Funkatropolis: “When Will You Be Mine” by Average White Band

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

“When Will You Be Mine” by Average White Band

Average White Band were still releasing great uncut funk as the ‘70s were coming to a close. The acclaimed Scottish groove outfit never half-stepped when it came to funk, always serving it up straight with no chaser. The band released the funk gem “When Will You Be Mine” in 1979. It’s one of their most underappreciated tracks. The irresistible groove features percolating keyboards, sick guitar licks, and some nasty bass. Alan Gorrie delivers a marvelous lead vocal performance that’s complemented by Hamish Stuart's smooth backing vocals. Steve Ferrone’s super-tight drumming keeps the groove humming. The track is finely arranged and boasts a terrific chorus.

“When Will You Be Mine” was written by Gorrie and AWB. It was a single from the band’s seventh album Feel No Fret, released in 1979. The song peaked at #49 on the UK charts. The album also enjoyed some solid chart action, peaking at #32 on the Billboard 200 and #30 on Billboard’s R&B album chart. And the collection had an impressive showing on the UK album charts, peaking at #15. The album was produced by Average White Band.

“When Will You Be Mine” was sampled on Mark Ronson’s 2003 “She’s Got Me,” featuring Daniel Merriwether.

Here's Average White Band’s lineup for “When Will You Be Mine”: Alan Gorrie (guitar, lead vocals), Hamish Stuart (bass, backing vocals), Onnie McIntyre (guitar), Steve Ferrone (drums), Roger Ball (keyboards) and Malcolm Duncan (saxophone).

Average White Band are still going strong. They still record and tour, of course, with a few personnel changes from the original lineup.