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.

We're In Too Deep
Average White Band Lyrics

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Oh my

I got to leave but something within won′t let me turn around
Don't look at me, those eyes just pull me in and now I′m going down
It's getting late, the hands upon the wall begin to beckon me
Don't make me hesitate, you know there′s somewhere else I really ought to be

But no matter how much I try to resist

You′re making it hard to deny

That I'm in too deep
In too deep
I can′t break away
Oh no, I'm in too deep
My heart tells me
I got to stay

Because I′m in too deep

Don't let me go, you′re killing me with love and now I'm losing ground
I can't say no if this is how I′m gonna die then let me drown

And no matter how much I try to resist
You′re making it hard to deny

That I'm in too deep
In too deep
I can′t break away, oh no
I'm in too deep
My heart tells me
I got to stay

You know I′m in too deep
In too deep
I can't break away
Oh no, I′m in too deep
My heart tells me
You know I got to stay baby

I'm way in over my head, believe me
I may be out of my mind
Its weight has hold of my say, but leaving
The ship won't sail out this time
′Cause I′m in too deep

What happens now, we've been loving, been talking half the night
No, there′s no doubt, we've got to face it, there′s gonna be a fight

Beause we're in too deep
In too deep
I can′t break away
Oh no, we're in too deep
My heart tells me
Oh, I really wanna stay with you baby

In too deep
In too deep
I'm in too deep
I′m losing sleep
That secret side can′t keep on

In too deep
My heart tells me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Average White Band's song "We're In Too Deep" is about a person who is caught in a situation where they know they should leave, but they can't resist the pull of love. The singer wants to break away from the relationship, but something within them is holding them back, making it hard to deny their feelings for their partner. They are in too deep and their heart is telling them to stay.

The lyrics start with the singer feeling compelled to leave and go somewhere else but finds themselves unable to turn around when they look back at their partner. They feel that they are losing control as they are getting consumed by their love for the other person. Despite trying to resist their feelings, they are finding it hard to deny that they are in too deep. The chorus repeats the phrase "I'm in too deep" to emphasize how much the singer is struggling to break away.

The second verse continues with the singer feeling trapped, losing ground, and unable to say no to their partner. The lyrics also mention the fear of drowning, which could be interpreted as the fear of being overwhelmed by the situation. The singer confesses that they may be out of their mind and that they are losing sleep over their dilemma. The song ends on a melancholic note with the singer realizing that they are in too deep, and they may have to face a fight to leave the relationship.

Overall, "We're In Too Deep" is a song about the power of love and the difficulty in letting go when one is consumed by it. The lyrics accurately portray the complex emotions that come with love, particularly the struggle to resist it even when we know we should.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh my
Expression of shock or amazement

I got to leave but something within won′t let me turn around
Despite needing to leave, an internal force is keeping me from doing so

Don't look at me, those eyes just pull me in and now I′m going down
The person's captivating eyes are drawing me in, making me feel helpless

It's getting late, the hands upon the wall begin to beckon me
Time is passing by and it's time to leave, as seen by the clock on the wall

Don't make me hesitate, you know there′s somewhere else I really ought to be
Despite wanting to stay, they feel obligated to leave and go somewhere else

But no matter how much I try to resist You′re making it hard to deny
Despite trying to resist the allure of the person, they are finding it difficult to do so

That I'm in too deep In too deep I can′t break away Oh no, I'm in too deep My heart tells me I got to stay
The person is too invested in the relationship, and despite wanting to leave, their heart is telling them to stay

Don't let me go, you′re killing me with love and now I'm losing ground
The other person's love is suffocating and causing the artist to lose control

I can't say no if this is how I′m gonna die then let me drown
The person is willing to go down with the ship if this relationship is going to be the cause of their demise

You know I′m in too deep In too deep I can't break away Oh no, I′m in too deep My heart tells me You know I got to stay baby
Despite wanting to leave, their heart is telling them to stay invested in the relationship

I'm way in over my head, believe me I may be out of my mind Its weight has hold of my say, but leaving The ship won't sail out this time ′Cause I′m in too deep
The person is so deeply invested in the relationship that it's affecting their thoughts and behaviors, making it difficult to leave

What happens now, we've been loving, been talking half the night No, there′s no doubt, we've got to face it, there′s gonna be a fight
The relationship is reaching a turning point where they need to confront their issues, and it may result in a fight

Beause we're in too deep In too deep I can′t break away Oh no, we're in too deep My heart tells me Oh, I really wanna stay with you baby
Despite the potential difficulties, they can't leave the relationship as their heart is too invested in it

In too deep In too deep I'm in too deep I′m losing sleep That secret side can′t keep on In too deep My heart tells me
The person is in too deep, losing sleep over the relationship and unable to keep their true feelings a secret

Writer(s): Alan Gorrie, Elliot Lewis

Contributed by Isaac S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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