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.
Same Feeling Different Song
Average White Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With this song going through my mind
Tried so hard to write is all down
But the melody was hard to find
Then one night about a week ago
I was passing a nightclub door
I heard something
that made me turn around
It was the same feeling
a different song
Thought I'd heard it before
but it must be wrong
Same beat, Just a different groove
Whatever it I
makes you want to move, move, move
Those people were dancing a new thing
Going crazy before my eyes
I felt the shivers come over me
Knew I had to take a run outside
I went back home and turned my radio on
the D.J. had just begun
He said this song is a mystery to me
But I know it has to be a number one
It had the same feeling
a different song
Thought I'd heard it before
but it must be wrong
Same beat, but a different groove
Whatever it is,
makes you want to move, move, move
I thought it was the same old thing
but as I listened
something changed
now everywhere I go it keeps on
haunting me
it was that same feeling
To find out what the secret is
is easy said but hard to do
I leave it up to you to solve the mystery
It was the same feeling
Different Song by Average White Band is a song about the familiar feeling we get when we hear a song but cannot remember the title or lyrics. The singer talks about how he used to wake up in the middle of the night with a song in his head, but couldn't remember or write it down. Then one night, he hears a song at a nightclub that feels familiar, and makes him want to move, but it's not the same song. He describes the dancing and the shivers he feels, and how it haunts him.
The song then switches to the radio, where he hears the same song, but it's a mystery and the DJ doesn't know the title or artist. He talks about how he thought it was the same old thing, but something changed, and now it keeps haunting him. The singer asks the listener to solve the mystery of this feeling, and what makes this particular song so captivating.
The song is about the power of music to make us feel and react in ways that we cannot explain. It talks about how sometimes a melody or beat can be so familiar, yet so different, that it makes us want to move and dance, even if we do not know the title or lyrics. It is a universal feeling that everyone can relate to, especially music lovers.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to wake up at night
The writer used to wake up frequently in the middle of the night with a particular song in their mind.
With this song going through my mind
The writer could only think of this particular song whenever they woke up at night.
Tried so hard to write it all down
The writer attempted to write down what they remembered of the song that was stuck in their head, but found it difficult to do so.
But the melody was hard to find
Even though the writer had the lyrics in their head, they had difficulty remembering the tune or melody.
Then one night about a week ago
Recently, the writer had an experience that changed their understanding of the song they had been hearing.
I was passing a nightclub door
While walking by a nightclub, the writer heard something that caught their attention.
I heard something that made me turn around
The writer heard a sound that caused them to stop and take notice of the music coming from inside.
I had to go inside for more
The writer felt compelled to enter the club to hear more of the music they had heard from outside.
It was the same feeling
The writer recognized a familiar feeling they had experienced before.
a different song
Despite recognizing a similar feeling, the writer realized the song playing in the club was different from the one they had been hearing before.
Thought I'd heard it before but it must be wrong
Initially, the writer thought the song playing in the club was the same one that had been stuck in their head. However, they realized it was a different song.
Same beat, Just a different groove
Although the song was different, it had a similar rhythm or tempo to the one the writer had been hearing.
Whatever it is makes you want to move, move, move
The writer felt an irresistible urge to dance or move their body to the music that was playing.
Those people were dancing a new thing
In the club, the writer saw people dancing to a different type of music than what they were used to.
Going crazy before my eyes
The writer was amazed at how much the people in the club were enjoying themselves and how much energy they had.
I felt the shivers come over me
Hearing the music and seeing the people dance gave the writer a strong emotional reaction, causing them to feel shivers or chills.
Knew I had to take a run outside
The writer felt overwhelmed and had to leave the club briefly to gather their thoughts and emotions.
I went back home and turned my radio on
After leaving the club, the writer went home and turned on the radio to see if they could find the song they had been hearing.
the D.J. had just begun
The writer was in luck because when they turned on the radio, the DJ had just started broadcasting.
He said this song is a mystery to me
The DJ admitted that they didn't know much about the song they were playing.
But I know it has to be a number one
Nevertheless, the DJ believed that the song was bound to become a popular hit despite being unknown.
I thought it was the same old thing
Initially, the writer thought the song they were hearing was just another variation of music they had heard before.
but as I listened, something changed
However, as the writer continued to listen to the music, they began to notice distinct features that made it unique.
now everywhere I go it keeps on haunting me
The writer found that they couldn't get the song out of their head, and it seemed to follow them wherever they went.
To find out what the secret is is easy said but hard to do
Although the writer wanted to understand what made the song so special, it was proving to be a challenge because music is subjective and hard to quantify.
I leave it up to you to solve the mystery
Since the writer was unable to figure out the mystery, they were relying on the listener to find their own meaning and significance in the song.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Roger Ball, Alan Edward Gorrie, Hamish Stuart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind