Beginnings

Robert Lamm wrote Beginnings after seeing Richie Havens play at the Ash Grove club in Los Angeles, soon after the group moved west. He said in 2013 that he composed it on a twelve-string guitar that was missing its two low E strings. Kath plays 12-string acoustic guitar on the recording and Lamm sings lead. Lamm has said that as the band recorded it, people threw out ideas about how to improve it, which he counts as collaboration that enhanced the song.

It was the album's second single and did not reach the Billboard chart at first. Re-released in June 1971 with Colour My World on the other side, the pairing climbed to number 7 on the Hot 100, and Beginnings reached number one on the Easy Listening chart. Ultimate Classic Rock called the album version the more satisfying take, showing the band stretching out.