Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazareth_(band)
Studio albums
Nazareth (1971)
Exercises (1972)
Razamanaz (1973)
Loud 'n' Proud (1973)
Rampant (1974)
Hair of the Dog (1975)
Close Enough for Rock 'n' Roll (1976)
Play 'n' the Game (1976)
Expect No Mercy (1977)
No Mean City (1979)
Malice in Wonderland (1980)
The Fool Circle (1981)
2XS (1982)
Sound Elixir (1983)
The Catch (1984)
Cinema (1986)
Snakes 'n' Ladders (1989)
No Jive (1991)
Move Me (1994)
Boogaloo (1998)
The Newz (2008)
Big Dogz (2011)
Rock 'n' Roll Telephone (2014)
Tattooed on My Brain (2018)
Surviving the Law (2022)
Big Boy
Nazareth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a smile on his face
The school kids would give me some gin
If I would let them in
They were shaking all over
Ran into a friend with a lonely lady on his arm
Woke up in my garage, I was holding my own
I was aching all over
From rolling on the stone
I was aching all over from rolling on the hard stone.
Ooh, what a night you can have when you're a big boy
Ooh, what a night you can have when you're a real big boy
Ooh, what a night you can have when you're a big boy
Ooh, what a night you can have when you're a real big boy
Kissin' cousins just ain't my style
Not like some knight in shining armor
Touring with the sideshow
That was my blow
But we hung on for the fun
Lots of fun for everyone
Ooh, what a night you can have when you're a big boy
Ooh, what a night you can have when you're a real big boy
Ooh, what a night you can have when you're a big boy
Ooh, what a night you can have when you're a real big boy
Till the danger man with his danger plan
He took me aside
And then he took me apart
I was a young man with love in my heart
Oh, how he made me pay
It was the hard way
It was the hard way
Ooh, what a night you can have when you're a big boy
Ooh, what a night you can have when you're a real big boy
Ooh, what a night you can have when you're a big boy
Ooh, what a night!
The lyrics of Nazareth's song "Big Boy" paint a picture of a young man living a fast and reckless lifestyle. The opening lines describe him receiving a nickel from a shoe shine boy and being given gin by school kids, indicating that he's living in a seedy part of town where youthful delinquency is the norm. The chorus repeats the line "ooh, what a night you can have when you're a big boy," suggesting that this young man is reveling in his newfound freedom and independence.
The verse about the friend with the lonely lady on his arm could suggest that our protagonist is also indulging in casual relationships, without any emotional attachment. He wakes up in his garage not knowing where he's been, which shows he's living in a bit of a haze. The reference to "rolling on the hard stone" could have multiple meanings. It could literally refer to an underground party scene or a place where people gather to take drugs, or it could be a metaphor for the tough and dangerous lifestyle he's living.
In the final verse, the song takes a darker turn when the "danger man" shows up with his "danger plan." There's a sense of regret and loss when the young man reflects on his naivety and how he was taken advantage of. The lyric "it was the hard way" has a double meaning, referring to both the literal physical punishment he endured and the harsh lessons he learned about life.
Overall, "Big Boy" is a cautionary tale about the perils of living in the fast lane, where reckless behavior and dangerous individuals can lead to a hard fall.
Line by Line Meaning
A shoe shine boy gave me a nickel
I was given a nickel by a boy who shines shoes
With a smile on his face
The boy gave me the nickel with a happy expression
The school kids would give me some gin
Some children would offer me gin
If I would let them in
The children would only offer gin if I allowed them into a certain place
They were shaking all over
The children were trembling with excitement or fear
Ran into a friend with a lonely lady on his arm
I met an acquaintance who had a woman with him who seemed unhappy
Woke up in my garage, I was holding my own
I regained consciousness in my garage and was okay physically
Can't remember where I'd been
I couldn't recall my whereabouts before waking up
I was aching all over
My body was sore all over
From rolling on the stone
The cause of my soreness was from rolling around on a hard surface
Ooh, what a night you can have when you're a big boy
When you are grown up and have money, you can have a really exciting time
Ooh, what a night you can have when you're a real big boy
If you are really successful and wealthy, you can have an even more exciting time
Kissin' cousins just ain't my style
I am not interested in romantically pursuing my relatives
Not like some knight in shining armor
I don't aspire to be a heroic rescuer
Touring with the sideshow
I was traveling with a group of performers
That was my blow
Being a part of the sideshow was my opportunity
But we hung on for the fun
We continued to participate in the sideshow because it was enjoyable
Lots of fun for everyone
Everyone involved in the sideshow was having a good time
Till the danger man with his danger plan
Our fun ended when a man with a dangerous scheme appeared
He took me aside
The man pulled me away from the group
And then he took me apart
The man physically attacked me
I was a young man with love in my heart
At the time, I was a caring and naive young man
Oh, how he made me pay
I suffered greatly at the hands of the dangerous man
It was the hard way
I learned my lesson through difficult and painful experiences
Ooh, what a night!
Despite the hardships, it was still quite an eventful night
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALISTAIR MACDONALD CLEMINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dylan Maher
on Black Betty
What year did Nazareth record Black Betty ?