The Average White Band (AWB) is a soul and funk band formed in 1972 and is … Read Full Bio ↴The Average White Band (AWB) is a soul and funk band formed in 1972 and is widely regarded as one of the best in the history of music. The band consists of Cliff Lyons on alto sax, keyboards, and vocals, Rob Aries on keyboard and bass, Onnie McIntrye on guitar and vocals, Brent Carter on lead vocals, Alan Gorrie on lead vocals, bass, and guitar, Rocky Bryant on drums, and Fred "Freddy V" Vigdor on tenor sax, keyboards, and vocals.

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.

How Can You Go Home?
Average White Band Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

We had good times together, you and I
But now you're gone and I'm left wondering why
I gave so much to you but all the time
You were only using me, trying to make up your mind

I should have guessed that you would bring me down
Oh no, that night when you first came around
You said the love was all over and done

But all you need is a man who can give you someone

How can you go home with someone who loves you
When you've got no love to give (no love to give)
How do you expect to work a second time?

All the time, you can stay with me
You talk about him so contemptuously (don't you see?)
Now, don't you see you're only breaking his heart
If you go back now, and stay, and stay in apart

How can you go home with someone who loves you
When you've got no love to give (no love to give)
How do you expect to work a second time?

How can you go home with someone who loves you
When you're on your own with yourself (ooh with yourself)
How can any man accept that kind of life?

How can you go home with someone who loves you
When you've got no love to give (no love to give)
How do you expect to work a second time?

How can you go home with someone who loves you

When you're on your own with yourself (ooh with yourself)
How can any man accept that kind of life?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "How Can You Go Home?" by Average White Band explore themes of betrayal, heartbreak, and the struggle to understand why someone you cared about would choose to leave you for another person. The singer reflects on the past, acknowledging the good times they had with their partner, but is left wondering why they were ultimately used and discarded. It is revealed that the partner was indecisive and gave the impression that their love was over, only to discover later that they were seeking someone else's affection.

The chorus poses a series of questions, expressing the singer's confusion and hurt. They question how their partner can go home with someone who loves them when they have no love to give in return. They also wonder how the relationship could work a second time if there is no genuine love present. Further, the lyrics suggest that the partner speaks ill of the person they are leaving behind, but fails to recognize the pain they are causing them and the potential harm they may be doing to the new relationship.

Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of emotional turmoil and a longing for understanding. The singer is trying to make sense of the situation, questioning why their partner would choose to go down a path that lacks love and ultimately asking how any man could accept a life devoid of genuine affection.

Line by Line Meaning

We had good times together, you and I
We used to have enjoyable moments and experiences when we were together as a couple.

But now you're gone and I'm left wondering why
However, now that you've left, I'm filled with curiosity and confusion as to why it happened.

I gave so much to you but all the time
I devoted a significant amount of effort and affection towards you, but throughout the entire duration of our relationship,

You were only using me, trying to make up your mind
You were merely taking advantage of me, undecided about what you truly wanted.

I should have guessed that you would bring me down
In retrospect, I ought to have anticipated that you would cause my emotional downfall.

Oh no, that night when you first came around
Oh, I remember that particular night when you initially appeared in my life.

You said the love was all over and done
During that time, you mentioned that our love had completely ended and there was no hope for its revival.

But all you need is a man who can give you someone
However, what you truly require is a partner who is capable of providing you with someone else.

How can you go home with someone who loves you
How can you return to your place of dwelling alongside a person who genuinely cares for you

When you've got no love to give (no love to give)
When you yourself cannot offer any love or affection

How do you expect to work a second time?
How do you anticipate that this relationship, if given another opportunity, could function successfully?

All the time, you can stay with me
All the while, you have the option of remaining with me

You talk about him so contemptuously (don't you see?)
You speak about him with such disdain and scorn (do you not realize?)

Now, don't you see you're only breaking his heart
Now, can't you perceive that you are solely causing him emotional pain and heartache

If you go back now, and stay, and stay in apart
If you choose to return to him now and continue to remain separate from him

When you're on your own with yourself (ooh with yourself)
When you find yourself in solitude, left alone to contemplate your own thoughts and emotions

How can any man accept that kind of life?
How can any man willingly embrace a life characterized by such loneliness and self-isolation?

Contributed by Savannah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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