Amel Larrieux (born March 8, 1973) is a U.S. singer-songwriter and keyboard… Read Full Bio ↴Amel Larrieux (born March 8, 1973) is a U.S. singer-songwriter and keyboard player. She was formerly lead vocalist of the '90s R&B and soul group Groove Theory.

Larrieux was born and brought up in the neighborhood of Greenwich Village in New York City. Her mother was a dance critic and professor who encouraged Larrieux to grow up in a free-spirited, artistic environment. Many of her influences are drawn from R&B, soul, jazz, folk, hip-hop and gospel, with flashes of Middle Eastern, West African, and Indian ethnic styles. She lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.

As a solo artist, her music is mostly categorized as fitting within the nu-soul genre, though she also dabbles in jazz, blues and gospel sounds. She sang lead vocals with Sade's band Sweetback while Sade was on hiatus. On her last album 'Lovely Standards' she gravitated away from nu-soul to produce a cover album made up of songs from the jazz and blues singers that inspired her. Larrieux is also influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder and Prince — as she has previously credited on her website.

just once
Amel Larrieux Lyrics

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Little boat ,are you lost
Did the sea lead to nowhere
Are you faded, chipped and cracked
Need some tender loving care
Did a storm, break your course
Blow the wind out of your sails
Or do you stay close to shore
'cause you fear that you will fail

chorus
Every hour
Every minute
Every moment, happens just once
Every human
Every being
Every lifetime, happens just once

Little friend, are you blue
'cause you're not like them at all
When you bend, to fit the box
Are you too big or too small
Do you lie to yourself
To make others comfortable
Or do you hide who you are
'cause it's unacceptable

Chorus

And I don't know what comes after
But if this life is just a test
Everyone may not pass with flying colors
But everyone deserves some happiness

chorus

Overall Meaning

In this song, Amel Larrieux speaks to the little boat that might have lost its way in the vast ocean, a metaphor for people who feel lost in life. She wonders if the boat is faded, chipped, or cracked and needs some tender loving care. The boat might have faced a storm that broke its course and blew the wind out of its sails, or it might be staying close to the shore because it fears that it will fail. The boat symbolizes people who are struggling to find their way in life and are unsure of their direction.

Amel also talks to a little friend who might be feeling blue because they are not like others. This might be a metaphor for people who might feel like they don't fit in with the society or the norms set by others. She wonders if they bend to fit into a box that is too big or too small for them or lie to themselves to make others feel comfortable. The friend symbolizes people who struggle to find their identity and live in a world that is not accepting of them.

The chorus of the song emphasizes that every hour, minute, and moment happens only once in our lifetime, and every human and being has only one lifetime. The lyrics exhort us to live every moment fully, for time passes by quickly, and we never know what comes next. Amel urges us to recognize that life might not be the easiest, but everyone, without exception, deserves happiness.

Line by Line Meaning

Little boat ,are you lost
Are you unsure of your direction in life?

Did the sea lead to nowhere
Have you been searching for something but found nothing?

Are you faded, chipped and cracked
Are you worn out and in need of help?

Need some tender loving care
Do you require compassion and care?

Did a storm, break your course
Has a difficult experience thrown you off track?

Blow the wind out of your sails
Has an unforeseen event left you feeling vulnerable?

Or do you stay close to shore
Are you playing it safe and avoiding risks?

'cause you fear that you will fail
Do you limit yourself out of fear of failure?

Every hour
Every moment counts

Every minute
Every single second has value

Every moment, happens just once
Every instance in life is unique