"Beginnings" is a song written by

Robert Lamm Robert William Lamm (born October 13, 1944) is an American musician and a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He is best known for his songwriting, vocals, and keyboard melodies, most significantly on the band's debut studio album, ''Chic ...

for the rock band

Chicago Transit Authority The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the operator of public transport, mass transit in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and some of its suburbs, including the trains of the Chicago "L" and List of Chicago Transit Authority bus routes, CTA bu ...

and recorded for its debut album ''

'', released in 1969. The song is the band's second single (after " Questions 67 and 68"), had peaked at position #8 by means of the WNHC hit parade, but did NOT reach either the Billboard or the Cash Box hit parade on its initial release. After the band's success with subsequent singles, "Beginnings" was re-released in June 1971, backed with " Colour My World". Both sides became U.S. radio hits, and the combined single climbed to number seven on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart. "Beginnings" reached number one on the U.S.

Easy Listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to the 1970s. It is related to middle of the road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit s ...

chart. Writing for ''Ultimate Classic Rock'', Dave Swanson rates "Beginnings" as number two in his list of top ten Chicago songs. It has been covered by many bands.

Composition

Robert Lamm said "Beginnings" was inspired by a performance by

Richie Havens Richard Pierce Havens (January 21, 1941 – April 22, 2013) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music encompassed elements of folk music, folk, soul music, soul (both of which he frequently cover song, covered), and rhythm and b ...

that he attended at the Ash Grove music club in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

when the group moved to that area. In a 2013 interview he said he composed it on a

twelve-string guitar A twelve-string guitar (or 12-string guitar) is a steel-string guitar with 12 string (music), strings in six Course (music), courses, which produces a thicker, more ringing tone than a standard six-string guitar. Typically, the strings of the lo ...

that was missing the two low E strings.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Personnel

- lead vocals, keyboards *

Terry Kath Terry Alan Kath (January 31, 1946 – January 23, 1978) was an American guitarist and singer who is best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He played lead guitar and sang lead vocals on many of the band's early hit singl ...

- 12-string acoustic guitar, backing vocals * Peter Cetera - bass, backing vocals *

Danny Seraphine Daniel Peter Seraphine (born August 28, 1948) is an American drummer, record producer, theatrical producer, and film producer. He is best known as the original drummer and a founding member of the rock band Chicago, a tenure which lasted from ...

- drums, percussion * Jimmy Pankow - trombone *

Lee Loughnane Lee David Loughnane (pronounced LOCK-nain; born October 21, 1946) is an American trumpeter, flugelhorn player, vocalist, and songwriter who is a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He is best known for being one-third of Chicago's brass/wo ...

- trumpet *

Walter Parazaider Walter Parazaider (born March 14, 1945) is an American woodwind musician who is a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He is best known for being one-third of Chicago's brass/woodwind section alongside Lee Loughnane and James Pankow. Para ...

- alto saxophone

References

External links

* {{authority control 1969 singles 1971 singles Chicago (band) songs Songs written by Robert Lamm Song recordings produced by James William Guercio Columbia Records singles 1969 songs