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.[3] "Beginnings" reached number one on the U.S. Easy Listening chart.[4][5] Writing for Ultimate Classic Rock, Dave Swanson rates "Beginnings" as number two in his list of top ten Chicago songs.[2] It has been covered by many bands.
Robert Lamm said "Beginnings" was inspired by a performance by Richie Havens that he attended at the Ash Grove music club in Los Angeles when the group moved to that area.[6] In a 2013 interview he said he composed it on a twelve-string guitar that was missing the two low E strings.[7]
^Billboard Staff (October 19, 2023). "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. Retrieved February 10, 2024. Soul-pop, horns, blissed-out lovey-doveyness that anticipates even clearer skies ahead: Hey, that sounds like Chicago's "Beginnings"...
^ abSwanson, Dave (December 17, 2015). "Top 10 Chicago Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
^Ruhlmann, William James (1991). Chicago Group Portrait (Box Set) (Media notes). New York City, NY: Columbia Records. p. 2. Archived from the original(CD booklet archived online) on November 12, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
^Lamm, Robert; Loughnane, Lee; Scheff, Jason; Pardini, Lou (Oct 24, 2013). "Exclusive Interview with Chicago!". 947WLS.com (radio and video). Interviewed by Danny Lake. Chicago, Illinois: 94.7 WLS-FM. At time 11:12-12:20. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
^"RPM 100 Singles". RPM. Canada. September 4, 1971. Retrieved February 20, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
^"RPM MOR Playlist". RPM. Canada. July 24, 1971. Retrieved February 20, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
^"Cash Box Top 100 Chart Hits of 1971"(PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXIII, no. 27. December 25, 1971. p. 31. Retrieved February 20, 2019 – via AmericanRadioHistory.com.
