Friday, July 5, 2024

When a Bank Lobby Makes You Feel Romantic: The 405th Greatest Song of All Time

 

We've Only Just Begun began life as a bank commercial.

Paul Williams and Roger Nichols were commissioned by an ad agency to write a song that would be played behind visuals of a couple getting married and then driving off into the sunset: "You've got a long way to go. We'd like to help you get there. The Crocker Bank."


The original TV spot with Paul Williams on vocals
https://youtu.be/97X9huy7pHQ?si=dxOJDYkOjd0wUf_S

But what if they wrote a long-form jingle instead of a generic love song?

We've only just begun to save
Fifty bucks each pay period
Compounding interest, we're on our way
We've only begun

Before we order checks we cry
So many styles to choose
Scripture quotes or Looney Tunes?
And yes, we've just begun

Pooling resources is so new to us
What's mine is yours, what's yours is mine
Talking it over just the two of us
Fed savings bonds work out in time
Together

And when the monthly fees increase
We'll clean out our accounts
We'll find a bank with no overdraft charge
And yes, we've just begun


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