As a teenager, DeVille had a band named Billy and the Kids. He moved to London looking to form a band, but was unsuccessful in finding like-minded musicians. Eventually he landed in San Francisco where he formed a band with bassist Ruben Siguenza and drummer Tom "Manfred" Allen. The band played under the names Billy DeSade & the Marquis and the Lazy Eights before settling on the name Mink DeVille. Later, DeVille took the band to New York City, where they helped to pioneer punk rock music and were one of the original house bands at CBGB, the New York nighclub where punk rock music was born in the mid-1970s.
The typical DeVille song -- if any of his songs can be called "typical" -- is filled with romantic conviction and yearning. Latin rhythms, Blues riffs, and strains of country music can be heard in DeVille songs. Spanish Stroll was a hit in the U.S. and the UK in 1978; Storybook Love (nominated for an Academy Award in 1987) is the theme song of the movie The Princess Bride.
DeVille suffered from drug addiction for many years, which stifled his career. Among fellow musicians and songwriters, he was widely respected. Songwriter Doc Pomus said about Deville, "He knows the truth of a city street and the courage in a ghetto love song."
DeVille died of pancreatic cancer during the night of August 6, 2009 in a New York hospital.
DeVille had homes in New Orleans and Mississippi.
One Love One Lifetime
Willy DeVille Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They said it would be heaven,
But heaven can't compare.
Laying here beside you,
Was the answer to my prayer.
This love will last forever
So please understand
So satisfied I'm not a greedy man,
So satisfied with one love in one lifetime.
Promise to cherish,
Cherish and to hold,
I believe this true love
Never will grow old.
In this world of heartaches,
Two hearts can go astray,
Some take thier love for granted
And wonder why they make mistakes.
This love will last forever
So please understand
With one love in one lifetime.
So satisfied I'm not a greedy man,
So satisfied with one love in one lifetime.
Now they said it would be heaven,
But heaven can't compare.
Laying here beside you,
Was the answer to my prayer.
This love will last forever
So please understand
With one love in one lifetime.
So satisfied I'm not a greedy man,
So satisfied with one love in one lifetime.
I'm so satisfied with one love in one lifetime.
So satisfied with one love in one lifetime.
In Willy DeVille's song "One Love One Lifetime," the singer tells the story of finding his true love and being content with just that one person for the rest of his life. He sings about how he was promised heaven, but being with his lover is even better than he could have imagined. He acknowledges the fleeting nature of love in this world full of heartaches and mistakes, but he is determined to make his love last forever by cherishing and holding onto it.
The first verse sets the scene with the singer laying beside his lover, feeling that being with her is the answer to his prayer. He sings that this love will last forever, but he also asks his lover to understand that he only needs one love in his lifetime. The second verse contrasts his contentment with other people's experiences of taking their love for granted and losing it. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the singer's satisfaction and gratitude for the one love he has found.
The song's message is simple but powerful - true love is rare and precious, and it's worth holding onto. DeVille's soulful voice and the gentle guitar melody create an intimate and heartfelt mood, as if the singer is speaking directly to his lover. The lyrics are uncomplicated but resonant, and they convey a sense of deep emotional connection and commitment.
Line by Line Meaning
They said it would be heaven,
People had told me that finding love would be like heaven.
But heaven can't compare.
The feeling of being with you is so much better than what people said it would be like.
Laying here beside you,
Being by your side right now,
Was the answer to my prayer.
Is exactly what I had been asking for and wishing for.
This love will last forever
I know that our love will never fade away.
So please understand
I want you to realize,
With one love in one lifetime.
That I am content and do not need anyone else in my life apart from you.
So satisfied I'm not a greedy man,
I am very content with what I have and do not want more than what I already have.
Promise to cherish,
I vow to always hold.
Cherish and to hold,
To treasure and keep close to me.
I believe this true love
I have complete faith in this love,
Never will grow old.
That it will never become less important and valuable over time.
In this world of heartaches,
Living in a world full of pain and heartbreak,
Two hearts can go astray,
It can be easy for two people in love to lose their way and fall apart.
Some take thier love for granted
Some people do not appreciate the love that they have,
And wonder why they make mistakes.
And then do not understand why things go wrong.
Now they said it would be heaven,
People had told me that finding love would be like heaven.
But heaven can't compare.
But being with you is even better than that.
Laying here beside you,
Being with you in this moment,
Was the answer to my prayer.
Is exactly what I had been hoping for and dreaming of.
This love will last forever
I am completely sure that our love is forever.
So please understand
Please know for certain,
With one love in one lifetime.
That I only need this one love with you, for the rest of my life.
So satisfied I'm not a greedy man,
I am not a greedy man and content with what I have.
So satisfied with one love in one lifetime.
I am completely content with this one love, forever.
I'm so satisfied with one love in one lifetime.
This one love with you is enough for me and I am completely fulfilled.
So satisfied with one love in one lifetime.
I do not need more than this one love with you forever.
Writer(s): Willy De Ville, Sal Bernardi
Contributed by John L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.