You probably remember the commercial. A series of black-and-white silhouettes dancing against a bright background, perfectly synced to a whimsical, staccato beat. It was 2012. Windows 8 was launching, and Microsoft needed something that felt fast, fluid, and versatile. They found it in Lenka’s "Everything at Once." But while the ad made the song a global earworm, the everything at once song lyrics actually tap into a very human desire that predates any software launch. We want to be everything, don't we? We want the quiet of a mouse and the roar of a lion.
Lenka Kripac, the Australian singer-songwriter behind the track, didn't write this as a corporate jingle. It was originally released on her 2011 album Two. The song is a rhythmic list of similes. It's simple. It’s catchy. Honestly, it’s a bit of a tongue-twister if you try to sing it at full speed without tripping over your own breath.
The Anatomy of a Simile: Breaking Down the Lyrics
The song is built almost entirely on "as [adjective] as a [noun]" structures. It’s a songwriting technique that shouldn't work as well as it does. Usually, overusing similes feels like a middle school creative writing assignment. Here, it creates a hypnotic momentum.
Look at the opening lines. "As sly as a fox, as strong as an ox / As fast as a hare, as brave as a bear." It's primal imagery. Lenka moves through these contradictions at a breakneck pace. You’ve got the "mean" and the "noble," the "sharp" and the "dull." It’s a binary exploration of identity. She isn't just saying she wants to be good; she’s saying she wants the full spectrum of the human experience.
Most people get the everything at once song lyrics wrong by assuming it's a song about indecision. It isn't. It’s about the frustration of being a single, finite person. We are trapped in one body, with one personality, at one point in time. The lyrics are a rebellion against that limitation.
Why the Simplicity is Deceptive
There’s a specific cadence to the way Lenka delivers these lines. Musicologists often point to the "nursery rhyme" quality of the melody. It’s a minor key, but it feels upbeat. That juxtaposition is where the magic happens.
👉 See also: Questions From Black Card Revoked: The Culture Test That Might Just Get You Roasted
If you look closely at the middle of the song, the pace shifts. "All I wanna be / Is everything at once." That’s the core thesis. It’s the only time she breaks the simile chain to tell you exactly what’s going on in her head.
The Windows 8 Effect and the Pop Culture Explosion
Let’s be real: without that Microsoft ad, this song might have stayed a hidden gem for indie-pop fans. The marketing team at the agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky saw something in those lyrics. They needed to show that a tablet could be a laptop, a work tool, and a plaything.
It worked.
The song surged on the Billboard charts. It hit number one in several countries, including Germany and Hungary. People weren't just searching for the "Windows 8 song"; they were hunting for the everything at once song lyrics because they wanted to memorize the list. It became a bit of a playground challenge. Can you say "as stealth as a tiger, smooth as a glider" without stumbling? Probably not on the first try.
The Impact of Visuals on Lyric Perception
The official music video, directed by James Gulliver Hancock, features Lenka in a black-and-white dress, often mirrored or multiplied. This visual choice was genius. It literally showed "everything at once."
✨ Don't miss: The Reality of Sex Movies From Africa: Censorship, Nollywood, and the Digital Underground
When you hear the lyrics while watching a dozen Lenkas perform different gestures, the song stops being a simple list. It becomes an art piece about the multifaceted nature of femininity and personhood. It’s quirky. It’s "twee" pop at its absolute peak.
The Psychological Hook: Why We Relate
Why does a song about being as "bright as a button" resonate fifteen years later?
Psychologists often talk about "self-complexity." This is the idea that we have many different versions of ourselves. There’s the "work you," the "parent you," the "adventurous you." Lenka’s lyrics are a literalized version of this theory.
- The Contrast: "As warm as the sun, as silly as fun."
- The Edge: "As scary as the dark, as hot as a spark."
- The Mundane: "As straight as a line, as a hazard as a sign."
We feel these things simultaneously. You can be "grand as a house" one day and feel as "small as a mouse" the next. By listing these traits in such rapid succession, the song creates a feeling of manic energy that mirrors the internal chaos of trying to "have it all."
Common Misconceptions About the Lyrics
A lot of people think the song is "Everything and Once." It’s a small distinction, but "At Once" implies simultaneity. It’s the "multitasking" anthem of the 2010s.
🔗 Read more: Alfonso Cuarón: Why the Harry Potter 3 Director Changed the Wizarding World Forever
Another common mistake involves the "as buzzed as a bee" line. In some regions, people hear it as "busy as a bee." While "busy" is the common idiom, the official everything at once song lyrics use "buzzed," which adds a slightly more energetic, almost caffeinated edge to the track. It fits the frantic production better than the standard cliché.
How to Actually Use This Song Today
If you’re a creator, or just someone who likes to curate their life, there’s a reason this track keeps popping up on TikTok and Reels. It’s a ready-made template for "outfit transitions" or "day in the life" clips.
The song provides a natural rhythm for editing. Every "as" is a beat. Every "noun" is a cut.
- Identify the Mood: Pick the section of the lyrics that fits your vibe. Are you in the "cool as a tree" phase or the "scary as the dark" phase?
- Match the Visuals: Use the literal imagery. If the lyric says "bright as a button," use high-exposure lighting.
- The "Everything" Reveal: Save the chorus for the final, big reveal where all the elements come together.
The everything at once song lyrics are more than just a 2012 throwback. They are a checklist for the human ego. We are all oxes, hares, bears, and tigers, depending on the hour of the day. Lenka just happened to put it to a beat that refuses to leave your brain.
To truly appreciate the song, listen to it without the visuals of the commercial. Forget the colorful squares of a defunct operating system. Focus on the lyrics as a poem about the impossibility of being a finished product. We are always "everything at once" in our minds, even if we’re just sitting on a couch.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Listen to the full album: "Everything at Once" is the standout, but Lenka’s Two album explores these themes of identity and whimsy across several tracks like "Heart Skips a Beat."
- Analyze the similes: If you’re a songwriter, try the "Lenka Method." Write a list of twenty contradictory similes and see if you can find a rhythm. It’s an incredible exercise for breaking writer's block.
- Check the official credits: Verify the lyrics on Lenka’s official site or verified Genius pages to ensure you aren't singing the "busy as a bee" mistake if you plan on using the audio for content creation.