Fringe members of The Elephant 6 Recording Company, and the only band to of… Read Full Bio ↴Fringe members of The Elephant 6 Recording Company, and the only band to officially release a full-length on the label, Beulah originally formed in San Francisco in 1996 when mail-room colleagues Miles Kurosky (main songwriter, lead vocals, guitar), and Bill Swan (trumpet, guitar, vocals) got together to make music. Together they recorded a 7", A Small Cattle Drive in a Snow Storm, released in 1997. The same year, Anne Mellinger joined the band and their debut LP, Handsome Western States was released on Elephant 6.

The three were subsequently joined by Steve LaFolette (bass & vocals), Pat Noel (keyboards & guitar), Steve St. Cin (drums), and Ana Pitchon, who toured as Beulah in 1998, before recording When Your Heartstrings Break. Bill Evans (keyboards) then joined the band to play live. Steve St. Cin left the band to be replaced by Danny Sullivan, before The Coast is Never Clear was released in 2000. Bill Evans and Steve LaFolette then left, to be replaced by Pat Abernathy and Eli Crews respectively. Beulah went on to record 2003's Yoko, then toured North America and Europe before a goodbye show on August 5th 2004, in New York.

A DVD, A Good Band is Easy to Kill was released in 2005 and features documentary footage from Beulah's 2003 tour.

You're Only King Once
Beulah Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Have you seen that moon-faced kid?
That burned out hill hangs right above his head
It's so hard not to be crushed
When you're praying for too much
And the stars refuse to shine for you
They do it just to spy
Well they know you're trying to hard

Hoping for a little more than just another kiss goodnight
Your face is full and paved with lines
Your hair is receding fast and so is your mind
And I'm lazy, I won't budge
Because you're praying way too much
And don't take that pill
Your head will swell
You'll only be king once
Just once,
You'll only be king

Smile, please smile
I just want you happy
Smile, please smile
I just want you happy

And the stars refuse to shine for you
They do it just to spy
Well they know you're trying to hard

Smile, please smile
I just want you happy
Smile, please smile
I just want you happy

I just want you happy
I just want you happy

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Beulah’s song You're Only King Once tell the story of a man who is struggling with the realities of life. The first verse describes a “moon-faced kid” who seems to be weighed down by the world, with a “burned out hill” hanging over his head. The second verse describes the man as being worn down, with lines on his face and receding hair, and accuses him of “praying for too much”. The chorus, which repeatedly asks the man to smile, implies that he is unhappy with his life and is hoping for something more.

The song seems to be a commentary on the human desire for happiness and success, and the frustration that can come when those things don’t come easily. The man in the song is trying hard to improve his situation, but the “stars refuse to shine” for him, leaving him feeling helpless and discouraged. The repeated plea to “smile” seems to suggest that the singer believes that happiness is something that can be chosen or at least faked, even in the face of disappointment.

Overall, You're Only King Once is a poignant and insightful commentary on the struggles of everyday life, and the hope that can come from trying to find happiness in difficult circumstances.

Line by Line Meaning

Have you seen that moon-faced kid?
Have you noticed that young and innocent-looking person?

That burned out hill hangs right above his head
That gloomy and depressing feeling is always present in his mind.

It's so hard not to be crushed
It's difficult not to feel down and defeated.

When you're praying for too much
When you're wishing for too many things and setting yourself up for disappointment.

And the stars refuse to shine for you
And things never seem to go your way, as if the universe is against you.

They do it just to spy
They do it just to mock you and make you feel worse.

Well they know you're trying too hard
Because they can see you're putting in too much effort and stressing yourself out.

Hoping for a little more than just another kiss goodnight
Wanting something more meaningful and fulfilling in life rather than settling for the same routine.

Your face is full and paved with lines
Your face is aged and wrinkled from the stress and worries of life.

Your hair is receding fast and so is your mind
You're losing your youthful appearance and your memory is failing you.

And I'm lazy, I won't budge
And I'm too tired and unmotivated to help you.

Because you're praying way too much
Because you're asking for too much and it's taking a toll on you.

And don't take that pill
And don't take that shortcut or easy way out.

Your head will swell
It will only make things worse for you.

You'll only be king once
You'll only have this one chance at life, so make it count and don't waste it.

Just once,
Just this one time.

Smile, please smile
Be happy and put on a brave face.

I just want you happy
I just want to see you content and at peace.

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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