About the song
“Just Once in My Life” is a timeless classic that has stood the test of time, and its enduring popularity is a testament to the genius of its writers and the iconic duo that brought it to life. Written by the legendary songwriting team of Gerry Goffin, Carole King, and Phil Spector, this song was released by the Righteous Brothers in 1965 and quickly became a hit, reaching number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.
The story of “Just Once in My Life” begins with the success of the Righteous Brothers’ first single with Phil Spector, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'”. This song was a game-changer, and its success led to a string of hits for the duo. However, the writers of the song, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, were not satisfied with the results and decided to write a new song for the duo. Unfortunately, this song, “(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration”, was not completed, and Spector instead asked Carole King to write a new song for the duo.
King’s contribution was “Just Once in My Life”, a song that would go on to become one of the Righteous Brothers’ most beloved hits. The song was released as a single in April 1965, and it was an instant success. Billboard described the song as “exciting, dramatic, emotion-filled production performances by the ‘Lovin’ Feeling’ boys”, which “can’t miss”. The song’s success was not limited to its chart performance; it has also been praised for its timeless melody and heartfelt lyrics, which continue to resonate with listeners to this day.
In this introduction, we will delve deeper into the history of “Just Once in My Life”, exploring its creation, its impact on the music industry, and its enduring popularity. We will also examine the song’s lyrics and melody, and explore why it remains a beloved classic to this day.
Video
Lyrics
There’s alot of things I want, a lot of things that I’d like to be.
But girl, I don’t forsee a rags-to-riches story for me.
There’s just one little dream I’ve got to come true;
There’s just one round I’ve gotta win,
I can’t be a loser with you.
Baby, baby, Once In My Life, let me get what I want,
Girl, don’t let me down! Just Once In My Life,
let me hold on to one good thing I found!
Don’t let me down! Baby, say that you’ll be stayin’,
Cause I couldn’t face a day if you weren’t here by my side.
If you went away then I’d be left without any pride.
I’ve given up on schemes, ‘Cause all of them fell through,
I’ve given up so many things, Don’t ask me to give up on you.
Baby, baby, Once In My Life, let me get what I want,
Girl, don’t let me down! Just Once In My Life,
let me hold on to one good thing I found!
Don’t let me down! Baby, say that you’ll be stayin’,
That old pot of gold ain’t so easy to find,
But if you stand by me, I’ll keep my peace of mind.
I can’t give you the world, But I I’ll work hard for you, girl.
I’ll work hard, ev’ryday, all my life.
So baby, please don’t leave me, just do this for me.
Once In My Life, let me get what I want,
Girl, don’t let me down! Just Once In My Life,
let me hold on to one good thing I found!
Don’t let me down! Baby, say that you’ll be stayin’.