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.
Welcome to the Real World
Average White Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fantasy- nothing you need
In your life
That little weakness in
Humanity you never
Thought you would try
In my experience you must
Agree what all the world's
Only looking for that special
Someone to turn the water
To wine
So wake up, look around
Time is slippin' through our
Fingers so fast
If it's love that you've found
Welcome to the real world
At last
Could it be you've had
A change of heart even if it's
Hard to admit
Every day you're getting
Closer to me, why must
You try to resist
So wake up, look around
Time is slippin' through our
Fingers so fast
If it's love that you've found
Welcome to the real world
At last
Don't get caught up in the
Things you say
Let your heart show the
Way, baby
In the song "Welcome to the Real World" by the Average White Band, the singer talks about the idea of love being just a fantasy, something that is not really needed in life. He expresses the belief that love is a human weakness, something that people find themselves trying, despite their initial resistance. He goes on to say that, in his experience, the entire world is searching for that special someone to turn their water into wine, searching for the person who can bring that magic into their life.
The singer then urges the object of his affection to wake up and look around, as time is passing by quickly. If the person has found love, then they have finally welcomed themselves to the real world. He questions whether the object of his affection has had a change of heart, even if it is difficult for them to admit. He believes that every day, they are getting closer to each other, and that they should not resist the feelings they have.
The singer gives the last bit of advice, saying that the person shouldn't get caught up in the things they say, and they should let their heart show them the way. He finishes by repeating the chorus, where he encourages the person to wake up, look around, and welcome themselves to the real world, where love is waiting for them.
Line by Line Meaning
You said love was just a
You claimed that love was just an idea, and not a necessity in your life.
Fantasy- nothing you need
You believed love to be merely an ideal concept, and not something you require.
In your life
You implied that you never felt an urge to experience love in your personal life.
That little weakness in
You considered love to be a negligible weakness in
Humanity you never
You never once thought that you would try to embrace the vulnerability that comes with love.
Thought you would try
You always believed that you would be too strong to submit to love's power.
In my experience you must
Through my own experience, I have learned and can confirm that
Agree what all the world's
Everyone in the world acknowledges that
Tryin' to find
We are all seeking and striving for
Only looking for that special
We are all searching for that one exceptional
Someone to turn the water
Someone who has the power to turn a mundane existence into
To wine
something more enchanting and exceptional.
So wake up, look around
Realize and take note of the reality around you
Time is slippin' through our
We are all losing time quickly
Fingers so fast
at a rapid pace, and it is slipping through our grasp
If it's love that you've found
If you have finally found love,
Welcome to the real world
prepare to face the actualities of this world.
At last
You have at long last reached your goal, so be ready to face the truth.
Could it be you've had
Is it in the realms of possibility that you have had a shift in mentality?
A change of heart even if it's
Perhaps you have had a change of heart, even if admitting it is difficult
Hard to admit
A shift that may be challenging to come to terms with
Every day you're getting
Each and every day sees you drawing closer to me
Closer to me, why must
As you inch near, why must you
You try to resist
resist the pull of what could be?
Don't get caught up in the
Do not become tangled up in the
Things you say
things you say or your outward façade
Let your heart show the
Instead, let your true emotions guide you towards a fulfilling life
Way, baby
as you navigate through each day of your existence.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALAN EDWARD GORRIE, ELIOT LEWIS, OWEN MCINTYRE, PETE ABBOTT, ROGER BALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind