carpenters -We've Only Just Begun - carpenters -We've Only Just Begun

What this video is

Released as a single on August 21, 1970 via A&M Records, 'We've Only Just Begun' originated as a Crocker-Citizens National Bank television commercial written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols, before Richard Carpenter sought out a full-length recording. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped four additional charts, spending seven weeks at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. This 1971 performance…

Why it matters

A defining artifact of early 1970s Adult Contemporary soft pop, the performance exemplifies the Carpenters' commercial and aesthetic formula: pristine close-harmony vocals, lush orchestration, and wholesome televised presentation. The clip predates the MTV era by a decade, making it a primary…

The director

Bruce Gowers (21 Dec 1940 – 15 Jan 2023) was a British television director and producer born in West Kilbride, Ayrshire, Scotland. He began his career at the BBC as a cable puller, cameraman, and production manager before moving into directing. He is…