Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey, (born January 8, 1937), is a Welsh singer, pe… Read Full Bio ↴Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey, (born January 8, 1937), is a Welsh singer, perhaps best-known for performing the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Moonraker (1979). She is the only singer to have recorded more than one James Bond theme song.

She now resides in Monaco and has recently sold her London apartment. Many of its furnishings were auctioned for charity. Two very popular 'Audiences With Shirley Bassey' have aired on British TV, the most recent being in March 2006.

In 2006, UK retailer Marks and Spencer hired Bassey for their Christmas advertising campaign, with Dame Shirley singing a cover of P!nk's 'Get the Party Started'.

In late 2009 Bassey released 'The Performance' her first studio album for two decades, which was released in a maelstrom of anticipation. Still popular well into one of the longest and most illustrious musical careers in British and indeed international history, Bassey is considered by Brits to be a national treasure.

Once In A Lifetime
Shirley Bassey Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Just once in a lifetime
A girl knows a moment
One wonderful moment
When fate takes your hand
And this is my moment
My once in a lifetime
When I can explore
A new and exciting land

For once in my lifetime
I feel like a giant
I soar like an eagle
As tho' I had wings

For this is my moment
My destiny calls me
And tho' it may be just once in my lifetime
I'm gonna do great things

And this is my moment
My once in a lifetime
When I can explore
A new and exciting land

Oh once in my lifetime
I feel like a giant
I soar like an eagle
As though I had wings

For this is my moment
My destiny calls me

And tho' it may be just once in my lifetime
I'm gonna do great things

Overall Meaning

The song "One in a Lifetime" by Shirley Bassey is all about seizing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that could change the course of one's life. The lyrics paint a picture of a girl who is experiencing a moment of fate, where she feels like a giant with the ability to soar like an eagle. It's a transformative experience that allows her to embrace her destiny without fear.

In the first two lines of the song, Bassey talks about how there is only one moment in a woman's life where she knows the path she should take, and when fate takes her hand, magic will happen. Her "once in a lifetime" event has arrived, and she is ready to explore a new and exciting world. As she embarks on this new journey, she believes this is her moment to transform and do great things.

The second stanza of the song continues to describe the transformative nature of seizing an opportunity. Bassey notes how her "once in my lifetime" chance has made her feel like a giant, capable of soaring like an eagle. She sees this opportunity as her destiny calling her, and she is determined not to let this precious moment pass her by.

Overall, "One in a Lifetime" is a song about seizing opportunities, trusting in fate, and taking chances. It's an empowering message about believing in oneself and embracing the chances that come along in life.

Once In A LifetimeShirley Bassey Lyrics

Once In A Lifetime
Shirley Bassey Lyrics