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.
Feel No Fret
Average White Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't you look so sad
I know that you've been cheated
That's bad - so bad
But time is too precious
Why don't you put on that smile
Forget about loneliness
If you occupy your time
Feel no fret
Be no weeping no wailing
Feel no fret
Be no meaning no groaning
Feel no fret
Nothing new that you're owning
My friend, my good friend
Dry your weeping eyes
Handle it with courage
If you hold your head up high
Then pretty soon you'll
Feel no fret
Be no weeping no wailing
Feel no fret
Be no moaning no groaning
Feel no fret
Nothing new that you're owning
Feel no fret
My friend, my good friend
It's an all time low
But you can see right through it
If you hang in tight
Then pretty soon you'll
Feel no fret
Be no weeping and wailing
Feel no fret
Be no moaning no groaning
Feel no fret
Nothing new that you're owning
Feel no fret
The lyrics to "Feel No Fret" by Average White Band are all about encouraging a friend who has been cheated on to keep their head up and move on. The song starts off by acknowledging the friend's pain and disappointment, but then quickly shifts to a more positive message. The singer advises the friend to not waste their time being sad and instead focus on occupying themselves with something else. The chorus repeatedly emphasizes the idea of "feeling no fret," which essentially means to feel no worry or anxiety, and to not let negative emotions bring you down. The song ends with the singer assuring their friend that if they can just hold on and stay positive, things will get better.
The lyrics of this song serve as a reminder that life is too short to dwell on the negatives. The message is clear - the friend needs to move on and not waste their precious time and energy on sadness and despair. The idea of "feeling no fret" is a powerful one, as it encourages listeners to not let their emotions control them, but rather to take control of their own life and their own destiny.
Line by Line Meaning
My friend, my good friend
The singer addresses their friend and acknowledges their friendship.
Don't you look so sad
The singer notices that their friend is feeling down and tries to console them.
I know that you've been cheated
The singer empathizes with their friend, understanding that they have been let down.
That's bad - so bad
The singer emphasizes how unfortunate the situation is.
But time is too precious
The singer reminds their friend that time is valuable and should not be wasted dwelling on negative emotions.
Why don't you put on that smile
The singer encourages their friend to smile and find joy in life despite their current situation.
Forget about loneliness
The singer suggests that their friend shouldn't feel alone or isolated, but rather try to find company and friendship elsewhere.
If you occupy your time
The singer advises their friend to keep busy and engage in other activities to distract themselves from the negative emotions.
Then pretty soon you'll
The singer suggests that if their friend follows their advice, they will soon feel better.
Feel no fret
The singer asserts that their friend will no longer feel anxious or troubled.
Be no weeping no wailing
The singer asserts that their friend will no longer be crying or expressing sadness or distress.
Be no meaning no groaning
The singer asserts that their friend will no longer find anything to complain or be unhappy about.
Be no moaning no groaning
The singer repeats the previous line to emphasize the point that their friend will be free from any negative emotions.
Nothing new that you're owning
The singer suggests that their friend will not have any new problems or difficulties to worry about.
Dry your weeping eyes
The singer tells their friend to stop crying or being sad.
Handle it with courage
The singer advises their friend to face their problems with bravery and strength.
If you hold your head up high
The singer encourages their friend to remain confident and proud despite their troubles.
It's an all time low
The singer acknowledges that their friend is going through a difficult time.
But you can see right through it
The singer suggests that their friend has the ability to overcome their struggles and see the situation in a positive light.
If you hang in tight
The singer advises their friend to persevere and not give up despite the challenges they are facing.
Nothing new that you're owning
The singer repeats the earlier line to emphasize that their friend will no longer have any new problems or difficulties to worry about.
Feel no fret
The singer repeats the earlier notion that their friend will no longer feel anxious or troubled.
Be no weeping and wailing
The singer repeats the earlier assertion that their friend will no longer be crying or expressing sadness or distress.
Be no moaning no groaning
The singer repeats the earlier assertion that their friend will no longer find anything to complain or be unhappy about.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Alan Edward Gorrie, Hamish Stuart, Malcolm Duncan, Owen Onnie Mcintyre, Roger Ball, Steve Ferrone
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind