Pick Up the Pieces

Pick Up the Pieces

"Pick Up the Pieces" is a 1974 song by the Average White Band from their eponymous album, "AWB". 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.audio|Pick Up The Pieces.ogg|sample It's harmonic structure is not too difficult: the song features as an intro 4 measures of B-flat suspended (B-flat C F); afterwards in the theme 8 measures of Fm7 (F A-flat C E-flat), 2 measures of B-flat-major (B-flat D F), 4 measures of Fm7.

"Pick Up the Pieces" was released in Great Britain on July 1974 but failed to make an impression. When the album was released in America 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. It then charted in the UK and climbed to number six.

In 1993, it was covered by Candy Dulfer, album Sax-a-Go-Go.

In 1994, it was cowered by Jeff Golub, album "Avenue Blue" released November 15.

In 1999, it was covered by the Phil Collins Big Band. It was on their only album, "A Hot Night in Paris".

In 2004, Kenny G covered "Pick Up the Pieces" with David Sanborn. Their version is on the Kenny G cover album, "At Last...The Duets Album".

In 2007, it was covered by Gary Tole on an album called "One Kettle for Count", with an amusing arrangement by Scott Whitfield, incorporating Benny Goodman's hit "Sing Sing Sing" and the Bob Haggart - Ray Bauduc novelty "Big Noise from Winnetka".

Appearances in film and television

* in 1977, The Jacksons danced to it on their CBS TV show along with actor Dom Deluise.
* in the 1980 movie "Superman II"
* in the 1991 episode "The Way We Was" of "The Simpsons"'s second season
* on the comedy "Martin", performed by the character Hustle Man
* in the 1996 movie "Swingers"
* used as the theme for German political talk show "Sabine Christiansen" (1998-2007)
* in the Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy vehicle "Bowfinger", released in 1999
* in the 2002 "Undercover Brother"
* in the BBC TV series "Top Gear", used briefly in the 22nd May 2005 episode
* in the 2005 comedy "Taxi"
* in the 2006 movie "Running with Scissors (film)"
* used as the "theme" for "Wake Up Wakefield", a recurring sketch on "SNL" starring Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz. The theme was played by the fictional Wakefield Middle School jazz group Jazzx10 (also written Jazz x 10).
*In the 2008 comedy "Semi Pro"


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