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Big Daddy — Once In A Lifetime
Album: Cutting Their Own Groove
Avg rating:
6.5

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2036









Released: 1991
Length: 3:41
Plays (last 30 days): 1
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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 moneyÂŽs 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 moneyÂŽs 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
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/in 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 ?
And you may ask yourself
Am I right ?...Am I wrong ?
And you may tell 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/in 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...
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...
Comments (315)add comment
Okay.... my fav cover ever BECAUSE of the mashup
Posted 4 weeks ago by jstrait    [ Reply ]
Hilarious yes. Not in a good way
Posted 1 month ago by Rcallinjr    [ Reply ]
Sounds more like a parody than an earnest reinterpretation....
Posted 1 month ago by TallCreative1    [ Reply ]
 SoundThinker wrote:

Probably the best concert of the close to 2000 I’ve seen was the Talking Heads at Red Rocks the first time. I hate to say it, but that version of “Once in A Lifetime” by Big Daddy might be better than the original!

There! I said it!

And I bet that David Bryne loves this version!



It may be a bit salty for him
Posted 2 months ago by NeuroJoe    [ Reply ]
Just downright odd!   I’m sick of all the covers honestly. Prefer originals. 
Posted 2 months ago by Rcallinjr    [ Reply ]
Harry Belafonte meets Talking Heads! Nice!
Posted 5 months ago by philonair    [ Reply ]
Had this as a 2 - don't remember rating it at all. 

Its now a 7 - that's definitely the biggest change I've made in all my time here. 

Most often when I go to rate a song I find the number I was about to go for - I've done it already - at least I'm consistent! 

Occasionally I adjust it by 1 and maybe once before a 2
Posted 6 months ago by rtrt    [ Reply ]
 NeuroJoe wrote:


In a large automobile


With a beautiful wife?
Posted 8 months ago by RodneyAjax    [ Reply ]
yikes...on the day we find out the submersible imploded....

let the water hold me down...there is water at the bottom of the ocean...once in a lifetime.
Posted 9 months ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
... and BillG segues to the actual Talking Heads.  Masterful!
Posted 1 year ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
Effing GREAT song!
Posted 1 year ago by Amuzed_Traveler    [ Reply ]
 ce wrote:
How did I get here?



LOL!  
Posted 1 year ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
 khardog145 wrote:
I love this song - it's hilarious.  You cannot possibly be anything but happy listening to it.{#Daisy}



I Agree!   
Posted 1 year ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
This album is just brilliant I'm glad I got it on CD back in the day otherwise I wouldn't have the vinyl anymore as it would have worn away.
Posted 1 year ago by janac13    [ Reply ]
Can these guys cover Burning Down The House?  It's quite interesting to picture.
Posted 1 year ago by timmus    [ Reply ]
 FlatCat wrote:

This makes me think of the Banana-Boat scene in Beetlejuice.



That is all I heard at first but something in my head was telling me these lyrics are from another song. It took me a few because I hate to cheat and peak. Oh my, what a delightful surprise! I feel the need to share this song. Loving the updated Main Mix, GREAT JOB!
Posted 1 year ago by Delawhere    [ Reply ]
 ginger wrote:

I bought this album when it came out! The whole thing is a lot of fun. I recommend it if you can still find it.


Their cover album of Sgt. Pepper's is pretty great too.
Posted 1 year ago by JasonMaggini    [ Reply ]
I bought this album when it came out! The whole thing is a lot of fun. I recommend it if you can still find it.
Posted 1 year ago by ginger    [ Reply ]
This is so much better than those girls doing "The Boys of Summer"!!
Posted 1 year ago by awhfman    [ Reply ]
wow!
Posted 1 year ago by colin.sumby    [ Reply ]
What a grest pisstake of that awful pseud Byrne, and a major improvement on the original :o)
Posted 1 year ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
 jjbchansen159 wrote:

No.



Yes, great cover.
Posted 1 year ago by RichW    [ Reply ]
No.
Posted 1 year ago by jjbchansen159    [ Reply ]

That time in Jamaica at the Rum-Lounge . . . . .
Posted 1 year ago by sfyi2001    [ Reply ]
Nope.  Just nope. 
Posted 1 year ago by Alastair    [ Reply ]
Posted 1 year ago by TomD-40215    [ Reply ]
 NeuroJoe wrote:
In a large automobile

How do I work this thing?
Posted 2 years ago by ce    [ Reply ]
I don't think this works.

<reads Wikipedia>

Ah. 5.
Posted 2 years ago by acolt    [ Reply ]
 ColdMiser wrote:

I know I'm in the minority, but I like this more than the original



Yep. It beats the crap out of the original, and unlike that pseud Byrne it doesn't take itself seriously. 
Posted 2 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
 ColdMiser wrote:

I know I'm in the minority, but I like this more than the original



Me too!
Posted 2 years ago by trevc    [ Reply ]
This is my idea of a cover.  What a perfect arrangement. 

It just works.
Posted 2 years ago by doktorkev    [ Reply ]
This makes me think of the Banana-Boat scene in Beetlejuice.
Posted 2 years ago by FlatCat    [ Reply ]
much better than the original.
Posted 2 years ago by Jelani    [ Reply ]
Noooooooooooooooooooo, just nooooooooooo
Posted 2 years ago by bigbobbybubba    [ Reply ]
Okay, I dig this. The voice can't match Harry Belafonte of course, but this is fun. The lyrics seem to fit the Calypso beat perfectly - coincidence?
c.
Posted 3 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
 ce wrote:
How did I get here?
 

In a large automobile
Posted 3 years ago by NeuroJoe    [ Reply ]
 sfyi2001 wrote:
Is this the correct song?
 
Yes, according to Shazam
Posted 3 years ago by wozzagonebush    [ Reply ]
I love both the original and this one.  Equally, for different reasons.  Thank you!  Made me smile ear to ear on an otherwise not so great day!
Posted 3 years ago by mjlucas    [ Reply ]
Is this the correct song?
Posted 3 years ago by sfyi2001    [ Reply ]
 charliedancey wrote:
OK,that's a keeper!

Well done RP, I never would have found that.
 
Ditto. Solid 9.
The whole album is worth listening to.
Posted 3 years ago by ace-marc    [ Reply ]
clever   fun!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Daddy_(band)
Posted 3 years ago by fotd    [ Reply ]
Huge.  Needed it.
Posted 3 years ago by ProjectGemini07    [ Reply ]
Outstanding!
Posted 4 years ago by ace-marc    [ Reply ]
Wonder what Day-o Byrne thinks of calypso OIAL
Posted 4 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
I've always loved the line "there is water... at the bottom of the ocean!"

For Byrne, it's the authoritative way he delivers the line, like it's a great insight you'd not have ever realized on your own. Big Daddy does ok with it, too.
Posted 4 years ago by The_Enemy    [ Reply ]
 ColdMiser wrote:
I know I'm in the minority, but I like this more than the original
 

A growing minority, cuz I LOVE THIS!
Posted 4 years ago by Ihatethissong    [ Reply ]
I'm cracking up.
Posted 4 years ago by sfyi2001    [ Reply ]
How did I get here?
Posted 4 years ago by ce    [ Reply ]
I can’t stop seeing Winona dancing in the air in Beetlejuice. Dance, Senora.
Posted 4 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
Yeah, buddy!
Posted 4 years ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
Cooool!! {#Whistle}
Posted 5 years ago by johnybladex    [ Reply ]
Agree with the comments here - this song made me grin like an idiot ;-)
Posted 5 years ago by HenryT88    [ Reply ]
I love this song - it's hilarious.  You cannot possibly be anything but happy listening to it.{#Daisy}
Posted 5 years ago by khardog145    [ Reply ]
I know I'm in the minority, but I like this more than the original
Posted 5 years ago by ColdMiser    [ Reply ]
Almost impossible not to smile during the whole song.{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}{#Cheesygrin}{#Laughing}{#Smile}{#Wink}{#Biggrin}
Posted 5 years ago by Typesbad    [ Reply ]
What a nice break from David Byrnes nasal whining {#Clap}
Posted 5 years ago by maxvonevil    [ Reply ]
Oh I thought this was Señor Conconut! I bet if you paired this one with Humo en el Agua folks would probably riot.
Posted 5 years ago by ziggytrix    [ Reply ]
OK,that's a keeper!

Well done RP, I never would have found that.
Posted 5 years ago by charliedancey    [ Reply ]
I'd love to hear their cover of The Genius of Love.
Posted 5 years ago by eveliko    [ Reply ]
How have I never heard this before?

Most Excellent!!!
Posted 5 years ago by LPCity    [ Reply ]
It's lovely, it works. Very interesting!
Posted 6 years ago by SECA_Alan    [ Reply ]
Brilliance.  10 from Bristol today.  It might get a 1 or 2 later on ...
Posted 6 years ago by DaidyBoy    [ Reply ]
 twoplain2sea wrote:
                                          Present a horse sense, and gain
                                              Some mood daddy longlegs.
                                           Oh ! two riders were approaching.
                                                Ghost rider being the one
                                   On a pimped up pony,  nobody knew them.
                                    Except that they were headed for Nordpole.
 
Stretching your legs, twoplain?
Posted 6 years ago by gmichaelt    [ Reply ]
Either a lyrics mis-match or this is a truncated version. It goes most of the way, though.

Is there an a capella version of this somewhere out there in the ether? It seems to me that there's potential in such a thing.
Posted 6 years ago by gmichaelt    [ Reply ]
 Clyde_Bedow wrote:
I smiled. I may have snickered. I was drawn in to listen more closely.

The original had that effect, as does this. Different, and I like that.

Thanks RP!

 
{#Cheers}
Posted 6 years ago by NeuroJoe    [ Reply ]
Love this!  And this is probably the only station you'd here it on!
Posted 6 years ago by KennyReff    [ Reply ]
What!?  WHAT!!?!  I mean....I get it...it's cute in that Jamaican kind of way....but really...{#Stop}

Highlow
American Net'Zen
Posted 6 years ago by Highlowsel    [ Reply ]
 aelfheld wrote:
I'd rather hear Dread Zeppelin.

 
I'd rather hear the Shaggs.
Posted 6 years ago by gmsingh123    [ Reply ]
Calypso David Byrne!!  I LOVE it.  gave it an 8.
Posted 6 years ago by joelbb    [ Reply ]
Sounds like Harry Belafonte doing Talking Heads.  Not good.
Posted 6 years ago by gmsingh123    [ Reply ]
This make me happy(er).
Posted 6 years ago by GTT    [ Reply ]
I love it. Oversimplifying to say Lion King meets Talking Heads, but you get the idea.
Posted 6 years ago by jmacie    [ Reply ]
 Jota wrote:
If you're gonna do a cover best make it your own and these guys made this their own.

  
exactly! {#Cheers}


Posted 6 years ago by ShamanManu    [ Reply ]
I'd rather hear Dread Zeppelin.
Posted 6 years ago by aelfheld    [ Reply ]
nothing in this for me
Posted 6 years ago by rtrt    [ Reply ]
I smiled. I may have snickered. I was drawn in to listen more closely.

The original had that effect, as does this. Different, and I like that.

Thanks RP!
Posted 7 years ago by Clyde_Bedow    [ Reply ]
 discdrive wrote:
Not for me, but gotta love RP for playing it, lol. Nobody else is going to.

 
How many times have we all thought this? Thank you RP!

edit 4/25/2017. Just realize I quoted myself. Too funny!


Posted 7 years ago by discdrive    [ Reply ]
I think David Byrne would approve.{#Roflol}
Posted 7 years ago by DeemerDave    [ Reply ]
If you're gonna do a cover best make it your own and these guys made this their own.
Posted 7 years ago by Jota    [ Reply ]
Yup... that was weird. If that was the goal, then they have succeeded.
Posted 7 years ago by ch83575    [ Reply ]
Not!
Posted 7 years ago by fitmartin    [ Reply ]
Oh, yeah! They say never do a cover unless you can make it your own. 
Posted 7 years ago by zenhead    [ Reply ]
 ico wrote:
plagiarism of banana boat song.

 
Not really, but that's the point.  They are a satire/parody/cover band; everything they do is a cover, deliberately done in the style of a recording artist from the 1950s or '60s.  "Plagiarism" would be an exact copy of the chord progression, which this is not.
Posted 7 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
More calypso than reggae, which is a plus for me. Not great, but definitely fun.
Posted 7 years ago by nmcvaugh    [ Reply ]
do not like.
Posted 7 years ago by blotto    [ Reply ]
I love this band. Their version of Sgt. Peppers is classic.
Posted 7 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
Not for me, but gotta love RP for playing it, lol. Nobody else is going to.
Posted 7 years ago by discdrive    [ Reply ]
By itself, a 4.  But it is redeemed by the seamless reggae segue into "(Nothing But) Flowers".
Posted 8 years ago by Notelrac    [ Reply ]
Nice work Dave. I love hearing things I've never heard before. 
Posted 8 years ago by MToschi    [ Reply ]
I still like Harry Belafonte's version with the original lyrics better,
Posted 8 years ago by DaveInSaoMiguel    [ Reply ]
I was going to say "No," but Tracy Morgan beat me to it.
Posted 8 years ago by wibadger    [ Reply ]
This blows!
Posted 8 years ago by Elroweho    [ Reply ]
Unexpected.  Not bad.
Posted 8 years ago by casey1024    [ Reply ]
You should add their a capella doo-wop version of "Eye of the Tiger" to the playlist.
Posted 8 years ago by Baby_M    [ Reply ]
                                          Present a horse sense, and gain
                                              Some mood daddy longlegs.
                                           Oh ! two riders were approaching.
                                                Ghost rider being the one
                                   On a pimped up pony,  nobody knew them.
                                    Except that they were headed for Nordpole.
Posted 8 years ago by twoplain2sea    [ Reply ]
I'll take this over the TH anytime.  not a fan
Posted 8 years ago by maxjboxer    [ Reply ]
Yikes.
Posted 8 years ago by michaelgmitchell    [ Reply ]
It works, pretty well - but it COMPLETELY changes the mode of the song! 

The original is poignant angst.

This cover is light and playful.
Posted 8 years ago by NeilBlanchard    [ Reply ]
{#Biggrin}
Posted 8 years ago by ShamanManu    [ Reply ]

Posted 8 years ago by Kaisersosay    [ Reply ]
 mbriner wrote:
God bless RP....

This just brightened my day.
The original has its own comic qualities, but this cover is laugh-out-loud entertainment!

 Rating: 10!

 
Yea Baby!  Maybe not a 10, but dang good fun nonetheless.
Posted 8 years ago by S-curvy    [ Reply ]
Oh man, this works perfectly!!
I would say that this would be the original and TH's did the cover version.

Love it!
Posted 8 years ago by Jelani    [ Reply ]
I didn't think the Heads could be matched on this song. This is not better but it isn't worse. It is different. In a good way. I really like this!!
Posted 8 years ago by Ahnyer_Keester    [ Reply ]
Excellent {#Good-vibes}
Posted 8 years ago by Fiji5555    [ Reply ]
 yofitofu wrote:
If you can't laugh at this and have fun with this station, please tune into those AM stations whose motto is something like "we never play anything you haven't heard before". This is fun and funny!

 
What he/she/it said
Posted 8 years ago by imklammer    [ Reply ]
Hysterical. Love it.
Posted 8 years ago by ChrisInSeattle    [ Reply ]
If you can't laugh at this and have fun with this station, please tune into those AM stations whose motto is something like "we never play anything you haven't heard before". This is fun and funny!
Posted 8 years ago by yofitofu    [ Reply ]
 jjfflyboy wrote:
If I remember correctly, Big Daddy was a cover band from the 50s.  They were abducted by aliens or traveled at the speed of light or frozen in a freak science experiment or some such.  They returned to real time in the early nineties.  They went back to work at their trade and this was one of the songs they covered.  There were many other covers from the late eighties.

I remember hearing the full album at one point.   But now....alas... My memory is as far gone as 30 year-old vinyl disk with analog music encoded, played back with a vibrating mechanical needle which, on every play, strips away small elements of recorded history.  I do not remember where said album is.  Maybe in my garage.

There were many interesting tracks on this album.  Too bad I can't remember anything about them. 


I saw Big Daddy several times when they played in West L.A./Santa Monica, CA. The following was their shtick, which they explained at the start of each show: In the 50s they were a band who were taken prisoners of war while on a U.S.O. tour in Southeast Asia. When they were finally set free, they got back together to cover the hits, but the only musical style that they could play was that of the 50s. And so they did.

Big Daddy were a very good band, and they had, I think, three official albums before they disbanded. I have this one on cassette, but their coup de gras was their cover of "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". It's a wonderful take on the Beatles' album. I snagged three copies at one of their shows and had not been able to obtain any more copies thereafter. (I contacted Rhino Records 15-20 years ago, and they pointed me to one of the band members, who told me that there were no more copies.) I had forgotten about Big Daddy until I heard this tune and saw the Amazon link. Here's the link to Sgt. Pepper. RP should play "Within You Without You", which is a beatnik take on George's original song (fingers snapping in applause). Perfect.
Posted 9 years ago by meisenman1    [ Reply ]
Fun stuff.
And I don't typically think much of most covers of major hits. 
Posted 9 years ago by stegokitty    [ Reply ]
terrible.
Posted 9 years ago by adpucci    [ Reply ]
Now bring on Senor Cocoanut's "Autobahn."
Posted 9 years ago by Steely_D    [ Reply ]
 d48m02h1918 wrote:
No hell no reaction Gif

 
Tracy cannot accept that the Talking Heads covered The Banana Boat Song. Or some such shit. 
Posted 9 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
If I remember correctly, Big Daddy was a cover band from the 50s.  They were abducted by aliens or traveled at the speed of light or frozen in a freak science experiment or some such.  They returned to real time in the early nineties.  They went back to work at their trade and this was one of the songs they covered.  There were many other covers from the late eighties.

I remember hearing the full album at one point.   But now....alas... My memory is as far gone as 30 year-old vinyl disk with analog music encoded, played back with a vibrating mechanical needle which, on every play, strips away small elements of recorded history.  I do not remember where said album is.  Maybe in my garage.

There were many interesting tracks on this album.  Too bad I can't remember anything about them. 
Posted 9 years ago by jjfflyboy    [ Reply ]
God bless RP....

This just brightened my day.
The original has its own comic qualities, but this cover is laugh-out-loud entertainment!

 Rating: 10!
Posted 9 years ago by mbriner    [ Reply ]
...Ouch!
Posted 9 years ago by VV    [ Reply ]
Now it sounds funny and the original is too serious.
Posted 9 years ago by pkoelmans    [ Reply ]
These kinds of covers always sound so much better in concept than in reality.
Posted 9 years ago by unclelonghair    [ Reply ]
The Talking Heads do a nice cover of this song.
Posted 9 years ago by scrubbrush    [ Reply ]
 handyrae wrote:
I like it much better than the original!

 
ME TOO!!!!!
Posted 9 years ago by jagdriver    [ Reply ]