It's time to return to Talking Heads, and their inimitable 1980 song "Once In A Lifetime." The subject of this episode was selected by the annual Strong Songs Patreon bracket vote. Thanks to everyone who voted!

Written by: Talking Heads and Brian Eno

Produced by: Brian Eno

Album: Remain In Light, 1980

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

• “Life During Wartime” and “I Zimbra” by Talking Heads from Fear of Music, 1979
• Stop Making Sense dir. Jonathan Demme, 1984
• The 2021 Strong Songs episode about Stop Making Sense
• “Take Me To The River” by Al Green and Mabon Hodges recorded by Talking Heads on More Songs about Buildings and Food, 1978
• “The Great Curve” by Talking Heads from Remain in Light, 1980
• “Jeun Ko Ku” by Fela Kuti from Afrodisiac, 1973
• “Zombie” by Fela Kuti from Zombie, 1977
• “Addicted to Love” by Robert Palmer from Riptide, 1985
• “Kids” and “Time to Pretend” by MGMT from Oracular Spectacular, 2007
• Jad Abumrad's exceptional podcast series Fela Kuti: Fear No Man
• Kirk's 2025 interview with Jad about the Fela series 
• Rick Karr's 2000 NPR feature on the song as part of the "NPR 100" retrospective series

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SEPTEMBER 2026 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS
Dave Florey - AccessViolation - Jeremy Dawson - Sami Samhuri - Paul Delaney - Jenness Gardner - Melanie Andrich - Ken Hirsh - Joe Laska - David Mascetti - Christopher McConnell - Jamie White - Christopher Miller - Daniel Hannon-Barry - Jay Swartz - Damon White - Catherine Warner - Pablo Castro - Ben Barron - Corpus Frisky - Cesar - Robyn Metcalfe - Scott Lystig Fritchie - Lisa Crotty - Andy - Melissa Lucas - Greg - Julie Rowe - Rich Fish - Greer Bevel - Butch Vig - Greg - Matt R - Wendy Moore - Cerise Gay - Erica Smolinski - Brute Farce

SEPTEMBER 2026 HALF NOTE PATRONS
Colin Hodo - Paul De Surra - James Johnson - Arjun Sharma - Justin McElroy - Alexander Polson - Richard Toller - Melanie Stivers - Matt Betzel - Jeffrey Olson - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Bill Thornton - Andrew Fair - Andrew Baker - Amanda Furlotti - Brad Callahan - Jennifer Bush - AJ Schuster - Tanner Morton - Gavin Doig - Chris K - Alexander - David - Naomi - Dave Sharpe - Caro Field - Jonathan Daniels - Jake Roberts - Eric Helm - Melmaniac - Dhu Wik - Tom Coleman - Diane Turner - Clare H - Randy Souza - Pascal Rueger - Joshua Hill - Stephen Tsoneff - Michael Casner - Diane Hughes - Angela Livingstone - cbalmain - Eric Prestemon - Lauren Reay - Nathan Gouwens - Nell Morse - Karma Jay - Dallas Hockley - M Shane Borders - Kevin Potter - Eoin de Burca - Bonnie Prinsen - Ryan Rairigh - Achint Srivastava - Doug Belew - Abbie Berg - Jason Pratt - Geraldine Butler - Bernard Khoo - David Joske - Donald Mackie - Steve Paquin - Mino Capossela - Kelli Brockington - Adam W - Josh Singer - Rob Tsuk - Michael Livingstone - Ailie Fraser - JRRJ - Jeffrey Bean - Rishi Sahay - Zak Remer - Adam Stofsky - Kenneth Jung - Bruno Gaeta - Paul Wayper - Lisa Turner - Wendy Gilchrist - Doreen Carlson - Janice Berry - Christian Hessmann - Richard Sneddon - Portland Eye Care - Deebs - Michael Shain - Jamie - David Futter - Jeff Ulm - Aaron Wade - Greg Henion - KenIsWearingAHat - Ethan Bauman - Catherine Clause - Charles McGee - Tim Sheehan - E Margaret Warton - Matt Baxter - Dr Arthur A Gray - Steve Martino - Stu Baker - Martín Salías - Peter Harding - John Halpin - Douglas H Frazer - Heather J - Alan Maass - Dave Malloy - Robert Granat - Kaya Woodall - Kellen Steffen - Sean Murphy - Jim Sellers - Ben Stein - Dick Morgan - David Boston - Lee R. - Misty Haisfield - Carlos Lerner - Dent Earl - Aaron Wilson - Chris Remo - Brian Johan Peter - Ethan Laser - James McMurry - Anthony Mentz - Thomas - Matthew Jones - Eric Sp - Max - Rand LeShay - Stephen Wolkwitz - Paul Bigelman - Monica St. Angelo - Henry Mindlin - Dave Kolas - Lauren Knotts - Joe Gallo - Merv Adrian - Michael Singer - Inmar Givoni - Mordok’s Vape Pen - Clint McElroy - Dan Cutter - Michael - James - Kevin Marcelo - Mitch Vega - Ashley - Melissa Kuhns - Jordan Gatenby - Andrew Hofer - Ian Pidd - Irritable - Meryl Allison - Praline - Kevin Stafford - Daniel Nervo - Philip Kelly - Bea - Julie Kellman - Daniel Kaberon - TB - Aruni Jayatilleke - Kym Griffith - PhantomMare - Alison Dugan - Margaret McReynolds - HiddenJester - Brian Rinckenberger - RsP - Lottie Aron - Steve B - Emotional - A Basketball Podcast - Zach Putnam - Stephen - Adam Clark - Freddy Freeman - Erik - Mathias Schmidt - Tucker Ped - Sarah Vetters - Aaron Cain - Daniel Markoff - Alexis - Alex - Eric Stone - Alan Kress - Max Barnes - Michael Martin - James - Andrew Knutson - Doug - Sam Grogan - MT - Linda Lange - James Hicks - Michael Adamski - Mark MacIntosh - Jeff Stormer - Edward Reisert - Klodrik - Aron - Kevin Davis - Matt - Louise Clarke - Richard Randall - AlanB - Will King - PJ and Ethan - Cameron - Rebecca - Ned Rosen - Simon Hellman - Jim M - Néa - Karl Dube - Frank - Robin Ling - M - Mark Perna - Alan Wills - Ferdinand Von Seebach - Minoru Aoki - keniareinadelmundo10 - Joshua Gailey - Klaus - Sue Burgess - Mike! - Gabriel Hoffman - Rorey Risdon - John Auer - Mike McPherson - Mr J Martin - Todd Thomas - Anna Sahlee - Louisa Castner - Calvin73Atx - Philomène Gatien - Rik Joosen - Doannie Tran

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