How the Carpenters Used THREE UNRELATED KEYS In a Pop Song

The Carpenters are known for "We've Only Just Begun", an early 70s pop song. How many people actually feel its seamless changes to unrelated keys?
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[@SandraSantos-rp6yl]

Richard carpenter was ahead of his time, he incorporated a lot of jazz in his arraignment and vocal harmonies

[@brendanmcgrath4831]

So true - also worth giving credit to the writers of this song, Roger Nichols and Paul Williams! The song was initially written for a bank commercial I think. It's a song that's had a wild life

[@emillion4470]

And yet, he never considered himself a true "jazzer". - "Fresh Air " with Terry Gross, 2009

[@maryyoung4046]

Was going to write "well Richard was a genius" so I thought I would just add the comment here as a reply to yours.

[@originalskylark]

Super-cool insights! One thing, though. That quiet little drum machine going on in the background was really distracting sometimes. Otherwise I loved the video.

[@pronoia162]

Great video! This is just my interpretation of it, but I almost feel like The Carpenters used modulation to symbolically show that their love (it is, after all, a love song) didn't fit into just one key. Maybe they even used modulation to escape having to use minor chords, and all the moving around keys allowed them to exclusively use major chords (again to show that there was nothing minor about what they felt), while still preserving musical variety.

[@leonwaves]

Ricardo Barros that’s a great interpretation!

[@Byronic19134]

Yeah you reached for the stars for explain this away...Did it occur that maybe he didn't even know music theory and just went with his ears and emotions when writing? Not worrying about proper tonal measurements.

[@SubtleHawk]

@@Byronic19134 Whether you go with your ears or with theory doesn't change what he did. It's just two ways of saying the same thing.

[@ericrakestraw664]

Pop songs were so much more complex 50 years ago.

[@estanochebien]

Another comment. I think you can look at harmonization in two ways. One academic the other just going where your ears want to go. Both are valid.

[@matrox]

We've Only Just Begun is timeless classic. I loved it when it first came out. Obviously people still love it today.

[@macsnafu]

And if you have The Singles: 1969 - 1973, the song actually starts with some phrasing from Close To You, and does one of the most beautiful instrumental transitions I've ever heard into the start of We've Only Just Begun. In fact, the album is more than just a collection of hit songs, as there are a few other transitions between songs that aren't in the original albums, done just for this collection. As Wikipedia puts it: "Features of this compilation include a newly recorded version of "Top of the World", "Ticket to Ride" and a number of musical introductions and segues between the songs "Superstar", "Rainy Days and Mondays" and "Goodbye to Love"..." And I was going to mention that last chord at the end, but you covered it, so there you go.

[@bulbaboi420]

I always found progressions like these super interesting. I think a 3rd/6th is the only intervalic distance that doesn't naturally propagate two major chords when using a standard scale, so when it's introduced so smoothly it lights up our brain like a christmas tree. How on earth did we get here? Magic, friend. Magic.

[@tavishbryan1317]

Man this was quite difficult for me to arrange on guitar. I kept running into this issue of the low voices being too close to the leading voices so I had to make up fingerings I've never used before that spread across the fretboard. It was a great learning process though. I really like these modulations. Thank you for such a great video!

[@treypoling]

That IV-V-VI where the VI is the new I is so cool because it also sounds like a bVI-bVII-I into the new key

[@HarryVarthakourisOfficial]

One of my favorite songs ever

[@maryyoung4046]

mine also

[@tanishagirl]

Thanks for making this video! This is probably my favourite Carpenter's song and I always found the modulations really interesting. Fun fact: did you know that the actual song was originally a jingle from a tv commercial? It was short and only a verse, and then they added the rest of it (including these cool modulations).

[@markbra]

I saw the commercial many times as a child. Really liked it then too, before I knew about music theory 😀

[@jwalk7673]

I love the alternate endings your gave! Those are something I can add to my compositions!

[@leonwaves]

Yeah! Many possibilities!

[@drinno8900]

The key changes give a sense of being torn, because it’s not quite right, like I’m gonna be happy next time round. Definitely takes you along the ride cause you can’t get off. Hooked you want to listen to it again and again. Perfect pop song.

[@nicklavigne1017]

I love how they modulate to different keys in this song, and all your alternate endings as well. What's your keyboard sound, if I may ask? I really liked it. Hope all is well - God bless you, bro :)

[@StarTropicsKing]

This is supposed to be such a happy song but it just brings me to tears every time.

[@drewfinn2]

look into Neopolitan chord functions (N6) and. thinking of C# as Db will help perspective of secondary dominant functions and the borrowed keys they were using ... have you taken music theory II and III in college yet as those classes will explore further harmonic functions more than key sig and cadential points

[@hobodivine5776]

Thank you; love the Alt endings! 2, 3, and 4 were my favourite.

[@garyhoffman1]

Just a reminder that We’ve Only Just Begun was written by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams. They also wrote I Won’t Last A Day Without You and Rainy Days and Mondays which the Carpenters also covered.

[@kencenicola9476]

Thank you for establishing the authors. The dna behind the classics and standards is often a fascinating manifestation of the music “machine”. Sometimes the artists who performed the hit didn’t even play on the recording. Sometimes the genius who wrote the song isn’t even credited because the enterprise wants the act to appear to author all the songs. Sometimes the artist brings a simple song to the table and the record label juggernaut has studio musician savants kick it up 5 notches. Sometimes the artist is the songwriter and can’t take credit for the song because they felt the song was simply delivered to them by the universe. In the end, the greatest songs and chord progressions are unique gifts for all of us to embrace.

[@matrox]

All these songs were unknown and ready for the trash heap until Richard got them, applied his music arrangement and added Karen's voice. He would take a mediocre song that people gave up on and turn it into a hit.

[@poldidak]

Pretty sure all those key changes were part the original composition which was by Roger Nichols, not Richard Carpenter. Carpenter was a superb arranger of both instruments and voices, nonetheless.

[@kaybrown4010]

How refreshing! No I-IV-vi-V or variation thereof!

[@markbra]

I like the last fun ending but with another twist; Ab over Eb minor

[@jg1828]

Paul Williams wrote it. Richard only rearranged it somewhat.

[@gklosner]

Loved this analysis - when I first learned this song back in the 70s, I got it in my head that it went from A, and walking down to the key of F, which really messed us up when we got to the "together" part! Haha. Richard Carpenter was genius.

[@jorgemarcelobana61]

Very interesting when I play Carpenters I admired The complex arragements from Richard He is a Genius un Harmony

[@mattfoley6082]

Turn the stupid beat off when you're talking.

[@jwalk7673]

Alternative ending #2 is 💣💣💣!

[@Eigenstates.]

This song was written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols. Richard was a good writer but Paul is the man on this one. Check out Phantom of the Paradise if you want a good trip through the mind of Mr. Williams.

[@matrox]

PW and RN wrote the song but Richard dusted it off, rearranged the music it and made it a hit. This song was dead in a coffin until Richard got it.

[@debussychopin2766]

Debussy does this sort of modulation

[@danielreyesmusic]

those alt endings are literally crack for my ears lol

[@andersonchang4450]

do you like jazz?!1

[@tomjones2348]

The song was written by (and originally recorded as a bank commercial) Paul Williams, arranged by Richard. I think Richard just had good instincts regarding keys and modulations. He knew what worked...what would propel the song. I was 13 when their first song, Ticket to Ride, hit the radio. I was a long time Beatles fan....but the Carpenters version grabbed me, against my will. Kind of like Jose Feliciano and Light my fire. I know...LMF was a huge hit. But it's a similar concept.

[@DanDDirges]

Great job breaking down the song! Seems like the Carpenters were playing chess when most everyone else was playing checkers

[@andrewclarke598]

Not to take anything away from the carpenters, but they didn't dream up these modulations. The song was written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols

[@johnholliday5874]

You do know the song was penned by Paul Williams for a Crocker Bank commercial, right?

[@folkrock4u]

They're not unrelated. F# is the VI Major of A for one thing.

[@mrman6436]

How do you know how to pick an ending that works like you did at the end of the video?

[@sandalero]

cool . no do that sergio mendez tune ! (32 mods)

[@leonwaves]

which one?

[@sandalero]

@@leonwaves Sergio Mendes - Never Gonna Let You Go (1983) .. .they tried to "out-foster" david foster so to say. but barry mann wrote it. its a joke , but a very beautiful one!

[@midoramma]

Amazing! You made my day. Thanks

[@anweshbhattacharya8017]

Those alternate endings are pure gold!

[@fredh9808]

Great video, dude. Keem em' coming!

[@FlyteTymes]

How the carpenters used a chord

[@beacheykeen]

Ending #3 is my favorite, nice sub

[@KristopherCraig]

Your explanation is great the alternate endings are cool as well. The drum machine in the background is a unnecessary and distracting though. Especially since you’re not playing along to it when it’s on. I do realize it’s a 2 year old video.

[@estanochebien]

Your videos are awesome!

[@palewine]

You can do anything you want - modulation wise - as long as it's a 3rd away. Just remember that rule, and it explains a lot of otherwise sticky music theory questions ;)

[@mokkinkirin]

I love all of your vids! -from South Korea ;)

[@leonwaves]

Thank you!

[@levsidorenko7819]

6:12 wow didn't expect this hahah

[@kewlbeans2463]

hi

[@jigglycuber2009]

Ending #5: A D A E F# G#

[@lonelymusicianbtw2933]

I mean it’s just Mario cadence

[@toddbernstein3407]

Great analysis of a hooky song that's considered corny by today's standards (though not without merit, it is a little bit). I especially love the alt endings. Those are some sweet chords.