We've Only Just Begun" is The Carpenters' signature song. Although it was recorded in early 1970, it is still much in demand as a wedding anthem.Written by the songwriting team of Roger Nichols (music) and Paul Williams (lyrics), the song originally debuted in a commercial for Crocker National Bank in California in 1970, with Williams providing the vocals. Williams has said they left out a direct reference to the bank in part to make it salable as a pop song, and also because they couldn't conceive a reasonable rhyme for "Crocker." It is ranked #405 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". The song was originally recorded by Smokey Roberds, a friend of Nichols, under the name Freddie Allen (his Christian names). Although fairly successful in California, it made no impact nationally, which Roberds attributed to promotion and distribution problems. Believing that the song had hit potential, Richard 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 his sister 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" crested at #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming the pair's second gold single and 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 #1 (besting the six-week stay at the top of "Close To You"). The song helped them to win two Grammy Awards in 1971. One was for the Best New Artist (The Carpenters), and the other was for Best Contemporary Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus (Close to You). In 1998, the recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for recordings of lasting quality or historical significancelyrics We've only just begun to liveWhite lace and promisesA kiss for luck and we're on our wayWe've only begunBefore the risin' sun, we flySo many roads to chooseWe'll start out walkin' and learn to runAnd yes, we've just begunSharing horizons that are new to usWatching the signs along the wayTalkin' it over, just the two of usWorkin' together day to day, togetherAnd when the evening comes, we smileSo much of life aheadWe'll find a place where there's room to growAnd yes, we've just begunSharing horizons that are new to usWatching the signs along the wayTalkin' it over, just the two of usWorkin' together day to day, together, togetherAnd when the evening comes, we smileSo much of life aheadWe'll find a place where there's room to growAnd yes, we've just begun