{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Near the Beginning | type = Album | artist = Vanilla Fudge | cover = Vanilla_Fudge_Near_The_Beginning.JPG | alt = | released = February 1969 | recorded = | venue = | studio = {{hlist|Mirasound (New York)|Record Plant (New York)|Shrine Auditorium}} | genre = Psychedelic rock | length = 44:10 (original LP)<br> 46:56 (1991 CD)<br> 57:44 (1998 CD) | label = Atco | producer = Vanilla Fudge | prev_title = Renaissance | prev_year = 1968 | next_title = Rock & Roll | next_year = 1969 }}

{{Music ratings | rev1 = Allmusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r21013}}</ref> |rev2 = ''Džuboks'' |rev2score = (Mixed) <ref name="dzuboks">{{cite journal|last=Vrdoljak|first=Dražen|title=Vanilla Fudge - Near the Beginning|journal=Džuboks|publisher=Dečje novine|location=Gornji Milanovac|issue=11 (second series)|page=24|language=Serbian}}</ref> }}

'''''Near the Beginning''''' (ATCO Records 33&ndash;278) is the fourth album by the American psychedelic rock band Vanilla Fudge. It was released early 1969 and featured a cover of the Jr. Walker & the All Stars song "Shotgun".

The album peaked at #16 on the Billboard album charts in March 1969.

==Track listing== {{track listing |headline = Side 1 |title1 = Shotgun |writer1 = Autry DeWalt |length1 = 6:10 |title2 = Some Velvet Morning |writer2 = Lee Hazlewood |length2 = 7:34 |title3 = Where Is Happiness |writer3 = Carmine Appice |length3 = 6:59 }} {{track listing |headline = Side 2 |title4 = Break Song |note4=Live at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles |writer4 = Carmine Appice, Tim Bogert, Vince Martell, Mark Stein |length4 = 23:27 }} {{track listing |headline = 1991 Repertoire Records CD bonus track |title5 = The Look of Love |writer5 = Burt Bacharach, Hal David |length5 = 2:46 }} {{track listing |headline = 1998 Sundazed Music CD bonus tracks |title5 = Good Good Lovin{{'-}} |note5=Unedited version |writer5 = Carmine Appice, Tim Bogert, Vince Martell, Mark Stein |length5 = 5:45 |title6 = Shotgun |note6=Single version |writer6 = Autry DeWalt |length6 = 2:33 |title7 = People |note7=Single |writer7 = Carmine Appice, Tim Bogert, Vince Martell, Mark Stein |length7 = 5:20 }}

==Personnel== *Carmine Appice - drums, vocals *Tim Bogert - bass, vocals *Vince Martell - guitar, vocals *Mark Stein - lead vocals, keyboards

==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (1969) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Italian Albums (HitParadeItalia)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hitparadeitalia.it/hp_weeka/1969/hpa19690927.html|title=HitParadeItalia - Top Album N.39 del 27 Settembre 1969 |language=it|publisher=HitParadeItalia}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|1 |}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Vanilla Fudge}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Vanilla Fudge albums Category:1969 albums Category:Atco Records albums