Nazareth: Hard Rockin', Bluesy, and Fun

“Don’t analyze me, sacrifice me;

Please don’t Judas me.”
--Nazareth from the song “Please Don’t Judas Me;” from the LP Hair of the Dog, 1975.

Having snuffed my third Erdinger Oktoberfest Weizen, I decided to add some of my favorite albums to my IPOD. I stopped after Hair of the Dog and Loud ‘N’ Proud and decided to add the entire catalogue of Nazareth CD’s to the IPOD rotation.

I fell in love with this band in 1978 as a freshman in high school who bought Hair Of The Dog. My favorite songs on that classic LP were not the hits. I thought Miss Misery and Changin’ Times were fantastic; and Don’t Judas Me was unexplored territory of blues, and hard rock for me. Thirty years later, it still is and gives me goosebumps.

I still remember jamming Changin’ Times with Will Parks in his ’75 Ford Maverick down the streets of Ottawa, Illinois on the eight track player that was probably worth more than that car.

So tonight I played a greatest hits package while I added the Nazareth collection to my “Heavy Rotation.”

So many great albums from Nazareth, that one needs to remind one’s self how utterly unfair Rolling Stones Record Guide’s snobby writers were in the late 1970s when they dismissed the band as dog food.

I offer a safely positive primer of the band.

The first and most important album to own is Hair of the Dog. There is not a bad song in the lot. Plus, it shows the incredible grind of vocals of Dan McCafferty. Adding to his contributions is one of the most underrated rhythm sections known to man in drummer Darrell Sweet and bassist Pete Agnew. Manny Charlton is featured as one of rock’s most ignored but talented guitarists. His slice of hard rock grooves are simply pleasure to hear. Manny can mix the blues with rock, with rhythm and blues, and then turn a tuneful ear to a ballad.

No Mean City is one of my personal favorites that should be owned by any hard rock/metal enthusiast. Other than hits of Star, May The Sun Shine, and No Mean City, the album is a fine mix of ballads and grinding rock.

Loud ‘N’ Proud (an album excellently reviewed by Martin Popoff in his 1975 Ye Olde Metal book—don’t you think you should hit the link and order his stuff by now?) is one of the 1970’s best. Their cover of Joni Mitchell’s This Flight Tonight is worth the price of admission, but added to it is Go Down Fighting and Not Faking It and the classic rock tones of Turn On Receiver.

A Normal standout from college and beyond, Jeff, former manager of Mother Murphy’s Rock Emporium, and now owner of North Street Records told me once, “I love Razamanaz, and stopped buying Nazareth after it because it was so perfect.” I would add the album is timeless. The title track kicks, as well as Alcatraz, Vigilante Man, Too Bad Too Sad, and Broke Down Angel.

I would also recommend Malice In Wonderland that contains the classic Holiday and the blues-driven Heart’s Grown Cold. Talkin’ To One Of The Boys is fun as is Big Boy. This is the album that I think shows a slight decline, but it holds to the test of time.

The next that should be a part of your collection is Close Enough To Rock ‘N’ Roll. The epic, multi-layer Close Enough mini-opera is mind blowing to say the least. Following it with the bluesy Homesick Again and the hit ballad/rocker Carry Out Feelings, and Nazareth has perfect a formula of success. It really is an underrated album.

Rampant, Play ‘N’ The Game, and Expect No Mercy round out the classic Nazareth years. Their latter albums are hit and miss at times, but always contain enough hard rock to be influential and enough blues to be reminiscent of the past.

A&M put out a near-perfect greatest hits that would be a great introduction of the “hits.” Give it a taste, and I promise “dog food” is not on the m