An Overture of Adolescent Anguish and Unwavering Hope
In the gilded annals of 1970s pop music, few acts shone as brightly and with such wholesome exuberance as The Osmonds. They were a veritable force of nature, a symphonic kaleidoscope of bubblegum pop, dazzling stage presence, and meticulously coiffed hair. But beneath the veneer of squeaky-clean perfection and teen idol status lay a surprising depth, a willingness to explore themes of profound emotional resonance. While their legacy is often defined by upbeat anthems like “One Bad Apple” and “Crazy Horses,” there exists a lesser-known gem that serves as a quiet testament to their evolving artistry: “Before The Beginning.”
Released in 1973, this poignant ballad wasn’t a chart-topper in the way their previous hits were, but it found a home on the B-side of their single “Let Me In,” a song that soared to the 2nd position on the UK Singles Chart and a respectable 36th on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite its more subtle commercial footprint, “Before The Beginning” possesses a lyrical and emotional weight that has allowed it to endure in the hearts of those who truly listened. It’s a song that speaks to the shared experience of young love’s fragility and the naive, yet powerful, belief that it can last forever.
The story behind the song is one of youthful introspection, a quiet moment of reflection amid the whirlwind of global fame. The Osmonds were at the pinnacle of their careers, their every move scrutinized, their every song devoured by millions. Yet, behind the curtain of screaming fans and relentless touring, they were still young men grappling with the universal emotions of love and loss. “Before The Beginning” is said to have been born from this very crucible of experience. It captures the bittersweet anticipation of a farewell, the whispered promises exchanged in a moment of fleeting intimacy. The lyrics, “Before the beginning, we never knew / That it would end with me and you,” are a deceptively simple and utterly devastating summation of this feeling. They evoke the nostalgic ache of looking back at a moment of pure, unadulterated hope, knowing now what was destined to happen.
What truly sets this song apart is its raw, unpolished vulnerability. Unlike the polished production of many of their singles, “Before The Beginning” feels almost like a personal diary entry set to music. The melancholic melody, the earnest delivery, and the understated arrangement all work in harmony to create an atmosphere of profound sincerity. It’s a love song, yes, but it’s also a requiem for a love that is fading, a quiet acknowledgment of an inevitable end. For those who came of age in the 1970s, it’s a song that resonates deeply, a soundtrack to that first true heartbreak. It reminds us of a time when we, too, believed that love was an endless loop, only to learn the painful truth that every story, even the most beautiful ones, has an ending. “Before The Beginning” isn’t just a song; it’s a time capsule, a fragile memory preserved in a melody, waiting to be rediscovered by those who remember what it was like to feel that way. It’s a testament to the fact that even in the brightest of pop stars, there exists a shared humanity, a capacity for profound feeling that transcends the fame and the fleeting trends of the day. It stands as a quiet reminder of a bygone era, when music, and the emotions it conveyed, felt so much more personal and so deeply real.