Pick Up the Pieces (song)

"Pick Up the Pieces"
Single by Average White Band
from the album AWB
B-side "Work to Do"
Released 1974
Format 7"
Recorded 1974
Genre Funk
Length 3:59
Label Atlantic
Writer(s) Average White Band, Roger Ball, Hamish Stuart
Producer Arif Mardin
Average White Band singles chronology
"Put It Where You Want It"
(1974)		 "Pick Up the Pieces"
(1974)		 "How Can You Go Home"
(1974)

"Pick Up the Pieces" is a 1974 song by the Average White Band from their second album, AWB. The principal composer of the track was founding member and saxophonist Roger Ball. It was the group's most successful song, and features one of the most recognizable grooves in funk music. It is essentially an instrumental, apart from the song's title being shouted at several points in the song. The song features an intro 4 measures of Csus7#9, sus 4 (C F Bb Eb) afterwards in the theme 8 measures of Fm7 (F Ab C Eb), 2 measures of Bb7 (Bb D F Ab), 4 measures of Fm7.

"Pick Up the Pieces" was released in the United Kingdom in July 1974 but failed to make an impression. When the album was released in the United States in October 1974, radio stations started to pick up on the song, and on 22 February 1975, it went to the top of the US singles chart and peaked at number five on the soul charts.[1] After its US success, the song charted in the UK and climbed to number six. "Pick Up the Pieces" also made it to number eleven on the US disco chart.[2]

Preceded by
"You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt		 Billboard Hot 100 number one single
February 22, 1975		 Succeeded by
"Best of My Love" by Eagles

References

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 39. 
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 26. 
Average White Band
Members
Onnie McIntyre • Hamish Stuart • Alan Gorrie • Molly Duncan • Roger Ball • Steve Ferrone • Robbie McIntosh
Studio albums
Show Your Hand (1973) • AWB (1974) • Cut the Cake (1975) • Soul Searching (1976) • Benny and Us – with Ben E. King (1977) • Warmer Communications (1978) • Feel No Fret (1979) • Shine (1980) • Cupid's in Fashion (1982) • Aftershock (1989) • Soul Tattoo (1997) • Living in Colour (2003)
Hit singles
"Pick Up the Pieces" (1974) • "Cut the Cake" (1975) • "If I Ever Lose this Heaven" (1975) • "School Boy Crush" (1975) • "Queen of My Soul" (1976) • "A Love On Your Own" (1976) • "Cloudy" (live version) (1977) • "Get It Up" (1977) – with Ben E. King • "Your Love Is A Miracle" (1978) • "Walk On By" (1979) • "When Will You Be Mine" (1979) • "Let's Go Round Again" (1980) • "For You, For Love" (1980) • "Let's Go Round Again" (remix) (1994)
Contributions