Once in a Lifetime
Talking Heads
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And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack And you may find yourself in another part of the world And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife And you may ask yourself Well...How did I get here? Letting the days go by Let the water hold me down Letting the days go by Water flowing underground Into the blue again After the money's gone Once in a lifetime Water flowing underground And you may ask yourself How do I work this? And you may ask yourself Where is that large automobile? And you may tell yourself This is not my beautiful house And you may tell yourself This is not my beautiful wife Letting the days go by Let the water hold me down Letting the days go by Water flowing underground Into the blue again After the money's gone Once in a lifetime Water flowing underground Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Water dissolving...and water removing There is water at the bottom of the ocean Under the water, carry the water at the bottom of the ocean Remove the water at the bottom of the ocean Letting the days go by Let the water hold me down Letting the days go by Water flowing underground Into the blue again Into the silent water Under the rocks and stones There is water underground Letting the days go by Let the water hold me down Letting the days go by Water flowing underground Into the blue again After the money's gone Once in a lifetime Water flowing underground And you may ask yourself What is that beautiful house? And you may ask yourself Where does that highway go to? And you may ask yourself Am I right?...Am I wrong? And you may say to yourself yourself My God!...What have I done?! Letting the days go by Let the water hold me down Letting the days go by Water flowing underground Into the blue again Into the silent water Under the rocks and stones There is water underground Letting the days go by Let the water hold me down Letting the days go by Water flowing underground Into the blue again After the money's gone Once in a lifetime Water flowing underground Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Look where my hand was Time isn't holding up Time is an asterisk Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... Yeah, the twister comes Here comes the twister Same as it ever was...
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Written by: Brian Eno, Christopher Frantz, David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
11 facts about this song
Album Release"Once in a Lifetime" is a song from Talking Heads' fourth studio album called "Remain in Light," which was released in October 1980.
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Song LyricsThe song's lyrics were written by David Byrne, Talking Heads' lead singer, along with Brian Eno, who co-produced the album with the band.
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Song Style"Once in a Lifetime" and the entire "Remain in Light" album are known for their amalgamation of genres, including new wave, post-punk, and worldbeat. The song is celebrated for this genre-blending approach and is considered one of the band's defining works.
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Music VideoThe music video for "Once in a Lifetime" was heavily rotated on MTV. It featured David Byrne dancing and singing in a manner influenced by preachers and radio announcers, which added to the song's popularity.
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Chart PerformanceDespite the song's lasting fame and significance, it did not chart high when it was initially released. It only reached number 103 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under chart and 20 on the UK Singles Chart.
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Cultural Impact"Once in a Lifetime" has been sampled and covered by several artists, including Phish, Florence + the Machine, Kermit the Frog, and more. It has also been used in numerous TV shows and commercials, demonstrating its lasting cultural impact.
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Signature PhraseThe line "same as it ever was" from the song is considered a signature phrase. Many people associate this line with David Byrne and Talking Heads.
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Song MessageThe song is often interpreted as a look at the monotony of a typical suburban lifestyle. Byrne himself described the song as being about a person experiencing a mid-life crisis.
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RecognitionThe song was ranked no. 345 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, reflecting its significance in the music history.
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Song InterpretationThe repetitive nature of the song was intentional and meant to echo the themes of the lyrics - the routine, daily grind of middle-class existence. The song questions materialistic and comfortable lives by prompting its listeners to ask, "Well, how did I get here?"
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Live PerformancesIn live performances, David Byrne often incorporated elements of theater into the song's presentation. This further elevated its reputation and listeners’ perceptions of the song.
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Citation
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"Once in a Lifetime Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/8765656/Talking+Heads/Once+in+a+Lifetime>.
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