Nazareth is a Scottish hard rock band formed in Dunfermline in 1968 that ha… Read Full Bio ↴Nazareth is a Scottish hard rock band formed in Dunfermline in 1968 that had several hits in Canada, the United Kingdom, and a number of other European countries in the early 1970s. The breadth of their popularity expanded internationally, including in the USA, with their 1975 album Hair of the Dog, which featured their hits "Hair of the Dog" and a cover of the ballad "Love Hurts". They have continued to record and tour for more than fifty years.

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)

Liar
Nazareth Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You think you're owed a living
Something 'bout you family tree
Your daddy was a bad man
You are just a crazy freak
The ship is surely sinking
And history will finger you
For staggering incompetence
And all the things you didn't do.

You're a liar
Liar, liar
Liar
Liar, liar.

You couldn't get elected
Without messing with democracy
You should have been arrested
But you've got job security
And weapons in the desert
Dubya knew it wasn't true
Illiterate. And full of shit
Daddy must be proud of you.

You're a liar
Liar, liar
Liar
Liar, liar.

Liar, liar... Pants on fire.

Shamed administration and you're working on shame
There ain't no climate change
Embarrassing your nation 'cause you never gave a damn
About no hurricane
God is no excuse for taking all you can
You must be deranged.
Liar!

Liar
Liar, liar
Liar
Liar, liar

Liar, (You think you're owed a living)
Liar, liar (You think you're owed a living)
Liar, (You think you're owed a living)
(Dubya knew it wasn't true)
Liar, liar (You think you're owed a living)
(Shamed administration and you're working on shame)
Liar, (You think you're owed a living)
(Dubya knew it wasn't true)
Liar, liar (You think you're owed a living)
(God is no excuse for taking all you can)
Liar, (You think you're owed a living)
(Dubya knew it wasn't true)
Liar, liar (Shamed administration and you're working on shame)
(Dubya knew it wasn't true)
Liar, (You think you're owed a living)
(Dubya knew it wasn't true)
Liar, liar (Shamed administration and you're working on shame)
(Dubya knew it wasn't true)
Liar, (Shamed administration and you're working on shame)
(Dubya knew it wasn't true)
Liar, liar (Shamed administration and you're working on shame)

(Dubya knew it wasn't true)
Liar, (Shamed administration and you're working on shame)

Overall Meaning

Nazareth's song Liar talks about a person who is a compulsive liar and manipulator, with little regard for the consequences of their actions. The lyrics suggest that this person has a sense of entitlement, perhaps due to their family background or social status, but they lack any true accomplishments or integrity. The song also references the political climate of the time, with lyrics like "weapons in the desert" and "messing with democracy" suggesting criticism of the George W. Bush administration and the Iraq war.

The chorus of "Liar, liar, pants on fire" is a well-known childhood taunt, implying that the person being addressed is lying so much that their pants are literally on fire. In this song, the chorus serves as a direct accusation to the subject, calling them out for their lies and hypocrisy.

Overall, the lyrics of "Liar" paint a bleak picture of a person who uses lies and manipulation to get what they want, at the expense of others and the truth. It is a scathing commentary on dishonesty and corruption in both personal and political spheres.

Line by Line Meaning

You think you're owed a living
You believe you're entitled to success and wealth without putting in any real effort

Something 'bout you family tree
Your lineage and family background play a role in your sense of entitlement

Your daddy was a bad man
Your father had negative qualities or actions that have influenced your behavior

You are just a crazy freak
Your behavior is irrational and out of control

The ship is surely sinking
The situation is dire and headed for disaster

And history will finger you
Your actions are going to be judged harshly by those who come after you

For staggering incompetence
Your complete lack of skill or ability is going to be the cause of your downfall

And all the things you didn't do.
Your failure to take meaningful action will contribute to your demise

You're a liar
You habitually and deliberately deceive others

Liar, liar
You're a liar, plain and simple

You couldn't get elected
You lack the qualifications and integrity required to be chosen by voters

Without messing with democracy
You cheated or manipulated the democratic process to attain power

You should have been arrested
You committed a crime or numerous crimes and deserve to be prosecuted

But you've got job security
You're able to retain your position despite your wrongdoing

And weapons in the desert
You have military weapons in an area where they're not necessary

Dubya knew it wasn't true
Former President George W. Bush was aware of your dishonesty

Illiterate. And full of shit
You're both uneducated and dishonest

Daddy must be proud of you.
Your father would likely be ashamed of your actions and character

Liar... Pants on fire.
Your lies are so pervasive that they are causing physical harm to you

Shamed administration and you're working on shame
Your behavior and the actions of those around you have brought disgrace upon your government

There ain't no climate change
You deny the reality of global climate change despite overwhelming evidence

Embarrassing your nation 'cause you never gave a damn
Your lack of concern for the welfare of your country has caused it great humiliation

About no hurricane
You failed to take adequate precautions to protect your citizens from natural disasters

God is no excuse for taking all you can
You cannot use religion as a justification for your actions

You must be deranged.
Your behavior and actions are indicative of a serious mental health issue