Introduction:
In the annals of American pop music, few acts underwent as dramatic and artistically ambitious a transformation as The Osmonds. Widely known as wholesome, clean-cut teen idols who dominated the charts with bubbly, family-friendly pop hits, the group was also a formidable rock and roll band with a surprising amount of artistic control. This dichotomy is perhaps best exemplified by their 1973 album The Plan, and in particular, the powerful and unconventional song “Before the Beginning.” This track, which served as the third song on the album, marked a bold departure from their established sound and delved into themes far more profound than the puppy love ballads for which they were famous. It was a pivotal moment in their career, showcasing a maturity and musical depth that many critics and fans were not prepared for, and it remains a testament to their desire to be seen as serious musicians rather than simply a product of the pop machine.
Released in 1973, “Before the Beginning” is a part of the concept album The Plan, which explored the Osmonds’ Mormon faith. The album itself was a courageous and highly personal project, especially for a group at the peak of their mainstream popularity. While many of their previous hits, such as “One Bad Apple” and “Crazy Horses,” had established them as a force in bubblegum and hard rock, The Plan saw them venturing into the challenging waters of progressive rock and philosophical lyricism. The album’s central theme revolves around the “Plan of Salvation,” a core tenet of their faith, and each song on the record builds upon this narrative. “Before the Beginning” is a key piece of this lyrical journey, with its grand, almost theatrical musical arrangement and deeply spiritual lyrics. It is a song that would likely fit under the progressive rock or art rock genres, a significant departure from the pop and bubblegum sounds that had propelled them to superstardom. The use of complex structures, shifting dynamics, and layered instrumentation set it apart from the three-minute pop singles that defined much of the early 1970s.
The year 1973 was a whirlwind for The Osmonds, a period when their influence seemed boundless, yet their artistic direction was in flux. Having conquered the charts with their previous efforts, the band took a considerable risk by releasing The Plan. The album was entirely self-written and self-produced, an unprecedented level of creative control for a group that was still largely perceived as a manufactured teen sensation. This was an act of both rebellion and artistic declaration, a way for the brothers to prove they were more than just pretty faces with catchy tunes. The song “Before the Beginning” encapsulates this ambition perfectly. Its lyrics speak of a time and place beyond our mortal comprehension, reflecting the spiritual foundation that guided the Osmonds’ lives and careers. It is a contemplative and introspective track, a stark contrast to the high-energy, dance-oriented numbers of their past. The song’s complex arrangement, with its lush orchestrations and intricate vocal harmonies, demonstrated the group’s formidable musical skills, which had often been overshadowed by their teen idol image.
Despite the album’s ambitious nature and the artistic merit of songs like “Before the Beginning,” the commercial achievements of The Plan were modest compared to their previous chart-topping successes. The album peaked at number 58 on the Billboard Top LPs chart, and while it was a moderate success, it did not produce the kind of massive hit singles that had come to be expected from the group. The singles from the album, “Goin’ Home” and “Let Me In,” both reached number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100, but “Movie Man” and “Before the Beginning” were not released as standalone singles and thus did not have individual chart achievements. The lack of a major commercial breakout from the album can be attributed to several factors. The thematic content was perhaps too niche for a mainstream pop audience, and the album’s progressive rock sound was a jarring shift for fans accustomed to their lighter material. Furthermore, the sheer audacity of a group known for its squeaky-clean image tackling such serious, religious themes may have alienated some listeners and critics. Nevertheless, the album, and “Before the Beginning” by extension, stands as a critical landmark in their discography. It is widely considered by the band and a dedicated subset of their fanbase to be their magnum opus, a project that was made not for commercial success, but for artistic fulfillment and personal expression. The song and album’s legacy are not measured in chart positions, but in their courage to challenge audience expectations and produce a body of work that was authentic to their lives and beliefs. In this regard, “Before the Beginning” is an enduring achievement that reveals a side of The Osmonds that was as complex and nuanced as any of their rock contemporaries.