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.
High Flyin’ Woman
Average White Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't let the people get you down
Play some funky music, get dancin'
Better than hangin' around
You got to fight, fight
The blues ain't strong enough to beat you
Come on out tonight, don't need money
I'll be there to meet you
Cause I believe I can make you
A high flyin' woman again
Forget about the past
You'll never see that man again
Time was
We were just like sister and brother
But you got hung on him - all the time
He treated you like the others
Hey now
He's gone from your life - let's celebrate
Put on these high-heeled shoes, paint your face
Got no time to waste
Cause I believe I can make you
A high flyin' woman again
Forget about the past
You'll never see that man again
Hey, hey, gonna make you a high-steppin' chicken again
Hey, hey, come on baby, come on out tonight
Cause I believe I can make you
A high flyin' woman again
Forget about the past
You'll never see that man again
Cause I believe I can make you
A high flyin' woman again
The lyrics of Average White Band's "High Flyin' Woman" is all about encouraging someone who has gone through a difficult break-up to forget about the past and move on. The song is upbeat and full of energy, with the lyrics urging the listener to stand up and play some funky music in order to get over the sadness.
In the opening lines, the singer encourages the listener to not let the people bring them down, and instead to fight the blues and come out to have fun. The lyrics then address the listener's recent break-up, telling them that they'll never see that man again and that they should forget about the past. The song then concludes with the singer believing that they can make the listener a "high flyin' woman again."
Overall, the lyrics of "High Flyin' Woman" are filled with positivity and encouragement, with the message being that even after a difficult break-up, life can still be full of fun and excitement.
Line by Line Meaning
Stand up
Don't back down or let others get you down.
Don't let the people get you down
Don't give in to negativity from others.
Play some funky music, get dancin'
Enjoy yourself and let loose with some music and dancing.
Better than hangin' around
Doing something enjoyable is better than just wasting time.
You got to fight, fight
You have to stand up for yourself and fight against the blues.
The blues ain't strong enough to beat you
You are strong enough to overcome sadness and negativity.
Come on out tonight, don't need money
You don't need material things to have a good time, come out and enjoy.
I'll be there to meet you
I am here to support you and have a good time together.
Cause I believe I can make you
I am confident in my ability to help you.
A high flyin' woman again
I believe I can help you feel empowered and confident again.
Forget about the past
Let go of past experiences that hold you back.
You'll never see that man again
You are moving on from a negative relationship.
Time was
There was a time in the past.
We were just like sister and brother
We were close friends like family.
But you got hung on him - all the time
You became too attached to him and it became your focus.
He treated you like the others
He mistreated you like he did with others.
Hey now
Now things have changed for the better.
He's gone from your life - let's celebrate
He is no longer part of your life, it's time to rejoice.
Put on these high-heeled shoes, paint your face
Get ready to have a good time, dress up and enjoy yourself.
Got no time to waste
Let's not waste any more time and have fun.
Hey, hey, gonna make you a high-steppin' chicken again
I'm going to help you feel confident and empowered again.
Hey, hey, come on baby, come on out tonight
Let's have fun together tonight.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ALAN EDWARD GORRIE, HAMISH STUART, MALCOLM DUNCAN, OWEN ONNIE MCINTYRE, ROGER BALL, STEPHEN FERRONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind