Norful, a minister who is also the son of an African Methodist Episcopal Church minister, was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas but grew up in Muskogee, Oklahoma, deeply involved in his father's church. He was interested in music from a very young age, reportedly picking out one-finger piano melodies from the age of two. His parents supported him with music lessons, and, unusually for his background, allowed him to experiment with and listen to the current R&B and soul music of the day as well as gospel music. Norful graduated from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff as a History major and spent four years teaching high school. In 1998 he felt "called" to the ministry, and pursued a Masters of Divinity degree at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. Upon graduation and ordination, he took a position as assistant pastor at a church in Chicago. He participated in an album release by the Thompson Community Choir, a well-known gospel group, and contributed a song as well as solo vocals. He was then offered the opportunity to make a solo album for EMI Gospel, I Need You Now. The album was a slow starter but eventually went gold, spending two years in the upper reaches of the Billboard Gospel Charts.
He was nominated for and won a Grammy in 2005 for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. He is also signed to EMI-CMG Publishing and his own Norful Music Publishing as a songwriter. He performed on June 6, 2005, for President George W. Bush in a concert honoring Black Music Month.
Norful's music is best described as a fusion between gospel, 70's soul and contemporary R&B; the influences of artists such as Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and other male soul/R&B vocalists of the 70's and 80's is clear.
Norful is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.
On October 3rd 2006, Norful released his 3rd album, Life Changing.
Once in a Lifetime
Smokie Norful Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Couldn't wait to see my name in lights
I had a dream so big, it made a mountain look small
Couldn't wait till I had it all
The closer I'd get, the more distant I'd feel
The more I thought I had, the less it all seemed real
Suddenly I found, the only thing for me that counts
And I can't imagine my life without you
Once in a lifetime you find a love you know is real
Once in a lifetime you find something that makes your song live
Once in a lifetime you find a friendship that's worth the wait
Once in a lifetime you find joy you can't replace
I used to think that it was the trophies on my wall
Thought if I won then I'd have it all
And I couldn't wait till everybody knew my name
I had my own idea of fame
The closer I'd get, the more distant I'd feel
The more I thought I had, the less it all seemed real
Suddenly I found, the only thing for me that counts
I can't imagine my life without you
Once in a lifetime you find a love you can't let go
Once in a lifetime you find the purpose to live on
Once in a lifetime you find the meaning of your dreams
And once in a lifetime you find the one who gives life meaning
Once in a lifetime you find a love you know is real
Once in a lifetime you find something that makes your song live
Once in a lifetime you find a friendship that's worth the wait
Once in a lifetime you find joy you can't replace
Once in a lifetime I've found the best thing I know
Once in lifetime there's no sign of letting go
Once in a lifetime I wouldn't change a single thing
Once in a lifetime you made my whole world sing
I'll never look beyond your love again
Because I know what I've found is truth
The song "Once in a Lifetime" by Smokie Norful talks about the journey of a person who had a singular dream of big stage success, but slowly realizes that the trophies and fame he was once chasing, were nothing in comparison to once-in-a-lifetime love. The lyrics display that the more he chased his dream, the more distant he felt from it, and he always felt like he needed more to get to his goal. Smokie Norful describes this dream as something so big that it made a mountain look small, signifying just how much he wanted it.
Then suddenly, he found that the only thing that matters to him is the one he loves, and he can't imagine his life without them. The song talks about how this love is once-in-a-lifetime kind of love that he can't let go of, something that even makes his dreams meaningful. He concludes with the idea that he found the best thing he knows, and he wouldn't change a thing about it because he knows that he found the truth.
The song's meaning is very relatable to the listeners who might have also thought that pursuing a dream was everything in the world. Still, after achieving it, they find that it didn't bring them the happiness they thought it would. Instead, they realize that love is the one thing that makes everything else in their life truly meaningful.
Line by Line Meaning
As a little boy I used to dream of the big stage
From a young age, I dreamed of being a performer on a grand stage.
Couldn't wait to see my name in lights
I was eager to achieve fame and have my name recognized by many people.
I had a dream so big, it made a mountain look small
My ambition was so grandiose that even huge obstacles appeared insignificant compared to my aspirations.
Couldn't wait till I had it all
I was impatient to obtain everything I wanted and thought I needed in life.
The closer I'd get, the more distant I'd feel
As I approached my goals, they seemed farther away and less attainable, creating a sense of hopelessness.
The more I thought I had, the less it all seemed real
As I accumulated accolades and achievements, they seemed less meaningful and less satisfying.
Suddenly I found, the only thing for me that counts
I realized that the most important thing in my life was something other than fame or material success.
And I can't imagine my life without you
My current sense of fulfillment and happiness is due to the presence of someone significant in my life.
Once in a lifetime you find a love you know is real
There is a rare occurrence in life where one discovers a love that feels genuine and true.
Once in a lifetime you find something that makes your song live
There are moments when one discovers a purpose or passion in life that makes them feel alive and fulfilled.
Once in a lifetime you find a friendship that's worth the wait
There are instances where one builds a connection with a friend that was worth the time and effort put into fostering that relationship.
Once in a lifetime you find joy you can't replace
Certain experiences bring forth a particular kind of happiness that cannot be replicated or replaced by anything else.
Once in a lifetime you find a love you can't let go
There exists a rare kind of love that one cannot easily let go of or forget.
Once in a lifetime you find the purpose to live on
Occasionally, one uncovers a reason to continue living that gives their life meaning and significance.
Once in a lifetime you find the meaning of your dreams
There are moments where one understands the true value and significance of their dreams and aspirations.
And once in a lifetime you find the one who gives life meaning
A rare occurrence is the discovery of someone who gives one's life significant meaning and purpose.
Once in a lifetime I've found the best thing I know
I have come across something in my life that I consider to be the best and most valuable thing I have ever encountered.
Once in lifetime there's no sign of letting go
There are certain experiences that are so significant and special that one would never want to let them go or forget them.
Once in a lifetime I wouldn't change a single thing
Some moments in life are so precious that one would never change or alter anything about them.
Once in a lifetime you made my whole world sing
There are people or experiences that can make one's life incredibly joyful and fulfilling, almost like the whole world is singing in harmony.
I'll never look beyond your love again
I have come to the realization that the most important and fulfilling aspect of my life is the love of a certain person.
Because I know what I've found is truth
I am confident that what I have discovered in life is something genuine and true, something that is truly worthwhile.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARKUS REINHARDT, PETER HEPPNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind