Born Joan Drost in Buffalo, New York, as a child growing up Sommers would often sing to herself as a way of dealing with her difficult upbringing. Though having not received any musical training, Sommers began her career as a jazz singer in Los Angeles, California. In 1960, she recorded a demo with composer/arranger Tommy Oliver, earning her a recording contract with Warner Bros. Sommers. Her debut single, "One Boy" from the musical Bye Bye Birdie, reached #54 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Throughout the 60s, she also maintained a byline as a singer of jingles for Pepsi-Cola (specifically, "It's Pepsi, for Those Who Think Young" and "Come Alive! You're in the Pepsi Generation"), earning her the nickname of "The Pepsi Girl." Years later, she also recorded a jingle for Diet Pepsi, though her work was uncredited. Fittingly, two of her albums -- For Those Who Think Young and Come Alive! -- were named after her classic jingles.
Despite being a hit single,"One Boy" was passed over for inclusion on her debut album, Positively the Most!, whose cover touted the teenaged Sommers as "the greatest discovery in singing talent in the last fifteen years." This marked the beginning of a continuing trend for Sommers: alternating between commercial pop singles and more artistically challenging and varied albums, more often than not keeping the two completely disparate.
In 1962, "Johnny Get Angry" (co-written by legendary songwriter and lyricist Hal David) became Sommers' biggest hit, driven by an anachronistic dark bass line and unusual instrumentation such as kazoos. However, the song drew noted criticism aimed at its lyrical content, perceived by some as having sexist or masochistic overtones. The follow-up single was "When the Boys Get Together", which reached #94 on the charts, becoming her final Hot 100 single, though she would later have two songs on the Adult Contemporary charts.
In 1970, Sommers temporarily retired as a singer to focus on raising a family, making only one recording during the following decade, a soundtrack single for scrapped animation film The Peppermint Choo Choo. She resumed her career at the turn of the decade, recording the album Dream in 1980. She has maintained a sporadic career of recording and performing ever since, continuing to experiment with a variety of musical styles.
Once
Joanie Sommers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The one and only comes along
Once you took my hand
I felt your touch and I was strong
No wonder other simple love
Was not too clear to me
Though you were dear to me
I walked away
Who knew that once I knew your arms
Your arms would bind me to the past
I, who used to say
That nothing in the world could last
We live but once
And now I know my once was then
Please take me back
And love me once again
We live but once
And now I know my once was then
Please take me back
And love me once again
The lyrics to Joanie Sommers's song "Once" speaks about how finding the right person can change your life forever. The singer reflects on a past love that she walked away from, but realized later that she made a mistake. The song is a reflection on the idea of the "one and only" and how finding that person can change your perspective on love and life.
The opening lyrics "Once, and only once, the one and only comes along" set the tone for the song. The singer is acknowledging that finding that special someone is rare and should not be taken for granted. When she met this person, she felt an immediate connection - "Once you took my hand, I felt your touch and I was strong." She realizes that this connection was unique - "No wonder other love was not too clear to me".
The chorus, "We live but once, and now I know my once was then, Please take me back, and love me once again" is a plea for the person to come back to her and to try to love her again. She realizes that she lost someone special and is hoping to reconcile and make things right.
Line by Line Meaning
Once, and only once
The opportunity to experience something unique and special only comes around once in a lifetime.
The one and only comes along
That special someone who is one-of-a-kind and irreplaceable is hard to find.
Once you took my hand
The moment you entered my life, everything changed for the better.
I felt your touch and I was strong
Your affection gave me the strength and confidence to overcome all obstacles in my life.
No wonder other simple love
Ordinary and superficial relationships with others could not compare to the depth and intensity of love we shared.
Was not too clear to me
I was blinded by the clarity and purity of our love, and could not see the flaws in other relationships.
Though you were dear to me
I treasured and valued you above all others, but I still managed to walk away from our relationship.
I walked away
Due to fear, insecurity or other personal reasons, I made the difficult decision to end our relationship.
Who knew that once I knew your arms
I had no idea that once I experienced the loving embrace of your arms, I would be unable to move on from our relationship.
Your arms would bind me to the past
No matter how hard I tried, the memories and feelings from the past would always hold me back and prevent me from moving on.
That nothing in the world could last
I used to believe that all good things must come to an end, and that nothing in life is permanent or forever.
We live but once
Life is short and we only get one chance to experience everything it has to offer.
And now I know my once was then
Looking back on our past relationship, I realize that the special and unique love we shared was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Please take me back
I am filled with regret and longing, and I wish to rekindle our relationship and start anew.
And love me once again
I still believe that our love is special and worth fighting for, and I hope that you will give me another chance.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BOB RUSSELL, HAROLD SPINA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stan Johnson
WoW What a refreshing song to listen to.. Joanie has such a great voice. Thank you for posting.
Al Cataldo
Miss Peggy Lee also recorded this song ...