1976 Nazareth Love Hurts

In 1960, the Everly Brothers released the later hit ‘Love Hurts’ for the first time, which became much better known through Nazareth. It appeared on the album ‘Hair of the Dog’ in 1975 and reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. ‘Love Hurts’ became the real hit of the album, as Nazareth bassist Pete Agnew described it. The song was initially released as a B-side on the single.
The song first appeared on the album ‘A date with the Everly Brothers’ and was never released as a single. The duo’s manager Wesley Rose first brought the song to Roy Orbison in 1961, where it appeared on the No. 1 single ‘Running Scared’. Don and Phil, the Everly Brothers duo, were in a legal dispute with Wesley Rose and his label Acuff-Rose. The duo signed a contract with Warner Bros. The rights were ceded, and the songwriting duo, Mr and Mrs Boudleaux Bryant, also withdrew the lyrics to ‘Love Hurts’.

The Everly Brothers claimed that the lyrics were written for their song and would now go to Roy Orbison. At the time, however, it was still unclear whether the Acuff-Rose label would licence the song and so no single could be recorded.
The married couple Boudleauy, Felice Bryant and Diadorius Boudleaux Bryant wrote songs such as ‘Wake up little Susie’ and ‘Bye Bye Love’. Love Hurts was about heartbreak and the scars and wounds it would leave behind.
Without further ado, the Everly Brothers rewrote the song in 1965 and released their own version of ‘Love Hurts’ on their album Rock’n Soul. When Nazareth recorded the song in 1975, the lyrics were changed again and appeared on the album ‘Hair of the Dog’. Love is like a stove / It burns you when it’s hot was changed to Love is like a flame / It burns you when it’s hot. However, the Everly Brothers had already been separated for three years when the Nazareth album was released. The duo did not record the hit again until 1983.

Nazareth – Love Hurts

Everly Brothers – Love Hurts