At the Beginning
{{short description|1997 song from the film Anastasia}}
{{more citations needed|date=October 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox song
| name = At the Beginning
| cover = At the Beginning Single.jpeg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Donna Lewis and Richard Marx
| album = Anastasia: Music from the Motion Picture
| released = October 21, 1997
| recorded =
| studio = Sarm West Coast, O'Henry
| venue =
| length = 3:42
| label = Atlantic
| writer = Stephen Flaherty{{br}}Lynn Ahrens
| producer = Trevor Horn
| chronology = Donna Lewis
| prev_title = Love & Affection
| prev_year = 1997
| next_title = I Could Be the One
| next_year = 1998
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Richard Marx
| type = singles
| prev_title = Angel's Lullaby
| prev_year = 1997
| title = At the Beginning
| year = 1997
| next_title = Days In Avalon
| next_year = 2000
}} {{External music video|{{YouTube|JjGf5193UZg|"At The Beginning"}}}}
}}
"At the Beginning" is a song by British singer Donna Lewis and American singer Richard Marx, released as the first single from the Anastasia soundtrack. It plays during the end credits of the film. It was released as a CD and cassette single on October 21, 1997, on Atlantic Records.
The song reached No. 45 on the Hot 100 giving Lewis her third Hot 100 hit and Marx his 17th. To date, neither has hit the Hot 100 since "At the Beginning" dropped out. It reached No. 2 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart, but did spend a week at No. 1 on Radio & Records' Adult Contemporary Chart before being knocked out by Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On".
The song gave Marx his eighth and most recent number one hit single as a singer. Lewis would not have any further songs that hit any chart.
Composition
Critical reception
Filmtracks noted that in addition featuring the two pop reprises of songs in the credits, "the unique entry is the tolerable 'At the Beginning', which seems to have been meant to be the centrepiece of the pop songs but was overshadowed in popularity by the cast song adaptations". The site added: "For soundtrack collectors, the song 'At the Beginning' is interesting in that it included contributions by two composers still on the rise, including piano performances by Anne Dudley and string arrangements by Aaron Zigman, for whom it would be another ten years before his name would be widely known".{{cite web|url=http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/anastasia.html|title=Filmtracks: Anastasia (Stephen Flaherty/David Newman)|work=filmtracks.com}}
Allmusic notes the film "duplicates the Disney formula of balancing big show tunes from the film with re-recorded MOR pop versions of the same song"; despite this being an original song the genre is still MOR pop.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/anastasia-music-from-the-motion-picture-mw0000595915|title=Anastasia [Music from the Motion Picture] - - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|work=AllMusic}} Film Score Monthly said "only the Richard Marx-Donna Lewis pairing 'At the Beginning' holds any interest (it's the only original song not performed in the film)".{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9FUJAQAAMAAJ&q=%22At+the+Beginning%22+anastasia+review+lewis+marx|title=Film Score Monthly|work=google.com.au|year=1998}} TimeOut described it as "uplifting".{{cite web|url=http://www.timeout.com/newyork/music/donna-lewis|title=Donna Lewis|date=8 August 2013|work=Time Out New York}}
Billboard wrote "the romantic 'At The Beginning' solidly ushers in the soundtrack to Anastasia, with Lewis and Marx proving to be a surprisingly chemical pair. Her waifish voice gracefully flutters around his rock edged grit, while producer Trevor Horn provides a reliably grand and dramatic musical environment. Although this oh-so-charming recording deserves widespread pop play, it will likely begin its radio life at AC, where programmers are often quicker to appreciate such a lushly arranged power ballad".{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nAkEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22At+the+Beginning%22+anastasia+review+lewis+marx&pg=PA80|title=Billboard|work=google.com.au|date=October 18, 1997}}
Music video
A music video for the song features a girl (a live-action version of Anastasia) visiting an old building. Throughout the video, Marx and Lewis are shown performing the song, intercut with scenes from Anastasia. The music video was also added on to some VHS copies of the film.
Track listing
- "At the Beginning" (album version)
- "At the Beginning" (instrumental)
- "At the Beginning" (remix)
Personnel
- Donna Lewis – lead vocals
- Richard Marx – guest vocals, arrangements
- Anne Dudley – piano
- Tim Weidner – keyboards, programmer
- Henry Jackman – keyboards, programmer, strings arrangement
- Tim Pierce – electric guitar
- Randy Jackson – bass
- Niki Harris, Marlena Jeter, Jim Gilstrap and Darryl Phinnessee – backing vocals
- Aaron Zigman – strings arrangement
= Production =
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!scope="col"|Chart (1997–1998) !scope="col"|Peak |
| scope="row"| Australia (ARIA){{cite Ryan|page=165}}
| 64 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|4|chartid=3465|rowheader=true|accessdate=20 May 2020}} |
| {{single chart|Germany|77|artist=Richard Marx & Donna Lewis|song=At the Beginning|songid=51816|rowheader=true|accessdate=20 May 2020}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|45|artist=Donna Lewis|rowheader=true|accessdate=20 May 2020}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|2|artist=Donna Lewis|rowheader=true|accessdate=20 May 2020}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardradiosongs|60|artist=Donna Lewis|rowheader=true|accessdate=20 May 2020}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!scope="col"|Chart (1998) !scope="col"|Position |
| scope="row"|Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM){{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.6979.pdf|title=RPM's Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of '98|work=RPM|date=14 December 1998|access-date=20 May 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200520181424/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.6979.pdf|archive-date=20 May 2020|df=dmy-all}}
|29 |
|---|
| scope="row"|US Adult Contemporary (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw0EAAAAMBAJ|title=1998 The Year in Music|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|issue=52|page=YE-95|date=26 December 1998|access-date=21 September 2021}}
|12 |
{{col-end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Anastasia}}
{{Richard Marx}}
{{Donna Lewis}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:At The Beginning}}
Category:Songs from Anastasia (1997 film)
Category:Song recordings produced by Trevor Horn
Category:Songs written by Lynn Ahrens
Category:Songs written by Stephen Flaherty
Category:Atlantic Records singles
Category:Cultural depictions of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia