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.

Look Out Now
Average White Band Lyrics

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Look out now
And don′t you know there's something
Keeps me away
I don′t know how
Something inside me keeps jumping
(And it's scrolling every day)

I start to lose if I can't get the muse after you

(Hey, look out now, can′t live without you but)
(You won′t let me in)
(Hey, look out now)

I must confess
The reason for my good future
(Such in a way that I feel when they say)
All that I feel is nothing more than an illusion
(And it's scrolling every day)

I start to lose if I can′t get the muse after you
(And I'll try if you′ll hear me cry, in fact)
(You won't let me in)
(Hey, look out now)

I start to lose if I can′t get the muse after you
(Hey, look out now, can't live without you but)

(You won't let me in)
(Hey, look out now)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Average White Band's song "Look Out Now" convey a sense of frustration and longing for someone who is unreachable. The singer begins by stating that "something" keeps him away from the person he desires, but he doesn't know what it is. There is a feeling inside him that causes him to "jump," and this feeling is present every day. He admits that he will "start to lose" if he can't get the inspiration or motivation that comes from being around this person.

The singer then confesses that his future looks good because of this person's influence, but he realizes that what he feels is merely an illusion. He knows that he needs the muse, or creative inspiration, that comes from being near this person, but they won't let him in. The repetition of the phrase "hey, look out now" throughout the song could be interpreted as a warning to the listener or to the person he desires that his passion is intense and potentially dangerous.

Overall, the lyrics suggest a desperate desire for human connection and creative inspiration, which the singer feels he can only get from one specific person. The repeated phrases and slightly ambiguous lyrics leave room for interpretation, but ultimately, the message is one of longing, frustration, and pleading.

Look Out NowAverage White Band Lyrics

Look Out Now
Average White Band Lyrics