Found the throughline
For all humankind
If given the time
They'll blow up or walk on the moon
It's just what they do

For personal gain
On Thanksgiving Day
I joined the parade
I stood at the top of the float
And threw out a rose

Watched a blast from the past
Indigenous dance
Started to laugh
And then I just started to cry
This world is waving goodbye

So cut a rug let's throw a party
Birthday cards for everyone
Swallow hard and say you're sorry
Just admit what you have done

I studied your work
Like architecture
Cathedral of words
The meaning's not easy to tell
Comes back around on itself

Admirers, your biographer
The odometer
There's no way to turn back the clock
It's gonna to run 'til it stops

So excited to play
Turned up all the way
Electric, ecstatic, psychotic
Jumped into the drums
Was pandemonium

So if it's time, let's go together
I will be your ballast now
Let's sail into that stormy weather
No matter how it turns out

I just want to stand by your side
When everyone calls you a lie
I'll be your shield
There's still some truth worth defending
Let's stroll to the edge of the cliff
Stop here and give me a kiss
Now we're walking on air
There's no hell beneath our feet

If it every occurred
Just once in the world
A love as absurd
As ours I would scream what we lost
From the mountaintop


Lyrics submitted by flyingxpony

Just Once in the World Lyrics as written by Miwi La Lupa Conor Oberst

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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In the Real World song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • +1
    Lyric Correction

    i think it's "never had a lot of refuge".

    not only is the man that wrote this song brilliant, but i just want to take a moment to say that the encoder of these lyrics is clearly a genius as well.

    yoursisteron February 18, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The first impression of this song is about someone who is living inside of their beliefs, but they're "always falling through." Goes along with a common theme in The People's Key album, that there is no greater power basically. "How sad it is to know I'm in control" -Triple Spiral. The real world is waiting for this person to realize this, get out of their "little box" and realize that "everything's the way it seems." At least that's how I see it. Beautifully written. Pretty depressing idea.

    megbird1691on February 24, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    thr33

    dan2292092on January 10, 2017   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    dan2292092on January 10, 2017   Link

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