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.
When They Bring Down The Curtain
Average White Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody's gonna think it's over
In the back of my mind I know
It's only the start of the show
When they bring down the curtain
That's when my troubles begin
When it gets to you, girl
That's the hardest part to win
Sitting here in my room backstage
With only my thoughts to keep me company
Read the script again from an empty page
Still I see your face in front of me
But I can't let this feeling take over
I've got to go out and play my part
No one else realizes
I'm doing it all with an aching heart tonight
The houselights dim and the show has begun
All the lines seem to flow so easily
People laugh but I can't join the fun
All my words just echo back at me
Still I go through the motions
Tell a joke, pull a funny face
No one else has a notion
I've lost something that I can't replace tonight
When they bring down the curtain
Everybody's gonna think it's over
In the back of my mind I know
It's only the start of the show
When they bring down the curtain
That's when my troubles begin
When it gets to you, girl
That's the hardest part to win
The song "When They Bring Down The Curtain" by Average White Band speaks about putting on a show and how the audience perceives it as the end of the performance when the curtain drops. However, for the artist who pours their heart into the performance, the end of the show marks the beginning of their internal struggle. The vocalist has a special girl in his life who seems to bring about his inner turmoil. Though he wishes to win her, it becomes the hardest part of his performance.
The lyrics speak about the vulnerability of the singer, who is left alone in the backstage with his thoughts. He reads the script again and again, but the face of his beloved comes before him, making it hard for him to focus on his work. He knows that he has to continue with the performance despite his personal struggles. When the show commences, he puts up a brave face and goes with the flow, but the laughs and words seem shallow to him, and he cannot join in. The facade he wears is a stark contrast to the pain he is enduring inside, something no one else seems to notice.
The song delivers a powerful message about how the performers often carry their personal struggles with them even while entertaining the audience. It comes with the realization that the end of the show does not guarantee an end to their troubles. The singer's story is depicted in a subtle manner which successfully drives home the point.
Line by Line Meaning
When they bring down the curtain
As the performance ends, it appears to be the finish of everything.
Everybody's gonna think it's over
People might believe that the event has come to a conclusion.
In the back of my mind I know
Even though everyone else seems to believe it's over, I am aware that it isn't.
It's only the start of the show
In my mind, this is just the beginning, and there is more to come.
When they bring down the curtain
This is when the trouble begins for me.
That's when my troubles begin
I have difficulty when the performance finishes.
When it gets to you, girl
It becomes more challenging to cope with when you are involved.
That's the hardest part to win
Convincing you that everything is fine is the most challenging aspect for me.
Sitting here in my room backstage
I am backstage in my dressing room.
With only my thoughts to keep me company
I'm alone with my thoughts.
Read the script again from an empty page
Although I have the script memorized, I glance at it once more to distract myself.
Still I see your face in front of me
Despite my efforts, I can't get you out of my head.
But I can't let this feeling take over
I cannot afford to let my emotions get the best of me.
I've got to go out and play my part
I have to perform my role on stage for the audience.
No one else realizes
The audience is unaware that anything is wrong.
I'm doing it all with an aching heart tonight
Despite the fact that I am suffering emotionally, I put on a brave face and keep going.
The houselights dim and the show has begun
As the lights in the theatre go out and the performance commences, I'm reminded that it's time to start.
All the lines seem to flow so easily
My lines come out of my mouth without any trouble.
People laugh but I can't join the fun
Although the audience is having a great time, I cannot bring myself to enjoy the moment.
All my words just echo back at me
My lines are empty, and I am unable to connect with them emotionally.
Still I go through the motions
Despite my internal pain, I keep up with the performance onstage.
Tell a joke, pull a funny face
I keep up with the act by telling jokes and putting on amusing expressions.
No one else has a notion
The audience is unaware that I am in pain.
I've lost something that I can't replace tonight
I have lost something important that I cannot get back this evening.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ALAN GORRIE, ROGER BALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind