The song "Once In A Lifetime Thing" by Gladys Knight & The Pips is about a relationship that had its moments of happiness and adventure. The lyrics convey nostalgia and a sense of missed opportunity. In the first stanza, the narrator reminisces about the good times they had with their partner, filled with joy and laughter. But eventually, something went wrong, symbolized by the sun falling from their sky. This could represent the end of their relationship or the loss of happiness. The following verses talk about the dreams and potential they had together, which were not realized. They acknowledge the pain of realizing how close they were to achieving something significant, "finding that once in a lifetime thing," but ended up letting it slip away. The repetition of "Oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord" expresses the narrator's intense regret and frustration. They feel the heaviness of time and space swallowing up the light they had hoped for, emphasizing the lost opportunities. The song captures the bittersweet feeling of almost reaching something special, but ultimately missing out. It shows the longing to have experienced that once in a lifetime love or opportunity, and the pain in realizing how close they came to finding it.
