Dan McCafferty was forced to retire in September 2013 due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a chronic condition that severely restricts the afflicted’s ability to breathe. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, “it has gotten worse lately, and after trying to play a festival in Switzerland last weekend, Dan found it impossible to continue after performing only three songs. In the dressing room afterwards, he told the band that he couldn’t go on any longer.”
McCafferty may try to record in the studio since he can sing in 10-minute bursts.
The original and longtime vocalist for Nazareth, Dan McCafferty, died Nov. 8, 2022 at the age of 76.
Nazareth was a prolific classic rock act, at their peak in the 70's and early 80's. They released 23 albums, and McCafferty was a part of every one of them. Their 1974 cover of "Love Hurts" was their biggest song. McCafferty left the band in and released a solo album in 2019.
His former bandmate and bassist for Nazareth, Pete Agnew, memorialized him on social media. "Dan died at 12:40 today (Nov. 8). This is the saddest announcement I ever had to make. Maryann and the family have lost a wonderful loving husband and father, I have lost my best friend and the world has lost one of the greatest singers who ever lived. Too upset to say anything more at this time. - Pete."
Albatross
Dan McCafferty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Big ones, small ones, beautiful ones and wasted ones...
But wherever they went, wherever they looked,
Wherever they put their feet...only uninhabitable, exploited, devastated sands...
They encountered everything they meant to leave behind.
War...poison...degeneration...
Love died a long time ago...
Blood blood all around
The land is crying out
All men are dead underneath the sands
And no one understands
Gold gold all is sold
Ten thousands have been slain
They stole their gold and destroyed their souls
The prayers were all in vain
War war behind the shore
All men are on the run
They burned the earth until there
But a wasteland in the sun
A wasteland in the sun
But there's the albatross
Flying circles through the wind
The silent master of this land
Far beyond the Southern Cross
Nobody heard his cries
Wailing sadly through the skies
Now his voice from up above
is slowly dying
Home home we want to go home
The beach is bleak and empty
All has burnt to ashes
Nothing will grow
We want to go home
But there's the albatross
Flying circles through the wind
The silent master of this land
Far beyond the Southern Cross
Nobody heard his cries
Wailing sadly through the skies
Now his voice from up above
is slowly dying
There's just the albatross
Flying...
Dan McCafferty's song "Albatross" is a powerful and introspective commentary on themes of environmental degradation, human greed, and the violence that humanity has wrought on the natural world. In the first verse, McCafferty describes a group of individuals traveling through a series of islands only to find desolation, destruction, and death in the wake of human exploitation. War, poison, and degeneration are among the many remnants of human activity that they come across. McCafferty emphasizes this point in the chorus where he talks about "blood blood all around," crying land, and a world of destruction. It is a poignant reminder of the consequences of our actions upon the natural world.
However, amidst this bleak and hopeless picture, there is the albatross - a symbol of hope and resilience in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. McCafferty describes the albatross as a "silent master of this land" and as he sings about the bird's cries, you feel a sense of communication between the human world and the natural world. Yet, despite this connection, humanity is unable to respond, and they remain deaf to the albatross's cries.
The final lines of the song are a powerful statement on the human longing for home and the realization that in our incessant quest for power, wealth, and status, we have destroyed the very things that make us human. The albatross, flying circles through the wind, is the only reminder of our lost humanity, and as McCafferty sings the last lines of the song, you feel a sense of deep sadness and a plea for redemption.
Line by Line Meaning
There they were...the islands
The singer and their companions have arrived at a group of islands.
Big ones, small ones, beautiful ones and wasted ones...
The islands vary in size and beauty, but some of them are damaged.
But wherever they went, wherever they looked,
Wherever they put their feet...only uninhabitable, exploited, devastated sands...
No matter where the group went on the islands, they found only barren and ruined areas.
They encountered everything they meant to leave behind.
Despite traveling to the islands to escape certain negative aspects of life, the group found all of those things on the islands.
War...poison...degeneration...
The negative aspects of life that the group found on the islands include war, toxic waste, and decay.
Love died a long time ago...
The singer believes that love has been absent from the islands for a significant amount of time.
Blood blood all around
There is violence and death occurring frequently on the islands.
The land is crying out
The artist perceives that the land is suffering from the abuse it has endured.
All men are dead underneath the sands
Many people have died on the islands, and their bodies are buried in the sand.
And no one understands
The artist believes that nobody truly comprehends the depth of despair on the islands.
Gold gold all is sold
The inhabitants of the islands have sold much of their valuable resources, including gold, to outsiders.
Ten thousands have been slain
Many people have been killed on the islands.
They stole their gold and destroyed their souls
Outsiders who have taken resources from the islands have caused harm to the inhabitants on a deeper level, damaging their spirits.
The prayers were all in vain
Despite people's hopes that the situation on the islands would improve, nothing seems to have changed.
War war behind the shore
Conflict is occurring both on and off the coast of the islands.
All men are on the run
People are fleeing the islands to escape the violence and destruction.
They burned the earth until there
The inhabitants of the islands have destroyed much of the vegetation and land up to a certain point.
But a wasteland in the sun
Despite still receiving ample sunlight, the islands have become desolate and unproductive.
But there's the albatross
Flying circles through the wind
The silent master of this land
Far beyond the Southern Cross
The albatross is a symbol of resilience and endurance, as it continues to fly freely despite the devastation on the islands.
Nobody heard his cries
Wailing sadly through the skies
Now his voice from up above
is slowly dying
The albatross has been calling out for help, but nobody has heard its pleas, and its strength is gradually fading.
Home home we want to go home
The beach is bleak and empty
All has burnt to ashes
Nothing will grow
We want to go home
The artist and companions want to leave the islands and go back to their homes, as everything on the islands is destroyed and lifeless.
There's just the albatross
Flying...
As the song ends, the only positive thing left on the islands is the albatross, soaring above the ruins.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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