Though best known for their instrumental hit "Pick Up the Pieces," the band's strength lies in their consistently accomplished songwriting, stretching across several gold-selling albums and multi-Grammy nominations for Atlantic Records. Despite their Scottish roots, the six-piece band developed their own "authentic" sound influenced by R&B heroes such as Marvin Gaye, James Brown, and Donny Hathaway, which was eagerly adopted by black audiences in the US and elsewhere.
Many of the band's cuts, such as "Cut The Cake" and "Let's Go 'Round Again," attracted chart action as hit singles, while album tracks like "Schoolboy Crush" and "Person to Person" became much-sampled "rare" grooves. Other tunes like "Cloudy," "A Love Of Your Own," and "Nothing You Can Do" stand alongside some of the finest soul album tracks ever recorded.
The current lineup of the band, with noted US musicians alongside founding members Alan Gorrie and Onnie McIntyre, continues to delight audiences and critics alike in its wide-ranging touring. The musical energy and trademark sound are remarkably true to the original, and with constant revisitation and re-workings of AWB's, and others' classics in the mix, it is no surprise that the Average White Band is now a multi-generational attraction and a perennial fixture with many of the top music venues.
A Star In The Ghetto
Average White Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I may never live to see my name in lights
On a Carneige Hall marquee
Oh, but that′s alright
Lord, that's alright with me
I′m as happy, happy as a man can be
Folks in New York may never know my name
Gonna keep on singing my song just the same
If I don't make it there I won't be ashamed
′Cause I′m a star in the ghetto (I'm a star in the ghetto)
If I never make to Broadway, that′ll be ok (keep on shining)
I don't care what the folks up there in New York (I′m a star in the ghetto)
Got to say, oh no (oh no)
Hollywood (Hollywood)
Hollywood will never be my style
But I know I'm good, oh yeah
Not just alright
City lights, city lights (city lights)
May never shine for me
I may never make it to the top, no
Win myself a Grammy
Folks in New York may never know my name
I may not win that Music Hall of Fame (Music Hall of Fame)
But I′m gonna keep on singing my song, oh baby, just the same
If I never make it there I won't be ashamed
'Cause I′m a star in the ghetto (I′m a star in the ghetto)
If I never make to Broadway, sugar, that'll be ok (keep on shining)
I don′t care what the folks up there in New York (I'm a star in the ghetto)
What they got to say, oh no (oh no)
Think I′m gonna make it funky
Feel like getting down, y'all
Think I wanna make it funky
Feel like getting down, yeah
Blow your horn
Yeah, it′s alright
Well, go blow your horn
They say it's alright
Feel the music
Feel the music
I'm a star in the ghetto (I′m a star in the ghetto)
If I never make to Broadway, that′ll be ok (keep on shining)
I don't care what the folks up there in New York (I′m a star in the ghetto)
I don't care what they got to say, oh no
I′m a star in the ghetto (I'm a star in the ghetto)
If I never make to Broadway, sugar, that′ll be ok (keep on shining)
I don't care what the folks in Hollywood got to say (I'm a star in the ghetto)
I don′t care anyway, oh no
I′m star (I'm a star in the ghetto)
And I′m shining, and I'm shining
I′m a star (I'm a star in the ghetto)
Yes, I am, yeah, yeah (keep on shining)
I′m a star in the ghetto
If I never make to Broadway, that'll be ok
If I never make it to Broadway (keep on shining, keep on shining)
Said that will be ok
People in New York City, oh, they don't bother me (keep on shining, keep on shining)
Not at all, not at all
I′m gonna make it to the top (keep on shining, keep on shining)
Among the distant stars, alright (keep on shining, keep on shining)
Sugar, it′s alright
I'm a star in the ghetto (keep on shining, keep on shining)
I′m a star in the ghetto
The lyrics to Average White Band's "A Star in the Ghetto" is an ode to the unwavering spirit of a performer who has yet to make it big despite being overlooked by the elite industries such as Broadway, Hollywood and the Music Hall of Fame. The singer acknowledges that they may not live to see their name in lights on a Carnegie Hall marquee, but that's alright because they are content with being a star in their own right in the ghetto. The upbeat tempo of the song encourages the listener to feel the music and groove along with the singer.
The lyrics contain a sense of acceptance and resilience, as the singer is determined to continue singing their song even if they never make it to the top. The reference to the "Ghetto" is perhaps a reflection of the challenging circumstances that the performer may have faced while trying to make a name for themselves. Despite this, the singer is confident in their talent and embraces their status as a "star".
The lyrics can be interpreted as a message of hope and encouragement to other performers who may feel marginalized or overlooked by the mainstream industry. The singer's determination to continue shining despite the absence of recognition from the elite industries serves as a reminder that success is not always measured by fame and fortune.
Line by Line Meaning
Broadway, you never shine a light on me
I feel like Broadway doesn't acknowledge me or my talent.
I may never live to see my name in lights
It's possible that I won't achieve fame and success in the traditional sense.
On a Carneige Hall marquee
I might not even perform at Carnegie Hall.
Oh, but that′s alright
But it's okay because I'm at peace with it.
Lord, that's alright with me
I'm content with myself and my life, regardless of external validation.
I′m as happy, happy as a man can be
In fact, I'm incredibly happy with where I'm at.
Folks in New York may never know my name
It's possible that even the people of New York won't recognize my talents.
I may not win that Music Hall of Fame (Music Hall of Fame)
I could miss out on being inducted into the Music Hall of Fame.
Gonna keep on singing my song just the same
But I'm still going to keep doing what I love and sharing my music.
If I don't make it there I won't be ashamed
And I won't be ashamed of my journey or my accomplishments, even if they're not considered traditionally successful.
′Cause I′m a star in the ghetto (I'm a star in the ghetto)
I still consider myself a star and am proud of where I come from, despite not achieving traditional success.
If I never make to Broadway, that′ll be ok (keep on shining)
Even if I never achieve fame or success on Broadway, I'm still going to keep shining and believing in myself.
I don't care what the folks up there in New York (I′m a star in the ghetto)
I don't care about the opinions of those in New York or other places of traditional success and recognition, as I still value myself and my community.
Got to say, oh no (oh no)
Their opinions don't matter to me, because I'm confident in my own worth and abilities.
Hollywood will never be my style
I'm not interested in conforming to Hollywood's standards of fame and success.
But I know I'm good, oh yeah
But I still know that I have talent and worth, despite not seeking traditional success.
Not just alright
I'm not just okay, I'm confident and happy with myself and my work.
City lights, city lights (city lights)
Even if the city lights don't shine on me or my community, we still have value and worth.
May never shine for me
It's possible that I won't be recognized by the city lights or mainstream success.
I may never make it to the top, no
I might not achieve traditional success or recognition.
Win myself a Grammy
I might miss out on winning a Grammy or other traditional awards.
′Cause I′m a star in the ghetto (I′m a star in the ghetto)
Regardless of not achieving traditional success, I still consider myself and my community stars and worthy of recognition.
What they got to say, oh no (oh no)
The opinions of those who value traditional success and recognition don't matter to me, because I'm proud of myself and my journey.
Think I′m gonna make it funky
I'm going to keep doing what I love and stay true to my unique style.
Feel like getting down, y'all
I'm excited to keep creating and sharing my music!
Blow your horn
I'm going to assert myself and be proud of my talents and accomplishments.
Yeah, it's alright
And it's okay for me to feel confident in myself and my journey.
They say it's alright
Others might not understand my journey or my path to success, but that's okay.
Feel the music
I'm going to immerse myself in my passion for music and let it guide me.
I'm a star in the ghetto (I′m a star in the ghetto)
Despite not achieving traditional recognition or success, I still consider myself and my community stars in our own right.
People in New York City, oh, they don't bother me (keep on shining, keep on shining)
Even if others don't recognize my talents or my community, we're still going to keep shining and doing what we love.
I'm gonna make it to the top (keep on shining, keep on shining)
I'm going to keep pushing myself and my talents to reach my own definition of success.
Among the distant stars, alright (keep on shining, keep on shining)
And even if I don't achieve traditional success, I'll still be proud of myself and my journey.
Said that will be ok
I'm okay with whatever happens in my journey and won't let traditional success define my worth.
I don't care what the folks in Hollywood got to say (I'm a star in the ghetto)
I don't value the opinions of Hollywood or traditional success, because I know my worth and the worth of my community.
I don′t care anyway, oh no
And their opinions won't stop me from pursuing what I love and being proud of my journey.
I'm star (I'm a star in the ghetto)
I still consider myself a star and worthy of recognition and pride.
And I'm shining, and I'm shining
And I'll continue to shine and be proud of myself and my accomplishments, regardless of traditional recognition.
Yes, I am, yeah, yeah (keep on shining)
Because I know my worth and I won't let external validation define me or my journey.
Writer(s): Mitchell
Contributed by Evan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.