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.

Livin' on Borrowed Time
Average White Band Lyrics

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Girl, I can't believe it comes to this already
We turned back the hands of time
Always tried to give you love and be real steady
But something else is on your mind

Because we're livin' on borrowed time
Livin' on borrowed time with you
Livin' on borrowed time

Aah,aah, you know we're
Livin' on borrowed time
Livin' on borrowed time, aah, aah

The things you do, the words you say, to keep me guessing
But I just can't give up the fight, no
Sometimes you have to lose a lot to learn a lesson
It's not to late to so what's right, an' now we're

Livin' on borrowed time with you
Livin' on borrowed time
Aah,aah, you know we're

Livin' on borrowed time
Livin' on borrowed time - aah, aah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Livin' on Borrowed Time" by Average White Band convey a sense of frustration and uncertainty in a romantic relationship. The singer expresses disbelief that their relationship has reached a point of struggle, as they believed they were providing love and stability. However, it becomes clear that something else is on the partner's mind, leading to a state of confusion and doubts.

The chorus emphasizes the notion of living on borrowed time. This suggests that the relationship is currently unstable and hanging by a thread, as if time is running out. The repetition of the phrase signifies the urgency and precariousness of the situation. Despite the challenges, the singer still holds on and tries to salvage the relationship, acknowledging that they are living in a fragile state of uncertainty.

In the second verse, the lyrics further highlight the confusion and mixed signals from the partner. The singer describes how the partner's actions and words create a constant state of guessing and uncertainty. However, the singer acknowledges that sometimes one must experience loss in order to learn a valuable lesson. It is implied that there is still hope for the relationship and an opportunity for both parties to make amends and do what is right.

Overall, "Livin' on Borrowed Time" reflects the emotional turmoil and instability within a relationship. It portrays the complexity of human connections, the challenges faced when communication breaks down, and the ongoing struggle to find resolution and clarity in a troubled romance.

Line by Line Meaning

Girl, I can't believe it comes to this already
I'm surprised that we've reached this point so quickly

We turned back the hands of time
We tried to relive the past and fix our problems

Always tried to give you love and be real steady
I've consistently tried to show you love and stability

But something else is on your mind
However, you seem preoccupied with something else

Because we're livin' on borrowed time
Our relationship is running out of time

Livin' on borrowed time with you
We're risking our future together

The things you do, the words you say, to keep me guessing
You intentionally keep me uncertain with your actions and words

But I just can't give up the fight, no
However, I can't simply surrender and abandon our relationship

Sometimes you have to lose a lot to learn a lesson
Sometimes we must experience significant losses to gain wisdom

It's not too late to do what's right, and now we're
There is still time for us to make things right

Livin' on borrowed time with you
We're still taking risks with our future

Livin' on borrowed time
Our relationship is hanging by a thread

Aah, aah, you know we're
We both understand

Livin' on borrowed time
We're still taking chances with our love

Livin' on borrowed time - aah, aah
We're aware that our time together is limited

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alan Gorrie, Eliot Lewis, Owen McIntyre, Pete Abbott, Roger Ball

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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