope9476]

@@CJ-Fischer me too

[@SpaceCattttt]

These people don't care about that...

[@paulk9985]

@@SpaceCattttt They're in shock. This is the first time they have heard a real singer.

[@AllieinCali]

Karen Carpenter had the most beautiful, pure voice. I hope you listen to more of their songs. This song was probably number one in wedding songs in the 70's. "White lace and promises, a kiss for luck and we're on our way"... a newly married couple full of hopes and dreams.

[@NeverGiddy]

This song was written by Paul Williams. Paraphrasing a quote I once read from Paul, "I was a struggling songwriter just trying to get any band to record one of my songs and it be anywhere on their album. Then, one day, an angel sang my song, and changed my life forever." That angel was Karen Carpenter.

[@thomasmacdiarmid8251]

He was also asked about the Carpenters "Isn't their music very vanilla?" His reply was perfect "Isn't vanilla a wonderful flavor?"

[@leighsaldivar4439]

@@thomasmacdiarmid8251 that was back when people were more vanilla. They didn’t curse and weren’t crude. I miss those days. Todays music is horrible

[@RobertLindabury]

@@thomasmacdiarmid8251 The world would suck without vanilla. Just think of everything that has vanilla in it. My favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla and I also like it with bits of other stuff in it! My coffee creamer is French vanilla! There is absolutely nothing wrong with vanilla. I don't know why it gets such a negative rap. 😋

[@frankiebowie6174]

@@leighsaldivar4439 People cursed in those days too, just not on the airwaves.

[@1BobsYourUncle]

@@frankiebowie6174 Not nearly as much as they do now, now days it’s f this and f that while out in public. I rarely heard that back in those days.

[@leighsaldivar4439]

Loved her all my life. Used to sing this as a little kid. It was so sad she struggled so. Anorexia is a horrible disease.

[@dalenikolitch4627]

Ditto....

[@michaelasay8587]

Me too Leigh...her Mother was partly responsible for her death.

[@saintsefo4763]

@@michaelasay8587 Her mother's toxicity was wholly responsible for her anorexia IMO.

[@nealm6764]

@@saintsefo4763 Her goofball brother didn't help much either. Rode her like a $ train right to her grave. made her stop playing drums, and do his Lawrence Welk music etc. She was obviously very unhappy and unhealthy, but as long as he got the checks he didn't care.

[@leighsaldivar4439]

@@nealm6764 I heard that too. I think it was more her brother than mother

[@TattooedTownie]

This was my Mom and Dad's first dance at their wedding in 1978. It always makes me smile because here they are 44 years later and never once even separated, still solid as a rock.

[@surlechapeau]

aww! this was definitely the wedding song of the 70s!

[@leighsaldivar4439]

Beautiful!

[@CheleBoxy]

💖💖

[@michaelasay8587]

One of the very few in this terrible World.

[@RichardinNC1]

The story is, not long after their first hit, Richard Carpenter was watching TV and the first verse was in a bank commercial (about a couple starting out). He got the rights to record it. It went to #1 and exploded the Carpenters career. This was absolutely the biggest wedding song for a decade.

[@incensejunkie7516]

Yep, I was at a lot of weddings in the 70s and it was always played. Her voice was absolute perfection.

[@markadolph8715]

Humans lack the technology to count the number of weddings that have used this song.

[@karnsfan]

Richard guessed that Paul Williams sang in the commercial (Paul was also a co-writer of it with Roger Nichols) and Paul was also under contract with A&M Records. Richard stopped him in the hall one day and asked if there were any other verses and a bridge, Paul told him there was, that he had the full song. The rest is history.

[@beedeegee9374]

@@incensejunkie7516 A friend sang it during our wedding.

[@carytakagawa2760]

@@karnsfan Interesting tidbit is that according to Williams, when Richard asked him if there were additional verses, he lied when he said 'yes'. But he didn't want Richard to lose interest in the song so he couldn't say 'nope, that's it so far'. They agreed to meet and Williams said he wrote the rest of the song in the backseat of the car on the way over! The rest is history.

[@teensymom1420]

RIP Karen. What an amazing talented lady she was. So sad that happiness eluded her when she brought happiness to so many. I pray she is at rest.

[@mil2k11]

One of the first angelic voices that was taken away from us too early. She had some major talent.

[@lilwolf1970]

Carpenter's are such a soothing sound, vibe

[@Weyland_Yutani_Corp]

RIP Karen. She had a once-in-a-lifetime voice that moves your soul. No other singer's voice moves me like hers whereby she makes me smile and cry at the same time from the sheer beauty of her voice and the sadness that lingers on its edges.

[@pc574]

Check out Angelina Jordan, she has the same effect on people

[@ingridgonzalez9048]

@@pc574 I desagree, I chek out and nothing.

[@pc574]

@@ingridgonzalez9048 Then you feel differently than I have ever met. As well as differently than millions of people following her

[@scottlaughlin9897]

Linda Ronstadt does that for me as well!

[@pc574]

@@scottlaughlin9897 She is really good as well

[@julieford8788]

She had the most beautiful and haunting voice. It captures your soul ❤️

[@matthewteague623]

If anyone ever doubts that music soothes the savage beast, i point them at the Carpenters.

[@vickiroman189]

Forever.

[@paulg123]

Angelic voice. Classic song. Hey, this woman was an amazing drummer too!

[@detomaso_6235]

I'm not a huge Carpenters fan, but there's zero doubt Karen had one of the greatest voices in modern history. Such a shame we lost her so early.

[@rbmtn4879]

Me too. I haven't heard a full song by them since they were on the John Davidson Show. Yeah, I got a time machine, but the setting is stuck on 1970.

[@MiguelLopez-is9te]

I was so shocked and heartbroken when Karen died from complications of Anorexia in 1983. Her voice will live on forever. Loved your reactions.

[@markldavis1]

Wow it was 39 years ago, been like yesterday, almost want to say it was 15-20 years ago, but your right on year of her death, life stopped for awhile when she died. This was big for many and I knew something was wrong with her when I saw photos preceding her death. So sad!!!!! Yes, her voice will live forever. Thanks

[@andreadeamon6419]

Was an easy disease to get. I ended up with it in 87. Took years to get over it. Till this day my stomach is still messed up. I understand what she went through - it's horrible. They made a tv movie about her life. It's really good. I remember the actress first name was Cynthia. The rest escapes me Found it ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

[@andreadeamon6419]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/paWxiXWpeqiVkNk

[@brucemclaughlin7845]

Somebody should have bought her a burger.

[@andreadeamon6419]

@@brucemclaughlin7845 that doesn't make a person with anorexia eat.

[@danielbalderas3548]

What a beautiful beautiful voice she had.

[@annabanana377]

This became a popular wedding song in the 70's and 80's. I loved The Carpenters from the first time I heard them on the radio! Karen is one of my favourite female vocalists of all time.

[@Julie-ev5js]

This was THE wedding song of the early 1970s and well into the '70s. Karen Carpenter had one of the most beautiful female voices of the 20th century. Such a pleasure to have grown up listening to a lot of really sweet music. And really nice to watch you guys discovering it.

[@tomnewman7682]

Karen has the smoothest voices you will here, you need to do more Carpenters !!!!

[@galenstone9097]

Our Karen. Gifted, shy, fragile.. Godspeed for one of the purest tones to ever grace Pop.

[@sabrinapittsley2304]

Richard is an excellent music arranger and piano player. His sister Karen played the drums and sang like an angel. RIP, sweet Karen.

[@leonardshevlin7260]

Richard doesn't get enough credit. Without him, the records -- if they existed at all -- would be less magical.

[@franklinzappa7043]

One of the most Beautiful Voices ever! 🤘😎 Carpenters were fabulous

[@vincentmaniscalco4421]

Her voice was flawless ! Effortless ! Absolutely beautiful

[@kurtsaxton823]

Karen Carpenter had a very pure natural voice, makes you feel good just listening to her, very calming. She's a drummer that sings ( her own words) she was petrified to get out from behind her drum kit.

[@opencarry3860]

One of the best female vocalist ever.

[@elsievickie]

Can't believe song is 50 years old..1972 this was our senior year theme. A bunch of 18 year Olds out to conquer the world. We've Only Just Begun Seems like yesterday...My 50 year reunion this year, I'm sure this will be playing. Along with Zed Zeppelin Stones CCR all the Greats

[@sixslinger9951]

her voice is so rich and smooth. What a talent she was!

[@David-l3i2f]

They were so unique. Great music.

[@it-really-hurts2092]

I'll say it again, voices like this prove there is no need for autotune.

[@Eowyn187]

Yo if someone needs auto-tune, they shouldn't be singing.

[@christineobrien7707]

And a voice like Karen's comes once in a lifetime 👍

[@frankiebowie6174]

@@Eowyn187 Sheesh, with autotuning, I could have been the next Englebert Humperdinck.

[@kendoglarson5419]

Once he gets that tambourine shaking it's over.....you are hooked. Like a fishing line grabbing a hold of your soul. I grew up hearing this on my Dad's turn table. I remember the Carpenters and Abba the most.....some Crystal Gayle. Nice vibe in my home as a kid.

[@steventavani1752]

Her voice is perfect, smooth and warm.

[@IisDeeps]

One of the most beautiful voices to ever draw breath. That said, Check her out playing the drums. Amazing!

[@MitchellWilkinson-m8n]

Karen and Richard Carpenter were brother and sister, the top selling vocal group of the early 1970s, had a fresh, mature, sophisticated and classic pop sound; string of huge hit singles until Karen's death in 1982.

[@MrBadSeal]

Before auto tune and vocalists had genuinely amazing voices. Angelic Karen Carpenter.

[@cstianlew406]

That one dude in the group deserves to be in the tambourine hall of fame!

[@onefatstratcat]

he was a graduate with honors from the Lori Partridge Tambourine Academy :)

[@A-whiter-shade-of-pale]

He was the clarinet player at the beginning and end of the song. (Sax player in some other songs.)

[@way2deep100]

Richard Carpenter heard a snippet of this song on a TV commercial for Crocker Bank home loans aimed at first time buyers. He recognised the singer was lyricist Paul Williams, better known today as President of ASCAP, who he contacted to find out if it was a whole song. It really wasn't complete but Carpenters were a big deal after the unexpected success of their cover of Bacharach & David's Close to You, so Williams didn't waste any time coming up with something on which Carpenter could again work his magic as an arranger. Coming full circle generations later, Lloyds Bank in the UK were again using a cover of the song in a TV campaign promoting mortgages for first-time house buyers in 2022.

[@TracyfromNC]

Her voice is waRm, relatable and wonderful!

[@bkinouye]

Lex hit the nail on the head. It became a classic wedding song in the '70s. The song started out as a bank commercial, targeting newlywed couples to open a joint banking account.

[@javamama4270]

This song was STANDARD at every one of my friends’ weddings in the 1970s.

[@mebreezenby1]

My husband sang this song to me on our wedding day as I walked down the aisle. I cried the whole time. ❤

[@thomaskolioupoulos6590]

WHAT A TREASURE HER VOICE IS....It's beauty pierces right through your soul...

[@metoo7557]

Karen Carpenter is one of the best drummers the music industry has seen, she stands tall with the best of them. And she sung like an angel.

[@willblood7082]

“And when the evening comes, we smile So much of life ahead, we'll find a place where there's room to grow”. Haunting lyrics when you consider she died at just 32… RIP Karen 🙏🏻

[@dougsusie2319]

Love, Love me some Carpenter's. "Rainy Days And Mondays" please, the video with Karen on the drums. ☮️✌️💕👌

[@stevemoore2186]

The voice. Oh my God, that voice.

[@thanksamill]

She can still produce goosebumps on the first few notes. I love her haunting final recording "Now". Sublime 🎶❤

[@martinpascoe7678]

im 60 and this was my early childhood in Australia

[@doomsday3m]

Great reaction!! Every time I hear this song I think of Chubbs Peterson..."Shut up Happy, don't feel bad about me, I got my hand back see" plays/sings We've Only Just Begun...lol Happy Gilmore

[@bobkitten8150]

She had the purest voice. What a tragic loss.

[@williedunlop7008]

I am so happy to hear the Carpenters again I would love to hear Rainy days and Monday sometime if y’all can.

[@calme-dx2dp]

We sang this for our sixth grade graduation... Yep way back when, brings back memories.

[@williamtotherow3367]

Perfect Pitch

[@surlechapeau]

Brad & Lex, you’ll love their “Superstar”, “Rainy Days And Mondays” and “Yesterday One More”!!!! Karen has the best female soft/pop voice of all-time IMHO!!

[@Reclining_Spuds]

Not to mention "Close to You" 👍

[@michaelmulherin9952]

dont forget 'sing'

[@Perfect_Blend]

And Top Of The World.

[@surlechapeau]

@@Reclining_Spuds I didn't mention it because they reacted to it already Dec 11, 2021.

[@Reclining_Spuds]

@@surlechapeau ahhh, good to know. I will look it up. 👍

[@monogramadikt5971]

good tunes never grow old

[@sherrycoley4840]

When I married in 1978 (yes we’ve been married for 44 years!) this song was sang at our wedding. The Carpenters were amazing brother and sister performers.

[@lrads1]

So haunting. I'm in my early 40s and my parents never played carpenters, but I've always heard of them. Now that im listening now, wow...her voice is like butter.

[@davidg2122]

Such a beautiful voice. They put out so many great hits.

[@garyjohnson7133]

The most beautiful voice in music!

[@armadillotoe]

Her voice was a warm hug that broke your heart.

[@tsbinlv]

So glad you guys are getting into Carpenters. These were the songs on the radio when I was about 5 years old. For me they symbolize innocence and simpler times. When I hear these songs, I remember how simple my life was. I was just beginning my life...

[@funkster007]

Man, what an angelic voice Karen had huh. I haven't heard this tune in ages, I'm just mesmerized.

[@Sandyg1961]

One the most underrated but also the most beautiful voices in music. Also a damn good drummer too.

[@conniepine8642]

Its about room to grow as in maturity and grow in each others Likes ,views , desires , love for each other

[@oremusj]

My 8th grade graduation song, I am 62 now and still love her voice. Great song, thank you for the memories

[@trevorholden7423]

With this song I think, it really didn't matter what the words were, it was all about the harmonies and the emotions that were expressed in the vocal performance.. Luv these guys... RIP Karen Carpenter

[@ColinCadden]

You'll like "Goodbye to Love". It has a wicked guitar solo.

[@Perfect_Blend]

Love, love, love them!!! I saw them live many times and they were just as good. You need to react to Karen Carpenter drumming. You will be amazed. ;)

[@leonardshevlin7260]

Listeners were expected to understand that "white lace and promises" refers to a wedding gown and marriage vows, and that flying before the morning sun refers to leaving for a honeymoon. The couple are young, without adult experiences, and thrilled to be part of a lifelong partnership that will make decisions together and discover the world together and build a life and a home together and grow in love together.

[@donrogers1337]

She had such a remarkable voice. Her vocal range was extraordinary.

[@thethe6232]

What a voice ❤️

[@kierstenridgway4634]

What i love most about this, it doesn't matter that it is soooo corny. It is just undeniably beautiful. ❤️❤️✌️

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

Karen Carpenters voice and drumming skills are outrageously good ...and brother and sister together just harmonize like very few singers ever can.. Totally 😎 and sadly one of musics terrible losses.

[@vickiroman189]

And they left us so many gifts.

[@moonlitegram]

Karen was indeed a good drummer. But the drummer on this track is Hal Blaine, one of the most prolific session drummers in history.

[@brucemclaughlin7845]

She couldn't drum a lick. Let's not get carried away. Average voice.

[@friendtostfrancis]

Beautiful song by them. ❤

[@ingridgonzalez9048]

She was a great drumer actually.

[@philipcochran1972]

"White lace and promises"; meaning, they just got married. All about learning and growing together.

[@BV-nx6vq]

Brad's onto it....this was written by Paul Williams for a bank commercial featuring 2 newly weds...the Carpenters (Karen in particular) ran with it and created a gorgeous, unforgettable piece of music

[@roadkill7314]

One of the most beautiful female voices ever recorded!

[@melizmatea]

One of the great voices. The Carpenters were considered to be so square when I was growing up - it wasn't until I listened again in my late 20's that I realized how great they actually were and how AMAZING Karen's voice was (and Richard's arrangements.) Just a beautiful, beautiful voice. Such a tragedy she died so young.

[@melizmatea]

@@kendoglarson5419 I didn't grow up with judgement around me and more than you did - in the early 70's, when the "cool" music was so different, the Carpenters were widely looked at in the U.S. and Canada as being square as hell, regardless of how awesome her voice was. That's a fact. I was around 9, so don't blame me.

[@Grynslvr2]

"White lace and promises..." Translation: A wedding dress and wedding vows. Great lyrics, Angelic singing, wonderful message about building a shared life together. Good reaction too.

[@DonLovelace]

Karen is one of a kind beautiful voice and her brother was a musical genious

[@johnh3276]

I love that Karen Carpenter was also the drummer. She could keep unbelievable tone even while playing percussion.

[@crisbarber5404]

I always felt Karen had the smoothest and best voice in the industry! Loved the Carpenters.

[@GTLyons]

your reactions are as sweet and innocent as this beautiful song... thumbs up kids, you nailed this one!

[@joecollie4314]

This is about a wedding We only just begun. White lace and promise a kiss for luck. We on are way. Sounds like the couple thinking as they leave the wedding. Definitely a wedding song. Karen Carpenter in my view had the perfect singing voice. You can clearly hear every word and emotions of the song in her voice.

[@mynameispaul0530]

This song was played at a LOT of weddings when I was growing up.

[@lipby]

When I was young, the Carpenters were too uncool to admit to listening to. That was silly. Her voice and those melodies were gorgeous.

[@kens32052]

I went to one of their concerts and didn't tell anyone lol. Seems silly now.

[@vincentschmitt7597]

I caught hell for buying their records. Same for John Denver and ABBA. I didn't care. I loved them along with most everything else from that time.

[@xoxxobob61]

My Dad introduced to the Carpenters so I never thought them as "UnCool". Then again he also introduced me to Steppenwolf, The Doors, Bossa Nova music and Motown so my Ears were like a Sponge growing up! 😂

[@alanmusicman3385]

@@xoxxobob61 Exactly so. Good music is good music - anyone who says that "good" only exists in one limited genre is not a true music lover but more of a fashion victim!

[@matlocklane687]

Everyone at school was into Led Zeppelin while I was into the Carpenters, I wasn't the coolest of kids. Much later I got into Zeppelin, Pink Floyd etc but have never lost my love of Karen's voice

[@melissacaddell2604]

Gone way too soon. Her voice is angelic. Brings tears to my eyes to hear her sing.

[@berniemargolis4288]

Brad hit the nail on the head with the "starting a family vibe." The first verse of the song literally describes a wedding: White lace and promises A kiss for luck and we're on our way As others have said, the song started out as a bank commercial with the purpsoe of selling mortgages to newlyweds. When Richard Carpenter asked Paul Williams if there was more to the song, there really wasn't, but Paul figured that if Richard was willing to sing the rest of the song, Paul was happy to write it, so he said there was more and that he would get it to him. The rest is history.

[@jazzmaan707]

I've yet to hear another voice that can reach deep into my soul and touch me, or that can have as much feeling in her singing, as Karen. John Bettis, who wrote 36 of their songs along with Richard, was asked, "What did she sound like when you first heard her." His response was, "She sounded just like you hear her now, and she was 16 years old when I first heard her. She had a God given voice, and she never thought she had a good voice." Amazing. Thank you post posting. Uh, this is also a "Baby making song."

[@roybiggs7239]

This became a theme song at many wedding receptions back then. And may still hold true today.

[@deborahtaylor3617]

I had this song sung at my first wedding in 1979. It was a very popular wedding song at the time

[@lantzkeefer6]

I'm speechless, I didn't think that anyone could follow Heart,But Karen was special, and her life turned out to be tragic, and it makes me so sad to think about her even after all these years.🌹

[@cristobalvalladares973]

Beautiful voice. Add to that her drumming. She was amazing. As kid in the 70s Brooklyn my love for this music got me into some fights. Still love it though. She, Marilyn Mccoo, Streisand and Carly Simon were what I enjoyed.

[@nick_jh61]

You’ve got to react to “Goodbye to love”. It has one of the most emotive guitar solos ever recorded. You will love it Lex.

[@jeffmattson5766]

Some say it was the first Power Ballad.

[@Kari_B61ex]

Perfect - perfect voices, perfect harmonies! This was my daughter and sons-in-law's first dance song. It was also perfect! 🥰

[@zynniaquaoar2439]

Undeniably beautiful voice! Even metal heads like me & my hubby love Karen’s voice!!!💜💫

[@marioslider6337]

So much talent!

[@charlier711]

Bittersweet listening to Karen. Incredible voice and a heck of a dreamer oddly enough. Her sad decline and death at only 32 gave rise to a greater awareness of eating disorders. RIP Angel.

[@rayhanks8529]

Been watching you guys bout 2 yrs. Lex you are beautiful 🎉, and Brad , I've noticed much Growth in you🎉 So proud of you both, Papa Gee here❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉

[@charlesyateschalfant]

That's what you call vocal/harmony heaven. Sadly missed in most of today's music.

[@jeffblevins5899]

How many people know she was originally the drummer before she stepped out and fronted? She's got skillz! Epic voice and talent, taken way too soon.

[@moziboy75]

A beautiful song it always makes me think what if.... The social media traps are not a new thing RIP KC

[@zenpuppy6025]

With the passing of time I think people have come to appreciate their music more. The record company didn’t know what to do with a brother sister duo. But it’s undeniable that she had a really beautiful voice.

[@dennish3032]

She and her brother were a voice match for any song. He's good but they together were super good.

[@RichLobo1944]

Those of us who are old enough to remember “The Carpenters” know they were a talented brother & sister act - they were not a married couple.

[@DivaInTheWoods]

Wow, I've heard this hundreds of time, and this is the first time I got goosebumps as soon as Karen started singing. I always loved her voice, but it hit different today. I recall sitting in my orthodontist's office when I heard she died. I don't remember if the receptionist made a comment or if there was a TV in the waiting room, but I remember feeling so sad that the world lost such a beautiful voice. And, it was truly beautiful.