I have found very little background trivia about this song, and tonight that’s fine with me, for I am exhausted and ready to head up the 15 stairs to bed!  However, I will tell you that I simply love Quincy Jones and this song is in my top ten faves.

I do, however, have an interesting bit of trivia about Quincy Jones … he attended his own memorial service!  In 1974 Jones had a pair of brain aneurysms, and the prognosis was pretty grim. Since it looked like he might not have much time left, his family and friends started planning a memorial service. Although Jones was in poor health, he talked his neurologist into letting him attend the service, which was held at the Shrine in Los Angeles. The doctor was worried that Jones’ health would suffer if he got too worked up during the service, so he sat next to Jones throughout the ceremony. Jones later told Newsweek that staying calm “was hard to do with Richard Pryor, Marvin Gaye, Sarah Vaughn and Sidney Poitier singing your praises.”

Just Once is a 1981 single released from Quincy Jones’ album The Dude on A&M Records. The song features James Ingram on vocals, and reached number 17 on the Billboard chart in the summer of 1981.  If the song charted anywhere else, I find no evidence of it, but … I like it, so bear with me on this one, okay?

Just Once
Quincy Jones/James Ingram

I did my best
But I guess, my best wasn’t good enough
‘Cause, here we are back where we were before
Seems nothin’ ever changes
We’re back to bein’ strangers
Wonderin’ if, we ought to stay
Or head on, out the door

Just Once…
Can we figure out, what we keep, doin’ wrong
Why, we never last for very long
What are we doin’ wrong?
Just once…
Can we find a way, to finally make it right
To make the magic last, for more than just one night
If we, could just get to it
I know we could, break through it

Hmm-hmm…
(…)

I gave my all
But I think my all, may have been too much
‘Cause, Lord knows we’re not getting anywhere
Seems, we’re always blowin’
Whatever, we’ve got goin’
And it seems at times, with all we’ve got
We haven’t, got a prayer

Just once…
Can we figure out, what we keep doin’ wrong
Why the good times, never last for long
Where are we goin’ wrong

Just once…
Can’t we find a way, to finally make it right
To make the magic last, for more than just one night
I know, we could break through it
If we could just, get to it

Just once…
I want to understand
Why, it always comes back …to goodbye
Why… can’t we get ourselves in hand
And admit to one another
We’re no good, without each other
Take the best, to make it better
Find a way, to stay together

Just once…
Can we find a way, to finally make it right
(Whoa!)
Make the magic last, for more than just one night
I know we could, break through it
If we could just, get to it
Just Once…

…Whoa-ohh
We can get through it…
Just …Once

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Barry Mann / Cynthia Weill
Just Once lyrics © Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp., Miss Holly Music, Sony Atv Songs Llc, Mann And Weil Songs Inc