Once in a Lifetime (Keith Urban song)

Last updated

"Once in a Lifetime"
Once in a Lifetime - Keith Urban song.jpg
Single by Keith Urban
from the album Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing
Released22 August 2006
Recorded2006
Genre Country
Length
  • 5:54 (album version)
  • 4:11 (radio edit)
Label Capitol Nashville
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Keith Urban singles chronology
"Tonight I Wanna Cry"
(2005)		"Once in a Lifetime"
(2006)		"Stupid Boy"
(2006)

"Once in a Lifetime" is a song co-written and recorded by Australian country music artist Keith Urban. It was released on 22 August 2006 as the first single from his 2006 album Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing . Urban wrote this song with John Shanks, and produced it with Dann Huff. The song received mixed critical reception for its lyrics and sound. It debuted at number 17 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, setting a record at the time for the highest debut on that chart.

Contents

Content

"Once in a Lifetime" has a "moderately fast driving rock" tempo of approximately 126 beats per minute, and is composed in the key of G major. [1] Lyrically, the song is about a feeling of love between the narrator and his partner. [2]

Critical reception

Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe wrote, "Usually his up-tempo songs are interchangeable, but this one stands out. His vocal has more flavor than usual and the groove has a bit more kick." [2] The Plain Dealer writer John Soeder thought the song had a techno beat and had "a half-dozen clichés" in the chorus. [3]

Personnel

As listed in liner notes. [4]

Charts

"Once in a Lifetime" debuted at number 17 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts dated 2 September 2006. This was at the time the highest debut in the history of the Billboard country charts, surpassing Eddie Rabbitt's "Every Which Way but Loose" and Garth Brooks's "Good Ride Cowboy", both of which debuted at number 18 in 1978 and 2005, respectively. [5]

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Once in a Lifetime"
Chart (2006)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [6] 18
Canada Country ( Billboard ) [7] 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [8] 92
US Billboard Hot 100 [9] 31
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [10] 26
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [11] 6

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Once in a Lifetime"
Chart (2006)Position
US Country Songs ( Billboard ) [12] 40

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [13] Gold35,000‡
United States (RIAA) [14] Gold500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ "Sheet music for 'Once in a Lifetime'". MusicNotes.com. 6 October 2006. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  2. 1 2 Kevin John Coyne (24 August 2006). "Single Reviews: August 24, 2006". Country Universe. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  3. ↑ John Soeder (12 November 2006). "Urban cowboy crooner continues to cross over into pop-rock territory". The Plain Dealer . Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  4. ↑ Love, Pain & the whole crazy thing (Media notes). Keith Urban. Capitol Nashville. 2006. 09463-77087-0-5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ↑ "Urban's 'Lifetime' sets all-time record" (PDF). Billboard. 2 September 2006. p. 81.
  6. ↑ "Keith Urban – Once in a Lifetime". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  7. ↑ "Keith Urban Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  8. ↑ "Keith Urban – Once in a Lifetime". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  9. ↑ "Keith Urban Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  10. ↑ "Keith Urban Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  11. ↑ "Keith Urban Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  12. ↑ "Best of 2006: Country Songs". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media. 2006. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  13. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2025 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  14. ↑ "American single certifications – Keith Urban – Once in a Lifetime". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 24 August 2019.
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