The Four Freshmen began as a American vocal group popular from the 1950s th… Read Full Bio ↴The Four Freshmen began as a American vocal group popular from the 1950s through to the early 1960s. Founded by brothers Ross and Don Barbour in 1948 as freshmen at Butler University, the other two original members included their cousin Bob Flanigan and Hal Kratzsch. Well-known for their multi-part harmonies, they are notable as early purveyors of vocalese and as the forerunners of vocal-harmony based rock music, particularly that of The Beach Boys. In their current configuration, The Four Freshmen continue to perform.

The group took off after being signed to Capitol Records in 1952 at the insistence of high profile fan, Stan Kenton. They remained popular throughout the 50s and early 60s, releasing a wide array of successful albums, movie and television appearances and performing countless sold-out concerts. The band eventually lost mainstream attention with the emergence of the British pop bands of the 1960s, even though they managed to stay together even after the retirement of final original member Bob Flanigan in 1992.

As of 2001, the Freshmen have been composed of Bob Ferreira, Brian Eichenberger, Curtis Calderon, and Vince Johnson. Although the new lineup of the Four Freshmen have continued the legendary vocal tradition of the original band and perform many of the same standards, the current sound has more of a lounge sound rather than focusing primarily upon harmonies. This modernized sound has proven quite successful, as the group won Down Beat magazine's reader's poll award for Vocal Group of the Year in 2000, proving the quartet's prominence in the jazz world today.

Once In A While
The Four Freshmen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Once in a while will you try to give
One little thought to me
Though someone else may be
Nearer your heart?

Once in a while will you dream
Of the moments I shared with you
Moments before we two

Drifted apart?

In love's smoldering ember
One spark may remain
If love still can remember
That spark may burn again

I know that I'll be contented
With yesterday's memory
Knowing you think of me
Once in a while

In love's smoldering ember
One spark may remain
If love still can remember
The spark may burn again

I know that I'll be contented
With yesterday's memory

Knowing you think of me
Once in a while

Overall Meaning

The Four Freshmen's song "Once in a While" is a ballad about unrequited love and the longing for a lost connection. The lyrics are a plea to a former lover, asking them to remember the good times they shared and to think of the singer every once in a while, even if their heart is now given to someone else.

The song speaks to the universal feeling of nostalgia and the desire to hold onto the past. The repetition of "once in a while" emphasizes the fleeting nature of those memories and the hope that they will come back to light. The imagery of love's "smoldering ember" suggests that despite the pain of a lost love, there may still be a chance for the spark of that love to ignite again.

The song's wistful tone is enhanced by the Four Freshmen's signature vocal harmonies, evoking a sense of lost innocence and romanticism from a bygone era. The longing in the lyrics is echoed by the gentle sway of the melody, which gently tugs on the heartstrings. Overall, "Once in a While" is a classic love song that has resonated with listeners for generations.

Line by Line Meaning

Once in a while will you try to give
Are you willing to give me a small part of your time, every now and then?

One little thought to me
Do you ever think of me, even for a moment?

Though someone else may be
Even though someone else may be more important to you

Nearer your heart?
Than I am

Once in a while will you dream
Do you ever dream of the times we shared together?

Of the moments I shared with you
The times that I hold so near to my heart

Moments before we two
Before we separated and moved on with our lives

Drifted apart?
When we started to grow distant from each other

In love's smoldering ember
Even when the love between us has died down

One spark may remain
There may be a small fragment of our love still lingering

If love still can remember
If the love between us can still recollect the past