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.
Atlantic Avenue
Average White Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the sunlight in my eyes
Here I am, and there's nothing I would rather do
When I want some peace of mind
I leave the smoke of Rio behind, as the evening starts to fly
I want to feel the ocean breeze, where the mountains kiss the sky
So come on, down Atlantic Avenue
'Cause I know there is no place like the Avenue
When the music gets a hold of you
Dive along to Ipanema there's always time to spare
Forget the troubles of the world, when they get to much to bear
Won't you please come on Atlantic Avenue
Flying down to Rio
Never thought I would be, walking by the ocean
here today, no
Pretty soon I've got to leave, but I know my heart will stay, ooh
Atlantic Avenue
Here I am strolling down Atlantic Avenue
Here I am, and there's nothing I would rather do
When I want some peace of mind
So come on, down Atlantic Avenue
Let the samba take a hold of you
Here I am strolling down Atlantic Avenue
Here I am, and there's nothing I would rather do
When I want some peace of mind
So come on, down Atlantic Avenue
Let the samba take a hold of you
The song "Atlantic Avenue" by Average White Band is a tribute to the famous street in Brooklyn, New York that runs parallel to the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. The lyrics describe the singer's desire to escape the stress and noise of the city by walking down the avenue and embracing the ocean breeze, where the mountains kiss the sky. The samba rhythm and upbeat tempo of the song reflect the lively and carefree spirit of Brazil, where the smoke of Rio is left behind as the evening starts to fly.
The chorus of the song invites the listener to join in the celebration and let the samba rhythm take hold of them. The lyrics mention Ipanema, a beach in Rio de Janeiro famously portrayed in the Brazilian song "The Girl from Ipanema", as a place to escape from the troubles of the world when they become too much to bear. The song concludes with the acknowledgement that while the singer must soon leave, their heart will stay on Atlantic Avenue.
Overall, "Atlantic Avenue" is a tribute to the beauty and joy of life by the ocean and the freedom that comes with embracing the samba rhythm.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I am, strolling down Atlantic Avenue
The singer expresses his presence on Atlantic Avenue as he walks.
With the sunlight in my eyes
He acknowledges the brightness of the sun causing temporary blindness.
Here I am, and there's nothing I would rather do
The singer expresses his contentment with being on Atlantic Avenue.
When I want some peace of mind
He shares his reason for being on the avenue; to find inner calmness.
I leave the smoke of Rio behind, as the evening starts to fly
The singer moves away from the pollution of Rio and the coming of the night signals a new beginning.
I want to feel the ocean breeze, where the mountains kiss the sky
He desires the sensation of the sea wind whilst enjoying the scenery where the mountains touch the sky.
So come on, down Atlantic Avenue
The singer invites the listener to join him on the avenue.
Let the samba take a hold of you
He encourages the listener to allow the rhythm of samba to captivate them.
'Cause I know there is no place like the Avenue
He believes that Atlantic Avenue is unrivaled as a destination.
When the music gets a hold of you
He hints that the encounter with the samba will get hectic and urges the listener to prepare for it.
Dive along to Ipanema there's always time to spare
He suggests that there is always enough time to swim in Ipanema.
Forget the troubles of the world when they get too much to bear
He advises that when life gets tough, it's best to find a place of solace and put worries aside.
Won't you please come on Atlantic Avenue
He reiterates the invitation to the listener to visit Atlantic Avenue.
Flying down to Rio
The singer references a famous Hollywood movie title from the '30s to signify going to Rio in style.
Never thought I would be, walking by the ocean here today, no
The singer is pleasantly surprised to find himself walking by the Atlantic Ocean.
Pretty soon I've got to leave, but I know my heart will stay, ooh
The singer knows that he has to leave soon, but his emotional connection to Atlantic Avenue will endure.
Here I am strolling down Atlantic Avenue
The singer repeats the idea of his continued presence on the Avenue.
Let the samba take a hold of you
He repeats the encouragement to allow samba to take over.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: ALAN EDWARD GORRIE, HAMISH STUART, OWEN ONNIE MCINTYRE, ROGER BALL, STEVE FERRONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind