Just over a year ago, Bat For Lashes released the lovely and evocative album Lost Girls. Shortly afterward, Natasha Khan followed the album up with a live EP that featured her cover of Don Henley’s “The Boys Of Summer.” Today, Khan releases another cover of another decades-old pop song. This time, she’s taken on the Carpenters.
The Carpenters released their single “We’ve Only Just Begun” in 1970, back in the smooth-pop duo’s early days. The Carpenters’ labelmate Paul Williams co-wrote “We’ve Only Just Begun” for a bank commercial. Richard Carpenter heard the song, recognized Williams’ voice, and asked if there was a full-length version of the song that the Carpenters could record. The Carpenters took “We’ve Only Just Begun” to #2, and their version remains a classic piece of turn-of-the-’70s kitsch.
But maybe that’s not how Natasha Khan hears it. Bat For Lashes covered “We’ve Only Just Begun” at a few live shows in 2016. Today, Khan has released the studio version of her cover. Khan recorded her version of the song with the London Contemporary Orchestra, but she’s put her voice and piano at the forefront, transforming the song into a sad and stark ballad. Check out Bat For Lashes’ cover and the Carpenters’ original below.
