Song Clearance Sheet
7 sources citedPick Up the Pieces
See all Average White Band in the catalogue →
Funk1970s108BPM
F minKey
4:00Length
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed writers of record (all six band members) and a confirmed publisher (AWB Music Ltd.), reportedly open to sampling, with 60+ documented samples (Gang Starr, Public Enemy, Doug E. Fresh and more) — a case born from sampling culture.
Sampled 60+ times · reportedly open to sampling
Used by independents?
Yes — used by Gang Starr (independent Wild Pitch) and Doug E. Fresh, across four decades.
Listen while you read
Official upload · Rhino / Atlantic Recording Corporation
Verified source
Get the Audio
Streaming isn't enough to sample from — you need an actual file
Apple Music
Purchasable track
Amazon Music
MP3 download
Bandcamp
Only covers/remixes found — not the original
Discogs
Original vinyl / CD — for a proper needle-drop rip
Collector's Copies
Original pressings, rare editions, and audiophile reissues
Discogs Marketplace
811 listings · $1–$224 depending on pressing
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab
Half-speed audiophile remaster · Notable pressing
RareVinyl.com
Promo pressings, international editions
eBay
Active auctions and Buy It Now listings
Quick Facts
Released1974
AlbumAWB
GenreFunk, R&B, Soul
LabelAtlantic Records
ProducerArif Mardin
Recorded atCriteria Studios, Miami
Writer(s)All 6 band members
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The label — Warner Music Group, owns the recording
Discogs → · checked Jul 2026
The songwriters — 6 people, all need to say yes
Confirmed · checked Jul 2026
Has it been cleared before?
Yes — 60+ times since 1975, by Gang Starr, Public Enemy, Doug E. Fresh and more
Do they allow sampling?
Reportedly, yes — the owners are on record welcoming sampling requests — not a guarantee for any specific request
What does it cost?
Nobody's shared numbers yet — songs like this usually take a cut of your song's earnings instead of an upfront fee
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
See every song that samples “Pick Up the Pieces” →
Same album (AWB, 1974) · added late in production
Same album (AWB, 1974) · added late in production
Pick Up the Pieces One By One — The J.B.'sNot yet on the site →
Answer record, 1974 · reuses the bassline from James Brown's "Hot Pants Road"
AWB's next top-10 hit, 1975 (US #10)
Later AWB hit, mentioned alongside this one
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The recording (the actual audio)Warner Music Group
The song itself (the writing)AWB Music Ltd.
Who handles the song todayNot confirmed yet
The writersAll 6 band members
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
Described as open to sampling
Legal site Nolo points to AWB's owners as a go-to example of rights holders who actively want people to sample their music.
Nolo · read it →
Cleared many times
Sampled on major releases for four decades straight — Gang Starr (twice), Public Enemy, Doug E. Fresh, Chris Rock & ODB. If they were hard to deal with, that list wouldn't exist.
Stereogum · read it →
Born from sampling culture
The band calls the song their James Brown tribute — and James Brown's own band answered it with a record of their own in 1975.
Songfacts · read it →
Sample History
60+
Times sampled
20+
Covers
1975
First flip
Big names who used itGang Starr · Public Enemy · Doug E. Fresh · Chris Rock & ODB
Who to Contact
WMG
Warner Music Group
They own the recording — this is who to ask for a master license
6×
The songwriters (6 people)
All six credited writers need to agree — none are individually named on the release
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
Sample something pre-cleared insteadCheck Tracklib →
Find a similar sound that's 100% freeBrowse the catalog →
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created
Jul 2026Pro-sampling stance attributed to Nolo; future-willingness wording hedged