Once in a Lifetime

Song Meaning

The lyrics for "Once in a Lifetime" open with a stark, repeated assertion: "Once in a lifetime / You might get away with it." This immediate focus on a singular, fleeting chance for escape or transgression sets a tense, almost conspiratorial tone. The sheer repetition amplifies this precarious hope, making it feel both rare and desperately sought. This initial idea quickly gives way to unsettling imagery, introducing a profound corruption or overwhelming force. "Angels are breeding / Like locusts here everywhere" presents a disturbing inversion. The sacred "angels" are stripped of their purity, becoming a destructive, swarming plague, suggesting a world where even benign forces have turned predatory and pervasive. The lyrics then pivot to a powerful juxtaposition: "While empires are crumbling / The sun is still rising." This contrast highlights a world in disarray, where human-made structures collapse, yet the natural order continues with indifferent regularity. It suggests a profound disconnect between human struggle and cosmic persistence, emphasizing the transient nature of power against an unyielding universe. The cumulative effect of this relentless repetition and stark imagery is a sense of fatalism mixed with a desperate, rare hope. The cyclical return to "Once in a lifetime / You might get away with it" at the end reinforces the idea that moments of reprieve are fleeting and precarious, existing within a larger, often chaotic and indifferent reality. The lyrics create a haunting meditation on fleeting chances amidst overwhelming, unsettling change.