Once in a Lifetime

Recorded in 1980 during the Remain in Light sessions, the track emerged from the band’s jam-based writing process under Brian Eno’s direction. The album was cut primarily at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, with additional work in New York and Los Angeles. Released in 1980 as the lead single from Remain in Light, it became the album’s signature track and a defining statement of Talking Heads’ art-funk transformation. It reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and became a key late-1980/early-1981 UK hit. The song remains one of Talking Heads’ best-known recordings and a staple of their live legacy, especially through the Stop Making Sense performance and the enduring music video. It continues to be cited as a defining track in the band’s catalog and a touchstone for art-rock and new-wave pop.