MusicStudy: Talking Heads – “Once In A Lifetime;” Rhythms In Motion

When I first heard the Talking Heads classic “Once In A Lifetime” (1981), I immediately knew that it would have a profound effect on me musically (and culturally). Although at that time I’d only had some minimal familiarity with African multiple rhythmic styles, I hadn’t yet gotten into Fela Kuti, the towering Nigerian figure and creator of Afrobeat. So hearing “Once In A Lifetime” was like being smacked with five walls of rhythm, all at once. In fact, it wasn’t until I went back and really studied “Once In A Lifetime” did I began to figure out how to incorporate the concept (and sensibility) of multiple rhythmic structures into my style and sound of beatmaking.

Just the use of the tom tom drum alone was a musical shock to my system. But on “Once In A Lifetime,” it doesn’t stop there. There’s the clapping, hiccuping, and skipping snare drum. There’s the cowbell and triangle, both moving independently in their own space, seemingly away from the base drum structure. There’s the simple up/down 3-note, rippling bass line. There’s the shuffling, not quite wah wah, rhythm guitar. And then there’s Brian Eno’s waterworld-ambiance touch, streaming throughout the song like a music sync for flashback scenes in a science fiction movie.

Finally, I should add that as far as “gateway music” goes, “Once In A Lifetime” (as well as other Talking Heads songs) opened up a plethora of musical directions for me to explore. And the fact that Talking Heads leader David Byrne was one of the early supporters of hip hop/rap music confirms for me how similar musical influences most often rotate in the same circles.

The music and video below is presented here for the purpose of scholarship.

Talking Heads – “Once In A Lifetime”