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 Will You Be Mine
Average White Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not what I see, it's what I read in the looks you've been giving me
Now make no mistake I'm not sure I can take anymore of this waiting game
If I had my way I'd like to hear you say
You kind of feel the same way too
So, When will you be mine, do I have to wait forever
When will you be mine do I have to wait forever,
It's not what you think , but when you take a drink I feel this invitation
There's no need to worry, 'cause I'm in no hurry I just want that sensation
I don't look for trouble, but sometimes that trouble, come looking for me, yeah
There's one thing that I want to do It's take you out of here with me
So, When will you be mine, do I have to wait forever
When will you be mine, do I have to wait forever
When will you be mine, When will you be mine
When will you be mine, do I have to wait forever
When will you be mine, do I have to wait forever
When will you be mine,
What's the problem I've got to know
When will you be mine,
Please don't keep me in suspense this way
When will you be mine,
This waiting is killing me
When will you be mine,
I can't stand your drinking all night
In the song "When Will You Be Mine" by Average White Band, the lyrics express the longing of the singer for the attention of a particular person. The opening line "It's not what you do, it's just the way that you do it" implies that the singer is not concerned about the actions of the person in question but is more interested in the way they do things. The next line "It's not what I see, it's what I read in the looks you've been giving me" suggests that the singer is interpreting the person's looks as a sign of interest. The singer hints that they are tired of playing the waiting game and would like to hear the person's feelings for them.
The second verse mentions that the singer feels invited when the person takes a drink. However, the singer has no intention of causing trouble but rather wants to take the person out of the current environment. The chorus repeats the question "When will you be mine?" as a plea to the person of interest to declare their feelings. The singer is anxious and can't take the waiting anymore.
In summary, "When Will You Be Mine" is a song that expresses a person's longing for the attention and feelings of another person. The lyrics highlight the singer's anxiety, impatience, and desire for clarity on the true feelings of the person of interest.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not what you do, it's just the way that you do it makes me feel this way
Your actions don't matter as much as the way you do them, and the way you do them makes me feel the way I do
It's not what I see, it's what I read in the looks you've been giving me
I don't necessarily see anything, but the way you look at me and the way you make me feel is what matters
Now make no mistake I'm not sure I can take anymore of this waiting game
I can't handle waiting for you anymore, and I need something to happen soon
If I had my way I'd like to hear you say you kind of feel the same way too
I wish you would tell me that you have feelings for me too
So, When will you be mine, do I have to wait forever
I'm wondering when we will be together, and I don't know how much longer I can wait
It's not what you think, but when you take a drink I feel this invitation
What you are thinking doesn't matter, but when you drink, I feel like you are inviting me to join you
There's no need to worry, 'cause I'm in no hurry I just want that sensation
You don't need to be concerned, I'm not in a rush, I just want to feel the way I do when I'm with you
I don't look for trouble, but sometimes that trouble, come looking for me, yeah
I don't intentionally seek out problems, but sometimes they find me
There's one thing that I want to do It's take you out of here with me
All I want is to take you away from here and be with you
When will you be mine, What's the problem I've got to know
I need to know what's holding us back from being together
When will you be mine, Please don't keep me in suspense this way
Please don't leave me waiting in uncertainty like this
When will you be mine, This waiting is killing me
I can't handle waiting any longer, it's affecting me deeply
When will you be mine, I can't stand your drinking all night
I can't handle seeing you drink all night, it's pushing me away
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Alan Gorrie, Hamish Stuart, Malcolm Duncan, Owen Mcintyre, Roger Ball, Stephen Ferrone
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind