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"Once In a While" is a song from theatrical and cinematographic productions of The Rocky Horror Show since 1973 to this day, including the 1975 original film, the 2015 tribute production celebrating 40 years, and the 2016 reimagining film. Music and lyrics were composed by Richard O'Brien back in 1972 while the original musical arrangements are from Richard Hartley.

It was originally performed by Christopher Malcolm in the original 1973 stage production, by Bill Miller in the 1974 Roxy production in Los Angeles and the original Broadway production, by John Paramor in the 1974 Australian production, by Barry Bostwick in a deleted scene of the 1975 original film, by Adrian Edmondson in the 1990 West End Revival, by Jarrod Emick in the 2001 Broadway Revival, and by Ryan McCartan in the 2016 remake TV film.


Context[]

Brad Majors finds out his fiancee Janet Weiss had sex with Rocky Horror and gets sad about the situation even though he just had sex with Frank-N-Furter. In the deleted scene from the 1975 movie, Brad probably sings this song about himself, since at that point he still hasn't discovered that Janet had sex with Frank and Rocky, and towards the end, Frank can be seen sleeping in the background. The scene is included on the DVD for the 2016 remake, as it was only deleted for when it was on television.

Lyrics[]

  • Lyrics from the 1973 original London stage production:

Brad:
Once in a while she don't want to call you
Speaking on the telephone
And once in your life she don't want to know you
You look around
The one you found
She is gone

Brad and company:
And that's all the time
That it takes
For a heart to turn to stone
The sweeter the wine
The harder to make the break
You hear something
About someone
You thought you'd known

So baby don't cry like there's no tomorrow
After the night there's brand new day
And there'll be no pain and no more sorrow

Brad:
So wash your face
And phone my place
It'll be okay

Brad and company:
And that's all the time that it takes
For a heart to beat again
So give me a sign that a lover makes
You look around, hey,
The one you found is back again

  • Lyrics from the 1974 Los Angeles, USA stage production:

Brad:
Once in a while she don't want to call you
Speaking on the telephone
And once in your life she don't want to know you

Brad (company):
(Uh-uh-uh) You look around
(Uh-uh-uh) The one you found
She is gone (Uh-uh-ah)

And that's all the time
That it takes
For a heart to turn to stone (turn to stone)
The sweeter the wine
The harder to make the break
(Uh-uh-uh) You hear something
(Uh-uh-uh) About someone
You thought you'd known (Uh-uh-ah)

Brad and company:
So baby don't cry like there's no tomorrow
After the night there's brand new day
And there'll be no pain and no more sorrow
So wash your face
And phone my place
It'll be okay

Brad (company):
And that's all the time that it takes
For a heart to beat again (to beat again)
So give me a sign that a lover makes
(Uh-uh-uh) You look around,
(Uh-uh-uh) The one you found is back again (Uh-uh-ah)

Brad and company:
So baby don't cry like there's no tomorrow
After the night there's brand new day (brand new day)

  • Lyrics from the 1975 original film:

Brad:
Once in a while she don't want to call you
Speaking on the telephone
And once in your life she don't want to know you
You look around
The one you found
She is gone

And that's all the time
That it takes
For a heart to turn to stone
The sweeter the wine
The harder to make the break
You hear something
About someone
You thought you'd known

So baby don't cry like there's no tomorrow
After the night there's brand new day
And there'll be no pain and no more sorrow
So wash your face
And phone my place
It'll be okay

And that's all the time that it takes
For a heart to beat again
So give me a sign that a lover makes
You look around,
The one you found is back again

  • Lyrics from the 2001 Broadway Revival:

Brad:
Once in a while she don't want to call you
Speaking on the telephone
And once in your life she don't want to know you
You look around
The one you found
She is gone

So baby don't cry like there's no tomorrow
After the night there's brand new day

Brad and company:
And there'll be no pain and no more sorrow

Brad (company):
So wash your face (wash your face)
And phone my place (phone my place)
It'll be okay (okay)

Company (Brad):
And that's all the time (That's all the time)
That it takes (That it takes)
For a heart to beat again (For a heart to beat again)
So give me a sign (So give me a sign)
That a lover makes (That a lover makes)

Brad:
You look around
The one you found is back again

Company:
I’m back again, I’m back again, I’m back again

Brad (company):
And that's all the time (I’m going back)
That it takes (Deltoid and tricep)
For a heart to beat again (And a muscle man)
(I’m gonna’ make you, make you a man)
The sweeter the wine (You look around)
The harder to make the break (The one you found she is gone)
You hear something (She is gone)
About someone
You thought you'd known (She is gone, yes she is gone)
Thought you'd known (She don’t wanna’ know you)
Thought you'd known (She is gone)
I should have known

  • Lyrics from the 2016 TV reimagination film:

Brad:
Once in a while she don't want to call you
Speaking on the telephone
And once in your life she don't want to know you
You look around
The one you found
She is gone

So baby don't cry like there's no tomorrow
After the night there's brand new day
And there'll be no pain and no more sorrow
So wash your face
And phone my place
It'll be okay

And that's all the time that it takes
For a heart to beat again
So give me a sign that a lover makes
You look around,
The one you found is back again

And that's all the time that it takes
For a heart to beat again
The sweeter the wine
The harder to make the break
You hear something
About someone
You thought you'd known
You thought you'd known
You thought you'd known
I thought I'd known

Gallery

📷 In the Rocky Horror Wiki we use galleries to order photos and video. You can visit the gallery of Once In a While to see related files.

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MUSIC
👄 The Rocky Horror Show:
Science Fiction / Double FeatureDammit, JanetOver At the Frankenstein PlaceSweet TransvestiteTime WarpSword of DamoclesCharles Atlas SongHot PatootieCharles Atlas Song (Reprise)Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch MeOnce In a WhileEddie's TeddyPlanet Schmanet, JanetThe Floor ShowRose Tint My WorldDon't Dream It, Be ItWild and Untamed ThingI'm Going HomeSuperheroesScience Fiction / Double Feature (Reprise)
Shock Treatment:
Denton, U.S.A.Bitchin' In The KitchenIn My Own WayThank God I'm a ManFarley's SongLullabyLittle Black DressMe Of MeShock TreatmentCarte BlancheLooking For TradeLook What I Did To My IdBreaking OutDuel DuetAnyhow, Anyhow
👑 Revenge of the Old Queen:
The Moon Drenched Shores Of TransylvaniaSweet on the StreetShort End of the StickI'm a MotherLove at First SightNever Let Your Daughter Date an AlienJudy Judy JudyI Want to Get my Own BackNo Hiding PlaceLittle Old Heart Stopping Me
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