Rebbie Jackson (born May 29, 1950) is the oldest sibling of the musically r… Read Full Bio ↴Rebbie Jackson (born May 29, 1950) is the oldest sibling of the musically renowned Jackson family. Born and raised in Gary, Indiana, she is the eldest child of the Jackson family of musicians. She first performed on stage with her siblings during shows in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in 1974, before subsequently appearing in the television series The Jacksons. Her sister Latoya has the same birthday but they were born different years. At age 34, Jackson released her debut album Centipede (1984). The album featured songs written by Smokey Robinson, Prince and her younger brother Michael, whose contribution (the title track "Centipede") became Rebbie's most successful single release. By the end of the 1980s, the singer had released two more hit albums in quick succession: Reaction (1986) and R U Tuff Enuff (1988).

After a ten year hiatus in her musical career, Jackson returned with the 1998 album Yours Faithfully. The production of the album, her last to date, had the singer collaborate with artists and producers such as Men of Vizion's Spanky Williams, Keith Thomas and Eliot Kennedy. It also featured contributions from her children. Nathaniel Brown is Jackson's husband and the two have been married since 1968. Rebbie returned to music in 2010 with her new compilation, "Centipede/Reaction," which features her first two albums together on CD for the first time. In 2011, Rebbie embarked on the "Pick Up The Phone Tour," which is dedicated to teens who have committed suicide all over the U.S.

Once In A Lifetime Love
Rebbie Jackson Lyrics

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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
You may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
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 money's 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 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

Water dissolving and water removing
There is water at the bottom of the ocean
Under the water, carry the water
Remove the water from the bottom of the ocean
Water dissolving and water removing

Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again, into 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

You may ask yourself, "What is that beautiful house?"
You may ask yourself, "Where does that highway go to?"
You may ask yourself, "Am I right, am I wrong?"
You may say to 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, into 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, look where my hand was

Time isn't holding up, time isn't after us
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, hey let's all twist our thumbs
Here comes the twister

Letting the days go by
Letting the days go by
Once in a lifetime

Let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by

Overall Meaning

Rebbie Jackson's song "Once In A Lifetime" explores the theme of self-awareness and the realization of the passage of time. The opening lyrics describe different scenarios in life: living in a shotgun shack or driving a large automobile, living with a beautiful wife or finding oneself in an unfamiliar place. The repetition of the question "How did I get here?" highlights the character's disbelief and confusion, questioning the choices they've made and their current state.

The chorus encourages the listener to let go and let time flow, represented by the metaphor of water, which can both hold us down and uplift us. The line "water flowing underground" suggests hidden currents beneath the surface of life, symbolizing the unseen forces that shape our destiny. The repetition of "once in a lifetime" underscores the message that this moment, this experience, will never come again.

The bridge introduces the idea of water as a transformative element, capable of dissolving and removing. The image of water at the bottom of the ocean is both mysterious and powerful, asking the listener to imagine the depth of their own being and potential.

In the final verse, the questions become more urgent and introspective. The character asks themselves where the highway goes and whether they are right or wrong. The line "My God! What have I done?" suggests a moment of reckoning, where the character realizes the impact of their actions and the weight of their choices.

Overall, "Once In A Lifetime" is a poignant and reflective song that asks the listener to embrace the present moment and acknowledge the fleeting nature of time. It encourages them to let go and allow themselves to be carried along by the current of life, while also questioning the choices they've made and the impact they've had.

Line by Line Meaning

You may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
You might unexpectedly find yourself living in a cramped and run-down dwelling

And you may find yourself in another part of the world
You could end up in a completely different region or country from where you started

And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
You may unexpectedly find yourself driving a fancy, expensive car

You may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
You might unexpectedly end up in a gorgeous home with an attractive spouse

You may ask yourself, "Well, how did I get here?"
You may be confused about how you ended up in your current situation

Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
I am letting time pass by without making changes while feeling weighed down by my surroundings

Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Time is passing by like a steady stream of water, constantly moving and progressing

Into the blue again, after the money's gone
After spending too much money, you may return to uncertainty and feel blue or sad

Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
This experience is rare and unique, like the flow of water underground

And you may ask yourself, "How do I work this?"
You may be uncertain about how to navigate your current situation

And you may ask yourself, "Where is that large automobile?"
You may have lost something valuable or previously possessed

And you may tell yourself, "This is not my beautiful house"
You may be in disbelief about the reality of your current situation

And you may tell yourself, "This is not my beautiful wife"
You may feel as though the person you are with is not the one you truly want or deserve

Water dissolving and water removing
Water acts as a force that can dissolve or remove things

There is water at the bottom of the ocean
Even at the depths of something vast, there is still something small and simple

Under the water, carry the water
In times of struggle, we must carry ourselves through with our own strength

Remove the water from the bottom of the ocean
Sometimes we must take drastic actions to eliminate a problem or fix a situation

Into the blue again, into the silent water
Returning to a calm, peaceful state or environment

Under the rocks and stones, there is water underground
Even where you least expect it, there may be something worth noticing or finding

You may say to yourself, "My God! What have I done?"
You may regret your past actions and feel remorseful about your current situation

You may ask yourself, "What is that beautiful house?"
You may be fascinated or confused about a stunning object or idea

You may ask yourself, "Where does that highway go to?"
You may be curious or interested in knowing where a path or journey leads

You may ask yourself, "Am I right, am I wrong?"
You may be uncertain if your current path or choices are correct

Same as it ever was, look where my hand was
Things may look the same as before, but there are subtle changes that have taken place

Time isn't holding up, time isn't after us
Time is constantly passing and we cannot control its pace or direction

Here comes the twister
A powerful force is about to take place or affect our lives

Letting the days go by
Time is passing by without any major changes or impacts

Once in a lifetime
This experience is unique and rare, possibly unrepeatable

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ENO, CHRISTOPHER FRANTZ, DAVID BYRNE, JERRY HARRISON, TINA WEYMOUTH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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