Carpenters - We've Only Just Begun | REACTION 

Isn't it wonderful not to see her come out half naked and shouting the lyrics to a screaming pitch....Hooray for the 70's music.

Her voice is the embodiment of soothing. Her pitch transitions are near flawless.

This was my wife and I wedding song in 1974. We will celebrate our 50th this June. We have just begun.

I always get choked up when she sings "so much of life ahead" because she died so young in 1983.

I grew up 2 streets behind the Carpenters in Downey and me and everyone else used to ride by the house on our schwinns all the time trying to catch a glimpse of Karen. Two things: Karen always looked exactly like she did on TV, and her family gave out full size candy bars at Halloween.

Absolutely soul cleansing music, nothing better and I wish more people my age appreciated it. 21 year old here

I'm a metal guitarist (amateur) and I love the Carpenters! This is good music! Wholesome level......great stuff!

Miss the 1970s and the melodic/smooth voice of Karen. The best female vocalist of all time. The Carpenters...the soundtrack of our lives!

For me, her voice is like liquid chocolatey velvet. So unique.

Clarity and tone pitch perfect with feelings and emotions just wonderful

Great reaction and such a kind appreciation of this special singer. Maybe "Yesterday Once More" next?

Karen’s voice could make you cry with joy. It is so pure and beautiful. Thank you, SalvoG, for bringing that joy to an old lady who grew up on these songs. I love the reactions.

Underrated Carpenters song to check out: Only Yesterday My personal favourite of the Carpenters.

Ah, yes Salvo! "the wedding song".. she was so amazing, and Richard also on harmonies.. check out that guy with the tambourine in the foreground!... lol

You should listen to there songs,Hurting Each Other,Only Yesterday,For All We Know and the song that might surprise youthe most Goodbye To Love. You cant go wrong with these! Looking forward to seeing your next reaction to the Carpenters. Take care.

Yes, please react to "For All We Know", or "Hurting Each Other". Both are so beautiful. RIP sweet Karen...

I’m glad you like the Carpenters as much as I always have. They have played a HUGE part in my life. ❤️

Still gives me goosebumps. The 70’s were so great ❤

Her voice is how I would imagine angels sounding like, so heavenly 🙏❤️

‘Goodby to Love’ is my very favorite Carpenters song. Great guitar solo included! Highly recommended if u haven’t already done it.

I heard that after this song was released, it quickly became the most chosen music at weddings, and stayed that way for some time. They were so special. There is no equal to Karen Carpenter.

Your facial expressions say it all... excellent response

Who doesn't secretly love the Carpenter's. While driving and they come on. Turn it up and singing along 🎶

Salvo, we all have that reaction to Karen. I was a little kid during their heyday and her voice was so comforting to me just as a new human discovering the world during the sunny 1970s.

❤I was around a year old in the summer of 1970. I can tell you, my ears were honed in to the Carpenters even then. ❤️

Paul Williams who wrote this & many other amazing songs inc “An Old Fashioned Love Song” recorded by Three Dog Night - I’d love to see you react to Carpenters “Hurting Each Other” & “I won’t last a day without you”.

her voice control will never be beaten if you ask me as well as her drum skills

Seriously, nobody has a voice like Karen Carpenter. She touches my heart in a way that's happy and sad,like no other.

Always brings a tear to my eyes listening to Karen now. Voice of an angel. So sad we lost her so young.

Karen's voice is in a class all its own. Listening to her sing and her brother Richard's arrangements just soothes the soul. So glad you love them, Salvo.

Her voice is so beautiful it just brings tears to my eyes. Her voice is just exquisite. Have you listened to Goodbye to Love or Hurting Each Other yet? Both fantastic.

If you'd like to go further down the rabbit hole, three songs that I think really showcase her beautiful vocals are Yesterday Once More, This Masquerade, and A Song for You.

This song was played at so many weddings in the 70’s! And if your boyfriend gave you a 45 of this song it was everything💗

The wedding song of the decade.

There are many good women singers but there are two that stand out for me because of their tone, clarity and strength, one is Karen Carpenter and the other is Judith Durham from the Seekers.

I always say that Karen Carpenter's voice is so pure, it's like a warm fuzzy blanket wrapping around your soul.

The late Ms .Carpenter's outstanding voice wasn't one in a million, it was one in a lifetime!

Rainy Days a must she plays the drums 😊

What a beautiful buttery voice. So smooth and silky

We lost her way too soon. Such a wonderful singer. And also the great songs written by paul williams

Great reaction! My favorite Carpenters song. You gave a beautiful description of Karen, definitely a honey smooth voice. But you didn't really comment about Richard's contribution, although you appeared to be enjoying it. He can easily get overlooked due to how extraordinary Karen is.

Smooth and soothing…….

So much feeling in “I Need to be in Love” And her breath control in “Goodbye to Love” is amazing

A LOT of people were playing this at their weddings when the Carpenter's version came out.

I don't take to very many female voices, but Karen is right up there among my favourites. Exactly....the smoothest female voice ever.

Yes, your reactions to the Carpenters are always so rewarding because you were not exposed to them at the time nor heard them so much over so many decades like most of us, and yet your reaction is the same as most of us. That tells us a lot about her voice, their music and you too!

This is actually the studio version. I remember they didn't like lip synching like some shows insisted.

Love the Carpenters.

This was the song we wanted played at our weddings. ❤️. Her voice was so beautiful.

I love the Carpenters too. Try ‘A Song for you’. Great song.

I fell in love with the Carpenters in (I think 1967 when they were a part of the band Spectrum at The Whisky-A-Go-Go). The band included Bettis on guitar, guitarist Gary Sims, bassist Dan Woodhams, and vocalist Leslie Johnston Richard Carpenter on keyboards and Karen on drums (the only one who made an impression on me at the time was Karen had to look the others names up). In 1967 you did not see 16 or 17 year old female drummers. Did not see many drummers of any sex as good as she. She had mastered Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" one of her idles was Brubeck's drummer, Joe Morello. Saw them several times from 68 to 69 in Jazz clubs as Dick Carpenter trio (Karen on drums Richard keyboards and bassist Bill Sissoyev. .

Gorgeous iconic Karen Carpenter’s voice!

glad you picked the live version!

The purest voice ever.

I LOVE the Carpenters. So easy to listen to!

Their song Road Ode is really nice! Also ‘Baby It’s You’. Or ‘Sing’. But seriously, I could list dozens of top-tier songs from them to suggest. Karen has one of the greatest female voices of all time, along with Linda.

Such a beautiful voice, immense talent and very sad story.

perfection!

When you said "honey and silk", I was thinking exactly that. This beautiful song came out during NY freshman year in high school and it still is one of my favorites

Another great awesome song that I love to hear ❤😊.

“Rainy Days and Mondays” is iconic.

Beautiful voice Karen

OMG - she was a gift to us

2 Recommendations: Their version of "Masquerade" is brilliant, and it doesn't even matter if you've heard the original or not! And the one that first turned me onto them was "Yesterday Once More" -- I find myself grinning at the fact that I am being nostalgic for a song about nostalgia! ;-]

Great song! Love your reaction!

Lost Karen was such great tragedy for her family and all her fans.😢

I would LOVE to hear you react to perhaps their most eclectic song. It’s just different than anything else. CALLING OCCUPANTS OF INTERPLANETARY CRAFT

As a contralto I can really relate to Karen Carpenter. Also I feel really privileged to have grown up with these songs in the 70s and 80s because there is really nothing like that today. ❤ I also relate to her as being anorexic and bulimic in the early 80s and trying that ipecac that basically killed her. I can’t even relate to that amount of sickness. I never did it again. ❤RIP❤

Just so beautiful.. ❤

Everyone that got married around this time has this song on their wedding

Angelic

this and "superstar" are my fav carpenters songs. songwriter paul williams would go on to a hugely successful career. he won an oscar for co-writing the song "evergreen" (he wrote the lyrics) with barbra streisand that she performed for her film A STAR IS BORN. there's a video featuring a segment from the film with babs performing it with co-star kris kristofferson that is FABULOUS. would love to see you check it out!

This was the go to Wedding song at the time

I love your Carpenters reactions. I was lucky enough to have seen them in person. Maybe when you get a chance, you could react to, Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night. It's my favorite and it's happy and uplifting....and that VOICE!!!!! Beyond perfection

My current favorite Carpenters song is A Song For You. However, almost every song on every album is wonderful. I have always loved their music but only now do I appreciate how extraordinary they were. I grew up in the golden age of popular music.

The Carpenter's "Bless the Beasts and the Children" released in 1971, theme song from the movie of the same name

❤Astounding voice. She definitely takes you to a different place when she sings. You should take a listen to their cover of The Marvelettes "Mr. Postman which The Beatles also covered with John singing lead. It is a faster pace for them with killer harmonies.

You will hear very few, if any, better voices. Such a tragedy that she was taken so young.

Carpenters/Desperado - a "Must Hear" Eagles cover!😮😊

Paul Willimans wrote this, and it started out as a 'jingle' for a bank commercial, with a young couple just starting out their life together. I was in 5th grade when this came out and it was my favorite song for a while. I was in love with Karen - she had that voice AND she palyed drums! I had wanted to be a drummer throughout much of my childhood, so seeing a beautiful woman who could sing and play drums was something else for a ten year old!

Always a treat to see your reaction from music I’ve listened to for 50 years. Try Blessed the Beasts and the Children…Merry Christmas Darling has great harmonies as well. As always thanks Sal!

Paul Williams also wrote 2 other Carpenter's songs - "Rainy Days and Mondays" and "Let Me Be the One". He's quite prolific as a composer, writing the score to Bugsy Malone, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Smokey and the Bandit, and 2 of the Muppet Movies. He also acted in movies and TV over the years.

This is my favorite Carpenters' song. Her voice is sweet like honey.

Again great reaction video of you, Salvo. Thanks for that! When I recall the songs of the Carpenters (being already 70 years old and living in Germany) then immediately "only yesterday" comes to my mind. So I'd like to see your reaction on that song!

Here as in many of their song Karen wasn't happy that they wouldn't let he play the drums in this. Play drums were actually her first passion in music.

Great reaction ❤ may i suggest to react on Carpenters medley in their 1980 Television Special "Music Music Music". You may hear the great vocals of Karen Carpenter and great harmonies with her brother Richard. Thank you and stay safe.

Check out "A Song For You"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love all their songs but this one for me too is my favorite.♥💓

There are many good female singers, but Karen's voice is beautiful, unbeatable and spectacular. What a natural talent. RIP Karen. Gone so young.

I grew up listening to them. My mom always played their albums

The bank commercial is also on video somewhere, too. I have seen it.

Ear Candy!

Great choice for this song. By hey, we're talking about the Carpenters so you just can't go wrong. I'm still heartbroken Karen left Earth at such a young age. I was only a teenager back then. I wish it could have been different and we could all have continued to listen to her and watch her grow old. That would have just been fine! x

The amazing thing about this song is that it started as a jingle for a small Savings and Loan company. Richard Carpenter saw the commercial, found out that Paul Williams wrote it, and had him write more lyrics to make a full song out of it!

The arrangement and production are what make this song great to me. Karen is always amazing, that's just a given. AND LISTEN to the variation Karen has on drums for the chorus both times. Very subtle and beautiful differences. A musician's musician regardless of our instrument or voice.

This video was taped for broadcast for the 1971 NBC-TV summer replacement series, "Make Your Own Kind Of Music," on which the Carpenters were the featured headlining performers. The audio is from the 1970 studio recording and is not live. All vocals are by Karen and Richard, including all background vocals.

We've Only Just Begun was one of the first 45s I bought when I was a kid.

"Angelic " is Karen Carpenter's voice. "ANGELIC. "😊😊😊

Beautiful harmonica, it somehow reminded me of the Beatles, I don’t know, maybe there was a lot of such music back then, but there are similarities.

That voice! There is nothing like it! Angelic is still not giving it justice. If you want an upbeat, beautiful Carpenter song try, Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night. It’s an album cut from, Lovelines. It’s my favorite and so overlooked. It will make you smile