Thin Lizzy | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Despite a huge hit single in the mid-70s ("The Boys Are Back in Town") and becoming a popular act with hard rock/heavy metal fans, Thin Lizzy are still, in the pantheon of 70s rock bands, underappreciated. Formed in the late 60s by Irish singer/songwriter/bassist Phil Lynott, Lizzy, though not the first band to do so, combined romanticized working-class sentiments with their ferocious, twin-lead guitar attack. As the bands creative force, Lynott was a more insightful and intelligent writer than many of his ilk, preferring slice-of-life working-class dramas of love and hate influenced by Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and virtually all of the Irish literary tradition. Also, as a black man, Lynott was an anomaly in the nearly all-white world of hard rock, and as such imbued much of his work with a sense of alienation; he was the outsider, the romantic guy from the other side of the tracks, a self-styled poet of the lovelorn and downtrodden. His sweeping vision and writerly impulses at times gave way to pretentious songs aspiring to clichéd notions of literary significance, but Lynotts limitless charisma made even the most misguided moments worth hearing. After a few early records that hinted at the bands potential, Lizzy released Fighting in 1975, and the band (Lynott, guitarists Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham, and drummer Brian Downey) had molded itself into a pretty tight recording and performing unit. Lynotts thick, soulful vocals were the perfect vehicle for his tightly written melodic lines. Gorham and Robertson generally played lead lines in harmonic tandem, while Downey (a great drummer who had equal amounts of power and style) drove the engine. Lizzys big break came with their next album, Jailbreak, and the records first single, "The Boys Are Back in Town." A paean to the joys of working-class guys letting loose, the song resembled similar odes by Bruce Springsteen, with the exception of the Who-like power chords in the chorus. With the support of radio and every frat boy in America, "Boys" became a huge hit, enough of a hit as to ensure record contracts and media attention for the next decade ("Boys" is now used in beer advertising). Never the toast of critics (the majority writing in the 70s hated hard rock and heavy metal), Lizzy toured relentlessly, building an unassailable reputation as a terrific live band, despite the lead guitar spot becoming a revolving door (Eric Bell, Gary Moore, Brian Robertson, Snowy White, and John Sykes all stood next to Scott Gorham). The records came fast and furious, and despite attempts to repeat the formula that worked like a charm with "Boys," Lynott began writing more ambitious songs and wrapping them up in vaguely articulated concept albums. The large fan base the band had built as a result of "Boys" turned into a smaller, yet still enthusiastic bunch of hard rockers. Adding insult to injury was the rise of punk rock, which Lynott vigorously supported, but made Lizzy look too traditional and too much like tired old rock stars. By the mid-80s, resembling the dinosaur that punk rock wanted to annihilate, Thin Lizzy called it a career. Lynott recorded solo records that more explicitly examined issues of class and race, published a now-out-of-print book of poetry, and sadly, became a victim of his longtime abuse of heroin, cocaine, and alcohol, dying in 1986 at age 35. Since the mega-popular alternative rock bands of the mid-90s appropriated numerous musical messages from their 70s forebears, the work of Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy will hopefully continue to be seen for the influential rock & roll it is. In 1999, Thin Lizzy reunited with a lineup featuring guitarists Scott Gorman and John Sykes, and keyboardist Darren Wharton, which was rounded out by a journeyman rhythm section of bassist Marco Mendoza and drummer Tommy Aldridge. The quintets ensuing European tour produced the live album One Night Only, which was released in the summer of 2000 to set the stage for a subsequent American concert tour. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 40 Title: Thin Lizzy Released: 1971-04 Tracks: 10 Duration: 39:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Friendly Ranger at Clontarf Castle (03:02) 2 Honesty Is No Excuse (03:42) 3 Diddy Levine (07:07) 4 Ray-Gun (03:08) 5 Look What the Wind Blew In (03:26) 6 Eire (02:10) 7 Return of the Farmer’s Son (04:16) 8 Clifton Grange Hotel (02:29) 9 Saga of the Ageing Orphan (03:40) 10 Remembering Part 1 (06:02) |
| Thin Lizzy : Allmusic album Review : Thin Lizzy was originally conceived as a power trio in the image of Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, but Eric Bell lacked the charisma of those groups guitarists, forcing vocalist/bassist Philip Lynott to take center stage from day one. Despite his already poetic, intensely personal lyrics, Lynott was only beginning to develop as a songwriter, and the bands unfocused, folk-infused early efforts are a far cry from their mid-70s hard rock glory. Recorded on a shoestring budget, their self-titled debut is surprisingly mellow; many songs, such as "Clifton Grange Hotel" and "The Friendly Ranger of Clontarf Castle," sound confused and unfinished. Quiet ballads like "Honesty Is No Excuse," "Eire," and "Saga of the Ageing Orphan" abound, while supposed rockers such as "Ray-Gun" and "Return of the Farmers Son" fall remarkably flat. In fact, Lizzy only bare their claws on "Look What the Wind Blew In," a gutsy rocker that hints at things to come. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 40 Title: Shades of a Blue Orphanage Released: 1972-03-10 Tracks: 9 Duration: 40:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Rise and Dear Demise of the Funky Nomadic Tribes (07:06) 2 Buffalo Gal (05:30) 3 I Don’t Want to Forget How to Jive (01:46) 4 Sarah (02:59) 5 Brought Down (04:21) 6 Baby Face (03:27) 7 Chatting Today (04:16) 8 Call the Police (03:37) 9 Shades of a Blue Orphanage (07:06) |
| Shades of a Blue Orphanage : Allmusic album Review : Named after the musicians previous bands (Bells Shades of Blue and Lynott and Downeys Orphanage), the disappointing Shades of a Blue Orphanage proved that Decca Records had absolutely no idea of what to do with Thin Lizzy. The complex arrangements of the title track and "The Rise and Dear Demise of the Funky Nomadic Tribes" are as overblown and disjointed as their titles. "I Dont Want to Forget How to Jive" is a lame, 50s-style rockabilly number, and "Call the Police" is only saved by Lynotts captivating tell-tale lyrics -- something at which he would later excel. Lynott is equally eloquent and personal on the piano-led "Sarah," written about his grandmother and not to be confused with the song by the same name written for his daughter seven years later. The albums few, truly bright moments are confined to the aggressive hard rock of "Baby Face" and the charming, descending riff of "Buffalo Gal," a melancholy, mid-paced ballad in the style which would become a Lynott trademark. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 40 Title: Vagabonds of the Western World Released: 1973 Tracks: 8 Duration: 40:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Mama Nature Said (04:54) 2 The Hero and the Madman (06:11) 3 Slow Blues (05:16) 4 The Rocker (05:15) 5 Vagabond of the Western World (04:46) 6 Little Girl in Bloom (05:15) 7 Gonna Creep Up on You (03:32) 8 A Song for While Im Away (05:11) |
| Vagabonds of the Western World : Allmusic album Review : After achieving a reluctant Top Ten hit with a rock version of the traditional Irish pub ballad "Whiskey in the Jar," Thin Lizzy began work on Vagabonds of the Western World -- their third, and ultimately last album for Decca Records. The singles surprise success gave the band bargaining power to demand more money and time to record, resulting in their first sonically satisfying album. The environmentally-conscious R&B; of "Mama Nature Said" kicks things off with Eric Bell leading the way on slide guitar. The overblown "The Hero and the Madman" and the tepid "Slow Blues" threaten to derail the proceedings, but all is well again when the band break into their first bona fide classic "The Rocker." Brimming with attitude and dangerous swagger, Lynott sets the tone as drummer Brian Downey explodes into life for the first time on vinyl. Lizzys Irish heritage permeates the title track, and the beautiful "Little Girl in Bloom" is absolutely flawless, featuring Lynott, the poet, in top form. In many ways, Vagabonds actually rocks harder than Lizzys next album, the soulful Night Life -- often considered the bands first "important" record. And with the inclusion of four non-LP singles, including the aforementioned "Whiskey in the Jar," this package becomes even more appealing. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 40 Title: Nightlife Released: 1974 Tracks: 10 Duration: 37:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 She Knows (05:14) 2 Night Life (03:58) 3 It’s Only Money (02:49) 4 Still in Love With You (05:40) 5 Frankie Carroll (02:05) 6 Showdown (04:31) 7 Banshee (01:27) 8 Philomena (03:42) 9 Sha-La-La (03:27) 10 Dear Heart (04:34) |
| Nightlife : Allmusic album Review : Its curious that Night Life -- the first album Thin Lizzy recorded for Mercury, the first album to feature guitarists Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, the album that in many ways kicked off their classic era -- is in many ways a complete anomaly within their catalog. Its a subdued, soulful record, smooth in ways that Thin Lizzy never were before and rarely were afterwards. To be sure, the title Night Life is accurate but not in the sense of this providing a soundtrack for a night out on the town -- quite the opposite actually. This is the soundtrack for an intimate night in, either alone or as a pair, since it has moments ideal for either contemplation or seduction. There are still some moments of tough, primal rock & roll -- theres the funky workout of "Its Only Money" and the nasty "Sha-La-La," both excellent showcases for Gorham and Robertson -- but they stick out among the jazzy, soulful whole, even if they never quite disrupt the mood. And its that mood thats so appealing about Night Life -- its a warm, soulful sound that resonates in ways Thin Lizzys earlier records didnt. And its not just because of the feel of the music, either, its due to Phil Lynotts increasing growth as a songwriter. Much of this is quite sentimental -- especially the closing "Dear Heart" -- but its never saccharine or sappy, its big-hearted and effecting, best-heard on the gently propulsive, utterly addictive opener "She Knows" and the easy-rolling jazzy "Showdown." These may be the high-water marks on this album, but theyre not the only highlights, theyre just the most immediate, representative signs of the charms of this underrated gem of a record. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 40 Title: Fighting Released: 1975 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Rosalie (02:59) 2 For Those Who Love to Live (03:08) 3 Suicide (05:14) 4 Wild One (04:20) 5 Fighting My Way Back (03:14) 6 King’s Vengeance (04:08) 7 Spirit Slips Away (04:42) 8 Silver Dollar (03:29) 9 Freedom Song (03:32) 10 Ballad of a Hard Man (03:22) |
| Fighting : Allmusic album Review : Its hard not to interpret the "fighting my way back" chorus of the title track on Thin Lizzys fifth album as the bands way of bouncing back from the uncommonly subdued Night Life. If that record was smooth and relaxed, Fighting is a tense, coiled, vicious rock & roll album, as hard as Vagabondss toughest moments but more accomplished, the sound of a band truly coming into its own. There are two key forces at work. First, theres the integration of guitarists Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, who get to unleash furious playing on every track here. Its hard not to thrill at their harmonizing twin-lead interplay, which is enough to excuse the rather pedestrian nature of their original tunes here (Robertson penned the boogie "Silver Dollar," Gorham the closer "Ballad of a Hard Man"). Thats especially true because of the other development here: the full flourishing of Phil Lynott as a rock & roll poet. Whether hes writing hard-charging rockers like "Wild One," jazzy Springsteen-isms of "For Those Who Love to Live" or combining both on "Freedom Song," his songs manage to be both mythic and commonplace, and when delivered by the vital, visceral lineup he has here, theyre invigorating. Strangely enough, that leap forward as a writer is somewhat overshadowed by a triumph of the band, in how they completely steal Bob Segers "Rosalie" turning it into their own anthem, but that again is a testament to the strength of this incarnation of Thin Lizzy, who truly begin their classic era with this dynamic LP. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 40 Title: Jailbreak Released: 1976 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:27:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Jailbreak (04:02) 2 Angel From the Coast (03:06) 3 Running Back (03:16) 4 Romeo and the Lonely Girl (03:58) 5 Warriors (04:12) 6 The Boys Are Back in Town (04:25) 7 Fight or Fall (03:48) 8 Cowboy Song (05:18) 9 Emerald (04:04) 1 The Boys Are Back in Town (remix) (04:35) 2 Jailbreak (remix) (04:14) 3 The Boys Are Back in Town (Alt vocal-remix version) (04:33) 4 Emerald (remix) (04:08) 5 Jailbreak (BBC session) (04:05) 6 Emerald (BBC session) (03:58) 7 Cowboy Song (BBC session) (05:14) 8 Warriors (BBC session) (03:57) 9 Fight or Fall (extended version-Rough mix) (05:21) 10 Blues Boy (04:38) 11 Derby Blues (06:52) |
| Jailbreak : Allmusic album Review : Thin Lizzy found their trademark twin-guitar sound on 1975s Fighting, but it was on its 1976 successor, Jailbreak, where the band truly took flight. Unlike the leap between Night Life and Fighting, there is not a great distance between Jailbreak and its predecessor. If anything, the album was more of a culmination of everything that came before, as Phil Lynott hit a peak as a songwriter just as guitarists Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson pioneered an intertwined, dual-lead guitar interplay that was one of the most distinctive sounds of 70s rock, and one of the most influential. Lynott no longer let Gorham and Robertson contribute individual songs -- they co-wrote, but had no individual credits -- which helps tighten up the album, giving it a cohesive personality, namely Lynotts rough rebel with a heart of a poet. Lynott loves turning the commonplace into legend -- or bringing myth into the modern world, as he does on "Cowboy Song" or, to a lesser extent, "Romeo and the Lonely Girl" -- and this myth-making is married to an exceptional eye for details; when the boys are back in town, they dont just come back to a local bar, theyre down at Dinos, picking up girls and driving the old men crazy. This gives his lovingly florid songs, crammed with specifics and overflowing with life, a universality thats hammered home by the vicious, primal, and precise attack of the band. Thin Lizzy is tough as rhino skin and as brutal as bandits, but its leavened by Lynotts light touch as a singer, which is almost seductive in its croon. This gives Jailbreak a dimension of richness that sustains, but theres such kinetic energy to the band that it still sounds immediate no matter how many times its played. Either one would make it a classic, but both qualities in one record makes it a truly exceptional album. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 40 Title: Remembering, Part 1 Released: 1976-08 Tracks: 11 Duration: 48:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Black Boys on the Corner (03:25) 2 A Song for While Im Away (05:11) 3 Randolphs Tango (03:51) 4 Little Girl in Bloom (05:15) 5 Sitamoia (03:23) 6 Honesty Is No Excuse (03:42) 7 Little Darling (02:55) 8 Remembering (06:00) 9 Gonna Creep Up on You (03:27) 10 Whiskey in the Jar (05:44) 11 The Rocker (05:11) |
| Remembering, Part 1 : Allmusic album Review : Pick up Remembering Part 1. Sold at a budget price, this comp may be worth owning just for Jim Fitzpatricks way-cool Judge Dredd-ed cover art. And inside wait many non-album almighties, each displaying the tremendous versatility of shining star Phil Lynott. The Irish renegade named his poetry collection after the beautiful "Song for While Im Away." He weaves Van Morrison into the tangled web of "Honesty Is No Excuse." And maybe no other songwriter wrote better songs about being a rocker (á la "Little Darling") and living the life (i.e. "The Rocker"). Lynott gets in your face right off the bat with the super-heavy "Black Boys on the Corner," which is the fly B-side of dusty pearl "Whisky in the Jar," also included. "Sitamoia" is an astounding track written by drummer Brian Downey, and another unheralded masterpiece. Gathering the remains of the bands early Decca years, Remembering, Part 1 flows silky smooth, a rare trait for an odds and sods piece. The vinyl sleeve annotates Lizzys tangled history, but all that matters is these songs surviving on CD. Very close in content to latter edition Vagabonds of the Western World, but, again, Remembering, Part 1 is downright affordable and, like the late, lamented Lynott, deeply affecting. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 40 Title: Johnny the Fox Released: 1976-10-16 Tracks: 10 Duration: 36:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Johnny (04:27) 2 Rocky (03:43) 3 Borderline (04:36) 4 Don’t Believe a Word (02:19) 5 Fools Gold (03:57) 6 Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed (03:42) 7 Old Flame (03:10) 8 Massacre (03:01) 9 Sweet Marie (03:58) 10 Boogie Woogie Dance (03:13) |
| Johnny the Fox : Allmusic album Review : Jailbreak was such a peak that it was inevitable that its follow-up would fall short in some fashion and Johnny the Fox, delivered the same year as its predecessor, did indeed pale in comparison. Whats interesting about Johnny the Fox is that its interesting, hardly a rote repetition of Jailbreak but instead an odd, fitfully successful evolution forward. All the same strengths are still here -- the band still sounds as thunderous as a force of nature, Phil Lynotts writing is still graced with elegant turns of phrase, his singing is still soulful and seductive -- but the group ramped up the inherent drama in Lynotts songs by pushing them toward an odd, half-baked concept album. There may be a story within Johnny the Fox -- characters are introduced and brought back, at the very least -- but its impossible to tell. If the album only had an undercooked narrative and immediate songs, such digressions would be excusable, but the music is also a bit elliptical in spots, sometimes sounding theatrical, sometimes relying on narration. None of this falls flat, but its never quite as gripping as Jailbreak -- or the best moments here, for that matter, because when Johnny the Fox is good, its great, as on the surging "Dont Believe a Word" or the elegiac "Borderline." These are the reasons why Johnny the Fox is worth the extra effort, because it does pay off even if it isnt quite as good as what came immediately before -- or immediately afterward, for that matter. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 40 Title: Bad Reputation Released: 1977-09-02 Tracks: 9 Duration: 35:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Soldier of Fortune (05:17) 2 Bad Reputation (03:08) 3 Opium Trail (03:59) 4 Southbound (04:27) 5 Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight) (03:26) 6 Killer Without a Cause (03:33) 7 Downtown Sundown (04:08) 8 That Womans Gonna Break Your Heart (03:25) 9 Dear Lord (04:27) |
| Bad Reputation : Allmusic album Review : If Thin Lizzy got a bit too grand and florid on Johnny the Fox, they quickly corrected themselves on its 1977 follow-up, Bad Reputation. Teaming up with legendary producer Tony Visconti, Thin Lizzy managed to pull off a nifty trick of sounding leaner and tougher than they did on Johnny, yet they also had a broader sonic palette. Much of this is due, of course, to Visconti, who always had a flair for subtle dramatics that never called attention to themselves, and he puts this to use in dramatic effect here, to the extent that Lizzy sound stripped down to their bare bones, even when they have horns pushing them forward on "Dancing in the Moonlight" or when overdubbed vocals pile up on the title track. Of course, they were stripped down to a trio for most of this record: guitarist Brian Robertson (whod injured his hand) had to sit out on most of the recording, but Scott Gorhams double duty makes his absence unnoticeable. Plus, this is pure visceral rock & roll, the hardest and heaviest that Thin Lizzy ever made, living up to the promise of the title track. And, as always, a lot of this has to do with Phil Lynotts writing, which is in top form whether hes romanticizing "Soldiers of Fortune" or heading down the "Opium Trail." It adds up to an album that rivals Jailbreak as their best studio album. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 40 Title: Live and Dangerous Released: 1978-06-02 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:16:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Jailbreak (04:33) 2 Emerald (04:33) 3 Southbound (04:42) 4 Rosalie / Cowgirl’s Song (04:09) 5 Dancing in the Moonlight (03:54) 6 Massacre (02:56) 7 Still in Love With You (07:41) 8 Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed (03:41) 9 Cowboy Song (04:54) 10 The Boys Are Back in Town (04:40) 11 Dont Believe a Word (02:19) 12 Warriors (04:00) 13 Are You Ready (02:42) 14 Suicide (05:13) 15 Sha La La (05:34) 16 Baby Drives Me Crazy (06:40) 17 The Rocker (04:18) |
| Live and Dangerous : Allmusic album Review : Released in 1978, just as the hot streak starting with 1975s Fighting and running through 1977s Bad Reputation came to an end, Live and Dangerous was a glorious way to celebrate Thin Lizzys glory days and one of the best double live LPs of the 70s. Of course, this, like a lot of double-lives of that decade -- Kiss Alive! immediately springs to mind -- isnt strictly live; it was overdubbed and colored in the studio (the very presence of studio whiz Tony Visconti as producer should have been an indication that some corrective steering may have been afoot). But even if there was some tweaking in the studio, Live and Dangerous feels live, containing more energy and power than the original LPs, which were already dynamic in their own right. Its this energy, combined with the expert song selection, that makes Live and Dangerous a true live classic. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 40 Title: Black Rose: A Rock Legend Released: 1979-04-13 Tracks: 9 Duration: 38:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Do Anything You Want To (03:52) 2 Toughest Street in Town (04:01) 3 S & M (04:05) 4 Waiting for an Alibi (03:30) 5 Sarah (03:31) 6 Got to Give It Up (04:24) 7 Get Out of Here (03:37) 8 With Love (04:38) 9 Roísín Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend (07:04) |
| Black Rose: A Rock Legend : Allmusic album Review : Black Rose: A Rock Legend would prove to be Thin Lizzys last true classic album (and last produced by Tony Visconti). Guitarist Brian Robertson was replaced by Gary Moore prior to the albums recording. Moore had already been a member of the band in the early 70s and served as a tour fill-in for Robertson in 1977, and he fits in perfectly with Lizzys heavy, dual-guitar attack. Black Rose also turned out to be the bands most musically varied, accomplished, and successful studio album, reaching number two on the U.K. album chart upon release. Lizzy leader Phil Lynott is again equipped with a fine set of originals, which the rest of the band shines on -- the percussion-driven opener "Do Anything You Want To," the pop hit "Waiting for an Alibi," and a gentle song for Lynotts newly born daughter, "Sarah." Not all the material is as upbeat, such as the funky "S&M;," as well two grim tales of street life and substance abuse -- "Toughest Street in Town" and "Got to Give It Up" (the latter sadly prophetic for Lynott). Black Rose closes with the epic seven-minute title track, which includes an amazing, complex guitar solo by Moore that incorporates Celtic themes against a hard rock accompaniment. Black Rose: A Rock Legend is one of the 70s lost rock classics. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 40 Title: The Continuing Saga of the Ageing Orphans Released: 1979-09 Tracks: 11 Duration: 41:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Things Aint Working Out Down At The Farm (03:47) 2 Buffalo Gal (05:00) 3 Sarah (02:40) 4 Honesty Is No Excuse (02:36) 5 Look What The Wind Blew In (03:13) 6 Mama Nature Said (04:34) 7 The Hero and the Madman (05:38) 8 Slow Blues (04:46) 9 Dublin (02:22) 10 Brought Down (02:59) 11 Vagabond Of The Western World (04:04) |
 | Album: 13 of 40 Title: Chinatown Released: 1980-10 Tracks: 9 Duration: 40:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 We Will Be Strong (05:09) 2 Chinatown (04:42) 3 Sweetheart (03:29) 4 Sugar Blues (04:19) 5 Killer on the Loose (03:53) 6 Having a Good Time (04:35) 7 Genocide (05:05) 8 Didnt I (04:26) 9 Hey You (05:07) |
| Chinatown : Allmusic album Review : While Thin Lizzys previous release, Black Rose, was a focused, inspired hard rock masterwork, its follow-up, 1980s Chinatown, was a letdown. Guitarist Gary Moore was a major reason for the predecessors success, but he quit during the subsequent tour (eventually replaced by ex-Pink Floyd touring guitarist Snowy White). Also, leader Phil Lynott and guitarist Scott Gorham were indulging heavily in hard drugs by this point, which was obviously taking its toll. And since producer Tony Visconti was not on board again, the lively production that played such a prominent part in the success of their past few releases was noticeably absent. The first side contains the best material: the anthemic "We Will Be Strong," the pop perfection of "Sweetheart," the obviously autobiographical drug tale of "Sugar Blues," plus the British hit singles "Killer on the Loose" and the title track. The second side, however, is comprised almost entirely of bland filler, such as "Having a Good Time," "Didnt I," and "Hey You." While its not their worst album (that "honor" would go to their next studio album, 1981s Renegade), Chinatown should have been a lot better, especially coming off such a stellar release as Black Rose. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 40 Title: Renegade Released: 1981 Tracks: 9 Duration: 41:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Angel of Death (06:18) 2 Renegade (06:09) 3 The Pressure Will Blow (03:48) 4 Leave This Town (03:50) 5 Hollywood (Down on Your Luck) (04:10) 6 No One Told Him (03:36) 7 Fats (04:04) 8 Mexican Blood (03:41) 9 Its Getting Dangerous (05:34) |
| Renegade : Allmusic album Review : It is widely agreed among Thin Lizzy fans (and by the band themselves) that their 1981 release, Renegade, was their worst. The raw, rocking Lizzy of the past (Jailbreak, Black Rose, etc.) is nowhere to be found here; in its place is a keyboard-heavy rock band with blatant pop leanings and a production too similar to British heavy metal bands of the early 80s. New guitarist Snowy White never truly fit into the band (both musically and visually), and it was never more apparent than on Renegade. As with its predecessor, Chinatown, heavy drug use plagued the sessions, again resulting in an uninspired, unfocused affair (especially evident in Phil Lynotts flat vocals). The six-minute opener, "Angel of Death," doesnt measure up to past Lizzy epics, while the title track fails at trying to pull on the heartstrings with a tale about a misunderstood youth. The powerful Lizzy of old resurfaces briefly on such rockers as "The Pressure Will Blow," "Leave This Town," and "Hollywood (Down on Your Luck)," but the clean production almost neuters these potential heavy classics. A jazzy experiment, "Fats," proves to be an interesting one, but run-of-the-mill originals like "Mexican Blood" and "Its Getting Dangerous" far outnumber the highlights, making Renegade Lizzys second disappointing release in a row. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 40 Title: Lizzy Killers Released: 1981 Tracks: 11 Duration: 44:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Whiskey in the Jar (05:44) 2 Wild One (04:18) 3 Jailbreak (04:01) 4 The Boys Are Back in Town (04:25) 5 Dont Believe a Word (02:20) 6 Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight) (03:26) 7 Waiting for an Alibi (04:10) 8 Do Anything You Want To (03:52) 9 Sarah (03:31) 10 Chinatown (04:42) 11 Killer on the Loose (03:53) |
| Lizzy Killers : Allmusic album Review : An LP with Thin Lizzys biggest hits from 1972 to 1981 means that listeners will hear it all over again: "The Boys Are Back in Town," "Jailbreak," and "Killer on the Loose." And since there are no bonus tracks, no rarities, nor even any alternative versions of any songs, the Lizzy fan will see no reason whatsoever for buying this record. On the other hand, it is a decent introduction to Thin Lizzy for the absolute beginner, with a brief biography on the back cover and a number of essential songs, with the focus more on the softer aspect of the band. The album has zero rarity value, so it should be available and cheap at various vinyl sales. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 40 Title: Thunder and Lightning Released: 1983 Tracks: 9 Duration: 40:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Thunder and Lightning (04:55) 2 This Is the One (04:02) 3 The Sun Goes Down (06:19) 4 The Holy War (05:13) 5 Cold Sweat (03:06) 6 Somebody She Is Going to Hit Back (04:05) 7 Baby Please Dont Go (05:11) 8 Bad Habits (04:05) 9 Heart Attack (03:38) |
| Thunder and Lightning : Allmusic album Review : Thin Lizzys final studio release, Thunder and Lightning, was their most consistent album since 1979s Black Rose. Guitarist John Sykes replaced Snowy White, and the new blood must have inspired Lynott and company to write some of their best compositions in years. Although a pop-metal production hinders the tracks, theres more of a harder edge present than on their last release, Renegade. While the title track served as the ensuing tours raging opener, half-baked lyrics detailing a fistfight and an unwarranted synth-solo weakens what should have been a straight-ahead rocker. But such heavies as "This Is the One" and "Cold Sweat" suit the band much better. Lizzy takes a stab at dance-rock with "The Holy War," while laying back with the tranquil "The Sun Goes Down" and the albums underrated highlight, the melodic "Bad Habits." Like Lizzys other 80s releases, filler is present -- "Someday She Is Going to Hit Back" and "Heart Attack" and disappointingly, guitarist Scott Gorham abandons his trademark harmony leads of yesteryear in favor of 80s-era high-tech shredding. Not Lizzys best release, but a definite improvement over their other 80s studio output. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 40 Title: Best Of: Soldier of Fortune Released: 1987 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:16:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Whiskey in the Jar (03:45) 2 Waiting for an Alibi (04:10) 3 Sarah (03:31) 4 Parisienne Walkways (03:21) 5 Do Anything You Want To (03:52) 6 Yellow Pearl (02:57) 7 Chinatown (04:42) 8 King’s Call (03:40) 9 Rosalie / Cowboy Song / The Boys Are Back in Town (13:58) 10 Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight) (03:26) 11 Dont Believe a Word (02:20) 12 Jailbreak (04:01) 13 Out in the Fields (04:17) 14 Killer on the Loose (03:45) 15 Still in Love With You (05:49) 16 Cold Sweat (03:10) 17 Soldier of Fortune (05:17) |
 | Album: 18 of 40 Title: The Collection Released: 1987 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:11:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Black Boys on the Corner (03:25) 2 Little Girl in Bloom (05:10) 3 Randolphs Tango (03:50) 4 Return of the Farmer’s Son (04:16) 5 Remembering (06:00) 6 Whiskey in the Jar (05:44) 7 The Rocker (05:11) 8 Buffalo Gal (05:30) 9 Sitamoia (03:21) 10 A Song for While Im Away (05:11) 11 Baby Face (03:23) 12 Ray-Gun (03:08) 13 Sarah (02:49) 14 Eire (02:10) 15 Vagabond of the Western World (04:36) 16 The Friendly Ranger at Clontarf Castle (03:02) 17 Mama Nature Said (04:45) |
 | Album: 19 of 40 Title: Life Released: 1990 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:37:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Thunder & Lightning (05:10) 2 Waiting for an Alibi (03:15) 3 Jailbreak (04:07) 4 Baby Please Don’t Go (05:02) 5 Holy War (04:47) 6 Renegade (06:14) 7 Hollywood (04:10) 8 Got to Give It Up (07:04) 9 Angel of Death (05:56) 10 Are You Ready (02:56) 1 The Boys Are Back in Town (04:52) 2 Cold Sweat (03:07) 3 Don’t Believe a Word (05:11) 4 Killer on the Loose (04:58) 5 Sun Goes Down (06:16) 6 Emerald (03:52) 7 Black Rose (06:37) 8 Still in Love With You (08:57) 9 The Rocker (04:43) |
| Life : Allmusic album Review : Life Live? More like Life-less. After Thin Lizzy wrapped up their successful "farewell" tour, their second live album was issued. It was originally supposed to be issued during the tour, but extensive overdubbing and nitpicking pushed the albums release toward years end, after the publicity from the tour had died down. The two-LP Life Live is not even close to being a worthy successor to its exceptional predecessor, 1978s classic Live and Dangerous. Instead of replicating the rough energy and spontaneity of Live and Dangerous, the overall sound of Life Live is reminiscent of their 80s studio albums -- polished pop gloss. An obvious reason for the albums failure is the fact that Lizzys songwriting in the 80s was not on par with their 70s work, as evidenced by such tracks as "Angel of Death," "Thunder & Lighting" and "Renegade," among others. Older standards ("Jailbreak," "Are You Ready," "Emerald," etc.) fare much better, especially a slow version of "Dont Believe a Word," "Got to Give It Up" and "Black Rose," which features guest guitarist Gary Moore successfully replicating the tracks unbelievable extended solo. Still, Life Live is for die-hard fans only; everyone else should stick with the superior Live and Dangerous. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 40 Title: Dedication: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy Released: 1991 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:16:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Whiskey in the Jar (05:44) 2 The Rocker (05:11) 3 She Knows (05:14) 4 Still in Love With You (05:39) 5 Showdown (04:31) 6 Rosalie (03:13) 7 Wild One (04:20) 8 Fighting My Way Back (03:14) 9 Jailbreak (04:02) 10 The Boys Are Back in Town (04:25) 11 Cowboy Song (05:18) 12 Don’t Believe a Word (02:19) 13 Bad Reputation (03:08) 14 Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight) (03:26) 15 Do Anything You Want To (03:52) 16 Waiting for an Alibi (04:10) 17 Chinatown (04:42) 18 Dedication (03:58) |
| Dedication: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy : Allmusic album Review : Several Thin Lizzy best-of collections have surfaced over the years (such as 1981s Adventures of Thin Lizzy and 1984s Lizzy Lives!), but the best two are undeniably 1996s Wild One and 1991s Dedication. While not as extensive as Wild One (only one track is featured from their 80s work), Dedication contains more early selections than the other mentioned titles. But the real attraction for Lizzy buffs is the inclusion of the previously unreleased title track, which was completed by the other members years after Lynotts passing in 1986. Elsewhere, often-overlooked tracks like "She Knows," "Fighting My Way Back," and "Cowboy Song" get to share the spotlight with such familiar faves as "The Boys Are Back in Town," "Bad Reputation," "Jailbreak," "Waiting for an Alibi," "Dancing in the Moonlight," and "Dont Believe a Word." Also included is an essay in which Lynott is quoted as saying that hed like Lizzy to be remembered as a great guitar band (in the tradition of the Yardbirds, etc.). After hearing the great tracks on Dedication, youll be reminded that there was so much more to this legendary band. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 40 Title: BBC Radio One Live in Concert Released: 1992 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:16:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Jailbreak (04:53) 2 Thunder and Lightning (04:59) 3 Waiting for an Alibi (03:29) 4 Are You Ready (02:57) 5 Baby Please Dont Go (05:04) 6 A Night in the Life of a Blues Singer (06:57) 7 The Holy War (05:06) 8 The Sun Goes Down (05:56) 9 Emerald (04:10) 10 The Cowboy Song (06:09) 11 The Boys Are Back in Town (04:43) 12 Suicide (05:05) 13 Rosalie Medley: Rosalie / Dancing in the Moonlight / The Cowgirl Song (08:09) 14 Still in Love With You (09:09) |
| BBC Radio One Live in Concert : Allmusic album Review : If youre the kind of person that likes your live albums with an extra sense of occasion, then this is the Thin Lizzy concert for you. Recorded August 28th, 1983, at the Reading Festival, this show marked the final U.K. performance by Phil Lynott and company, and while essentially interchangeable with the more extensive (and studio-perfected) Life double set of the same year, it makes for a more authentic Lizzy live experience. Of interest, only the exquisite non-album ballad "A Night in the Life of a Blues Singer" offers any real collectors value here, but the remaining wealth of material is worthy of this great bands legacy. Still, first time shoppers are encouraged to make a beeline to the classic Live and Dangerous. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 40 Title: Rockers Released: 1993 Tracks: 11 Duration: 46:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Whiskey in the Jar (05:44) 2 Baby Face (03:31) 3 Mama Nature Said (04:53) 4 A Song for While Im Away (05:11) 5 Call the Police (03:37) 6 The Rocker (05:15) 7 Sarah (version 2) (02:52) 8 Slow Blues (05:18) 9 Little Darling (03:00) 10 Sitamoia (03:24) 11 Gonna Creep Up on You (03:28) |
| Rockers : Allmusic album Review : When a collection is made when a group is still on the top (or just over it), the lack of perspective is often obvious. But in this case, the reason for the inadequate choices is more likely to be commercial or legal. Because when Decca releases a Thin Lizzy collection, there are only three albums to choose from. And the first, Thin Lizzy, holds few enjoyable songs. So no songs from there, which is good for the quality of the record, but bad from a chronological aspect. And it only leaves the compiler with two records: Shades of a Blue Orphanage and Vagabonds of the Western World. These may not be Thin Lizzys most interesting ones, and having two songs from the second and five from the third makes out for a thick collection, even though the choice of songs is flawless. The solution to this is, of course, to add rare tracks and singles. The full-length version of "Whiskey in the Jar," including a longer guitar solo; another version of "Sarah," completed by Lynott in 1979; and the singles "Little Darling" and "Sitamoia" make the album worth buying. But only for fans who are burning to hear what it sounds like when Downey for once wrote a song or what "Sarah" could have sounded like. Those who are not huge Lizzy fans will be better off buying a more wide-spanning collection. And advertising "The Rocker" as a full-length version is only silly, since it is the same version as found on Vagabonds of the Western World, even if the U.S. single happens to be shortened. | ||
 | Album: 23 of 40 Title: The Peel Sessions Released: 1994-10-06 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:01:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Whiskey in the Jar (05:48) 2 Rosalie (03:17) 3 Suicide (05:19) 4 Emerald (03:59) 5 Cowboy Song (05:12) 6 Jailbreak (04:06) 7 Dont Believe a Word (02:47) 8 Little Darling (03:06) 9 Still in Love With You (05:39) 10 Vagabonds of the Western World (04:26) 11 Little Girl in Bloom (04:41) 12 Killer Without a Cause (03:41) 13 Bad Reputation (02:49) 14 That Womans Gonna Break Your Heart (03:29) 15 Dancing in the Moonlight (03:21) |
| The Peel Sessions : Allmusic album Review : Better than the too-short, but still OK Dedication greatest hits compilation released by Mercury in 1991, The Peel Sessions features raw and wild versions of great Lizzy songs that provide a great historical overview of the bands development. For what its worth, this is the only Peel session release with liner notes written by John Peel himself. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 40 Title: Whiskey in the Jar Released: 1996 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:10:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Whiskey in the Jar (05:44) 2 Sarah (version 2) (02:51) 3 The Rocker (05:15) 4 Look What the Wind Blew In (03:26) 5 Return of the Farmer’s Son (04:16) 6 Old Moon Madness (03:55) 7 Buffalo Gal (05:30) 8 Broken Dreams (04:26) 9 Vagabond of the Western World (04:46) 10 Black Boys on the Corner (03:25) 11 Mama Nature Said (04:54) 12 Here I Go Again (03:56) 13 Little Darling (02:56) 14 Dublin (02:31) 15 Shades of a Blue Orphanage (07:06) 16 Remembering, Part 2 (05:05) |
 | Album: 25 of 40 Title: Wild One: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy Released: 1996 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:17:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Boys Are Back in Town (04:25) 2 Jailbreak (04:02) 3 Don’t Believe a Word (02:19) 4 Waiting for an Alibi (04:10) 5 Rosalie / Cowgirl’s Song (04:09) 6 Cold Sweat (03:06) 7 Thunder and Lightning (04:55) 8 Out in the Fields (04:17) 9 Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight) (03:26) 10 Parisienne Walkways (03:20) 11 Sarah (03:23) 12 Still in Love With You (07:46) 13 Emerald (04:04) 14 Bad Reputation (03:08) 15 Killer on the Loose (03:53) 16 Chinatown (04:42) 17 Do Anything You Want To (03:52) 18 The Rocker (02:41) 19 Whiskey in the Jar (05:44) |
| Wild One: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy : Allmusic album Review : For the tenth anniversary of Phil Lynotts death, a new best-of collection was issued in most parts of the world except for America: Wild One: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy. While the Euro-version was a single disc that contained 19 tracks, the Japanese version contained a bonus disc comprised of ten rare live performances, all on par with Lizzys classic 1978 in-concert set, Live and Dangerous. In fact, two of the tracks were planned to appear on the aforementioned set, but were dropped due to time constrictions -- "Bad Reputation" and "Opium Trail" (both are must-hear, kick-ass versions). Featured on the live disc are renditions of "Are You Ready," "Chinatown," "Killer on the Loose," "Hollywood," "Got to Give It Up," and "Dear Miss Lonely Hearts" (the latter originally being a Lynott solo composition), among others. The best-of disc contains all the expected Lizzy faves, such as "Jailbreak," "Whisky in the Jar," "Waiting for an Alibi," "Still in Love With You," and more, but surprisingly, the song that the album is titled after is not included (which originally appeared on 1975s Fighting). Still, the live disc is worth the price of admission alone; any serious Lizzy fan should hunt down a Japanese copy. | ||
 | Album: 26 of 40 Title: Millennium Edition Released: 1999-12-27 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:10:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Whiskey in the Jar (promotional edited version) (03:44) 2 The Rocker (02:41) 3 Look What the Wind Blew In (03:20) 4 Randolphs Tango (U.S. edited single version) (03:49) 5 Sarah (version 1) (02:49) 6 Things Aint Workin Out Down at the Farm (version 1) (04:30) 7 Vagabond of the Western World (edited single version) (04:05) 8 Here I Go Again (03:47) 9 Buffalo Gal (05:30) 10 Honesty Is No Excuse (03:39) 11 Black Boys on the Corner (03:25) 12 Dublin (02:27) 13 Little Darling (02:56) 14 Brought Down (04:20) 15 Remembering, Part One (U.S. edited single version) (06:00) 16 Chatting Today (04:16) 17 Broken Dreams (04:26) 18 Little Girl in Bloom (U.S. edited single version) (05:06) |
| Millennium Edition : Allmusic album Review : It took Thin Lizzy a few years to build up speed and become the dueling-twin-guitar band we all knew and loved by the late 70s, as this 2000 import compilation, Millennium Edition shows. Relying heavily on leader Phil Lynotts poetic lyrics, and guitarist Eric Bells bluesy, Jimi Hendrix-like leads, the early version of Lizzy suffered a bit from an identity crisis -- often sounding too much like other workmanlike rock bands of the era. Included is the best known pre-1974 Lizzy track, "Whiskey in the Jar" (as a promotional edited version) which proved to be an enormous European hit at the time, as well as lesser-known yet worthwhile material ("Little Girl in Bloom," "Dublin," "Things Aint Workin Out Down at the Farm"). Also featured is an early version of a track that would later become a perennial concert closer, "The Rocker" (the only early Lizzy track that the latter-day version of the band would play on-stage). For an overview of early Lizzy, Millennium Edition is sufficient, but this era was not Lizzys strongest. | ||
 | Album: 27 of 40 Title: The Boys Are Back in Town Released: 2000 Tracks: 26 Duration: 1:44:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Jailbreak (04:00) 2 Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight) (03:26) 3 The Boys Are Back in Town (04:25) 4 Sarah (03:29) 5 Dont Believe a Word (02:17) 6 Solo in Soho (04:01) 7 Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed (03:41) 8 Cowboy Song (05:18) 9 Bad Reputation (03:08) 10 Rosalie (02:55) 11 Waiting for an Alibi (03:30) 12 King’s Call (03:40) 13 Emerald (04:02) 14 Old Town (03:18) 15 Whisky in the Jar (single version) (03:39) 16 The Sun Goes Down (06:19) 17 Roisin Bubh / Black Rose a Rock Legend (07:00) 18 Still in Love With You (BBC version) (05:33) 1 Beat on the Drum (03:45) 2 Somebody Elses Dream (04:23) 3 Night in the Life of a Blues Singer (04:58) 4 Dont Play Around (03:07) 5 Trouble Boys (03:33) 6 Memory Pain (04:43) 7 Just the Two of Us (02:44) 8 A Merry Jingle (03:09) |
 | Album: 28 of 40 Title: One Night Only Released: 2000 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:10:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Jailbreak (04:41) 2 Waiting for a Alibi (03:42) 3 Dont Believe a Word (02:38) 4 Cold Sweat (03:30) 5 The Sun Goes Down (07:40) 6 Are You Ready (03:06) 7 Bad Reputation (03:46) 8 Suicide (05:54) 9 Still in Love With You (08:44) 10 Cowboy Song (05:43) 11 The Boys Are Back in Town (05:11) 12 Rosalie (08:36) 13 Black Rose (07:41) |
| One Night Only : Allmusic album Review : Throughout the 90s, several ex-Thin Lizzy members would regroup from time to time to play tribute shows for their fallen leader, Phil Lynott. Eventually, guitarists Scott Gorham and John Sykes (the latter of whom also supplied lead vocals) decided to form a full-time, new version of Lizzy, supplemented by Darren Wharton (who was also a member of Lizzy towards the end), as well as hard rock studio vets Marco Mendoza (bass) and Tommy Aldridge (drums). 2000 saw the modern-day Lizzy lineup issue a live set for the CMC International label, One Night Only. Recorded a year previously, the album focuses primarily on songs from Lizzys prime years (1975 through 1979), as only a pair of post-1980 songs are included. Although the group is expectedly proficient at handing in dead-on renditions of such classics as "Jailbreak," "Dont Believe a Word," "Bad Reputation," "Cowboy Song," and "The Boys Are Back in Town," it soon becomes apparent that an essential ingredient is missing -- Lynott -- which leads to a sense that youre listening to a Lizzy cover band. That said, one positive thing about One Night Only is that it shows that the guitar talents of Sykes and Gorham still remain intact all these years later, as evidenced by the slow-burning ballad "Still in Love With You" and the album-closing six-string showcase, "Black Rose." With Lizzy having already handed in their definitive in-concert statement long ago (1978s stellar Live and Dangerous), the whole point of One Night Only is somewhat unclear. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 40 Title: Extended Versions Released: 2001 Tracks: 10 Duration: 48:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Boys Are Back in Town (05:07) 2 Dont Believe a Word (02:38) 3 Cold Sweat (03:26) 4 Jail Break (04:39) 5 Waiting for an Alibi (03:39) 6 Are You Ready (03:08) 7 Bad Reputation (03:43) 8 Cowboy Song (05:51) 9 Still in Love With You (08:48) 10 The Sun Goes Down (07:49) |
| Extended Versions : Allmusic album Review : During the early 21st century, the BMG Special Products label began issuing budget-priced, in-concert collections of classic rock acts, each going by the title of Extended Versions. But the series is slightly misleading, as most of the time they use latter-day recordings of the respective artists, most of which include little or no original members, such as the Thin Lizzy edition of Extended Versions. The ten-track set is basically a truncated version of the 13-track 2000 Lizzy release One Night Only, which featured a lineup of John Sykes on vocals/guitar, Scott Gorham on guitar, Darren Wharton on keyboards, Marco Mendoza on bass, and Tommy Aldridge on drums (the latter two of which were never members of Lizzy when their late leader, Phil Lynott, reigned supreme). The group pounds out faithful, workman-like renditions of such Lizzy classics as "The Boys Are Back in Town," "Jailbreak," "Cowboy Song," and "Still in Love With You," but you cant help but feel like youre listening to a Lizzy tribute band, rather than the real McCoy. If you caught the latter-day version of Lizzy in concert and want a faithful live document, Extended Versions is fine. But be forewarned -- if you dont already own the ultimate live album by the real Thin Lizzy lineup, 1978s Live and Dangerous, youll be banished to Siberia. | ||
 | Album: 30 of 40 Title: Vagabonds Kings Warriors Angels Released: 2001 Tracks: 73 Duration: 5:07:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Farmer (03:39) 2 The Friendly Ranger at Clontarf Castle (03:02) 3 Remembering Part 1 (06:01) 4 Dublin (02:27) 5 Remembering Part 2 (New Day) (05:05) 6 Things Aint Working Out Down at the Farm (04:30) 7 Buffalo Gal (05:30) 8 Sarah (02:59) 9 Brought Down (04:21) 10 Whiskey in the Jar (05:44) 11 Black Boys on the Corner (03:25) 12 Randolphs Tango (03:49) 13 Broken Dreams (04:26) 14 Vagabond of the Western World (04:45) 15 Little Girl in Bloom (05:15) 16 Slow Blues (05:13) 17 The Rocker (05:12) 18 Here I Go Again (03:51) 1 Cruising in the Lizzymobile (04:09) 2 Little Darling (02:58) 3 Sitamoia (03:23) 4 Philomena (03:43) 5 Still in Love With You (05:39) 6 Showdown (04:31) 7 Its Only Money (02:51) 8 Rosalie (02:57) 9 Half Caste (03:39) 10 Kings Vengeance (04:11) 11 Suicide (05:14) 12 Wild One (04:18) 13 Try a Little Harder (04:01) 14 Fighting My Way Back (03:14) 15 Jailbreak (04:02) 16 Romeo and the Lonely Girl (03:58) 17 The Boys Are Back in Town (04:25) 18 Cowboy Song (05:18) 19 Emerald (04:04) 1 Johnny (04:25) 2 Don’t Believe a Word (02:19) 3 Fools Gold (03:52) 4 Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed (03:42) 5 Massacre (03:02) 6 Soldier of Fortune (05:18) 7 Bad Reputation (03:08) 8 Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight) (03:26) 9 Killer Without a Cause (03:35) 10 Warrior (04:08) 11 Are You Ready (02:42) 12 Rosalie/Cowgirls Song (04:03) 13 Me and the Boys (03:37) 14 Parisienne Walkways (03:20) 15 Do Anything You Want To (03:52) 16 Waiting for an Alibi (03:30) 17 Sarah (03:31) 18 Got to Give It Up (04:25) 19 Roisin Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend (07:06) 20 Just the Two of Us (02:45) 1 Dear Miss Lonely Hearts (04:11) 2 King’s Call (03:40) 3 Chinatown (04:42) 4 Sugar Blues (05:39) 5 Killer on the Loose (03:54) 6 Dont Play Around (03:09) 7 Song for Jimi (04:50) 8 Renegade (06:09) 9 Hollywood (Down on Your Luck) (04:11) 10 Old Town (03:27) 11 Thunder and Lightning (04:55) 12 Cold Sweat (03:09) 13 The Sun Goes Down (06:19) 14 Sisters of Mercy (06:22) 15 Nineteen (05:28) 16 Night in the Life of a Blues Singer (04:58) |
| Vagabonds Kings Warriors Angels : Allmusic album Review : Thin Lizzy was a great band and Phil Lynott, the songwriter behind it, was a kind of visionary, pioneering a poetic, working-class aesthetic later echoed in his American counterpart, Bruce Springsteen, while also leading the groups various lineups through a staggering number of great guitarists, highlighted by the triple-attack of the Jailbreak era. That said, theyre the kind of great band that, unless youre dedicated, is perhaps better heard in isolated bursts, such as the classic Jailbreak or the peerless compilation Dedication, which successfully summarizes the band in 70 minutes. Often, their albums fluctuated between greatness and puzzling idiosyncratic detours -- the kind of thing you cherish once youre a fan, but the kind of thing that prevents many from converting in the first place. Which is why Dedication is such a welcome entry in their catalog, but for those who want more, without getting actual albums, the 2001 four-disc box set Vagabonds Kings Warriors Angels is a good bet, since it does whittle down a fairly extensive discography into a fairly lean, yet generous 73 tracks. Apart from some album tracks from Jailbreak and Bad Reputation, there really arent any truly great songs that didnt make it on Dedication, so this box will not provide revelations -- just other well-written, well-performed, eloquent hard rock, graced by Lynotts wonderfully unpredictable phrasing and consistently superb guitars. For collectors, theres a handful of rare tracks, usually from EPs and B-sides (the best of which is 1973 B-side "Cruising in the Lizzymobile," which is easily one of the greatest titles in rock), plus the requisite history and photographs. It does add up to a thorough, entertaining, and valuable history -- but probably not one necessary for those who already own all the albums; nor is it necessarily going to be satisfying for those already satiated by Jailbreak and Dedication, even if it does round up nearly all of the best of the rest of the albums. | ||
 | Album: 31 of 40 Title: The Hero and the Madman Released: 2002-08-12 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:14:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Little Girl in Bloom (05:08) 2 Chatting Today (04:16) 3 Randolphs Tango (03:47) 4 Remembering, Part 2 (New Day) (05:03) 5 A Song for While Im Away (05:11) 6 Gonna Creep Up on You (03:25) 7 Baby Face (03:18) 8 Brought Down (04:17) 9 Honesty Is No Excuse (03:37) 10 Clifton Grange Hotel (02:19) 11 The Hero and the Madman (06:04) 12 Things Aint Working Out Down on the Farm (04:29) 13 Diddy Levine (07:04) 14 I Dont Want to Forget How to Jive (01:46) 15 Ray-Gun (03:02) 16 Call the Police (03:37) 17 Slow Blues (05:13) 18 The Friendly Ranger at Clontarf Castle (03:03) |
 | Album: 32 of 40 Title: Thin Lizzy: Greatest Hits Released: 2004-06-07 Tracks: 36 Duration: 2:35:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Boys Are Back in Town (04:25) 2 Jailbreak (04:02) 3 Don’t Believe a Word (02:19) 4 Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight) (03:26) 5 Rosalie / Cowgirl’s Song (04:09) 6 Waiting for an Alibi (03:30) 7 Do Anything You Want To (03:52) 8 Sarah (03:31) 9 Chinatown (04:42) 10 Killer on the Loose (03:53) 11 Trouble Boys (03:33) 12 Hollywood (Down on Your Luck) (live) (04:40) 13 Cold Sweat (03:06) 14 Thunder and Lightning (04:55) 15 The Sun Goes Down (06:19) 16 Dedication (03:58) 17 Still in Love With You (05:49) 18 She Knows (05:14) 19 Yellow Pearl (02:57) 1 Whiskey in the Jar (05:44) 2 Out in the Fields (04:17) 3 Parisienne Walkways (03:21) 4 Emerald (live) (04:45) 5 Bad Reputation (03:08) 6 Wild One (04:20) 7 Fighting My Way Back (03:14) 8 Showdown (04:31) 9 Roísín Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend (07:04) 10 Dear Miss Lonely Hearts (04:11) 11 The Rocker (02:41) 12 Are You Ready (02:56) 13 Renegade (06:09) 14 King’s Call (03:40) 15 Angel of Death (06:18) 16 Cowboy Song (live) (05:30) 17 The Boys Are Back in Town (live) (04:59) |
 | Album: 33 of 40 Title: The Silver Collection Released: 2007 Tracks: 10 Duration: 44:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Whisky in the Jar (05:43) 2 Sarah (02:47) 3 Gonna Creep Up on You (03:25) 4 Call the Police (03:37) 5 Shades of a Blue Orphanage (07:04) 6 The Hero and the Madman (06:04) 7 Baby Face (03:19) 8 Broken Dreams (04:26) 9 Buffalo Gal (05:30) 10 Dublin (02:26) |
 | Album: 34 of 40 Title: The Rocker Released: 2007-06-11 Tracks: 28 Duration: 2:02:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Whiskey in the Jar (05:44) 2 The Rocker (05:11) 3 Sarah (02:51) 4 Little Darling (02:56) 5 Baby Face (03:27) 6 Mama Nature Said (04:48) 7 A Song for While Im Away (05:11) 8 Call the Police (03:37) 9 Slow Blues (05:13) 10 Sitamoia (03:23) 11 Gonna Creep Up on You (03:27) 12 The Hero and the Madman (06:08) 13 Vagabonds of the Western World (04:41) 14 Little Girl in Bloom (05:12) 1 Black Boys on the Corner (03:25) 2 Randolphs Tango (03:51) 3 Broken Dreams (04:26) 4 Honesty Is No Excuse (03:42) 5 Remembering Part 1 (06:02) 6 Things Aint Working Out Down at the Farm (04:30) 7 Dublin (02:27) 8 Brought Down (04:21) 9 Look What the Wind Blew In (03:26) 10 Return of the Farmer’s Son (04:16) 11 Buffalo Gal (05:30) 12 Here I Go Again (03:51) 13 Shades of a Blue Orphanage (07:06) 14 Old Moon Madness (03:55) |
 | Album: 35 of 40 Title: UK Tour 75 Released: 2008-09-08 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:18:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Fighting My Way Back (03:51) 2 It’s Only Money (03:34) 3 Wild One (04:24) 4 For Those Who Love to Live (05:05) 5 Still in Love With You (09:22) 6 Showdown (05:32) 7 Suicide (05:07) 8 Rosalie (03:59) 9 The Rocker (03:55) 10 Sha La La (07:09) 11 Baby Drives Me Crazy (06:24) 12 Me and the Boys (06:43) 13 Cowboy Song (Derby Blues) (06:49) 14 Little Darling (03:13) 15 Sound Check Jam (02:47) |
| UK Tour 75 : Allmusic album Review : Here is a slice of Thin Lizzy at their proverbial best touring the U.K. in 1975 in support of Fighting, the album released the year before they ripped the lid off it with Jailbreak. As such, this set reveals -- albeit with a little less in terms of sound quality since this is clearly a radio broadcast -- Lizzy as one of the greatest live bands in history. The recording was done officially, the release is questionable. Everything is audible with only the slightest sound deterioration here, (and the song selection is terrific from the early years); the performance is just on fire. "The Rocker" is here, as is a stunning rendition of "Cowboy Song," an overdriven "Me and the Boys," "Fighting My Way Back to You," and "The Wild One," to name the blasters. The midtempo selections include their amazing cover of Bob Segers "Rosalie" (the songwriter should have quit performing it after Lizzy issued it on their album), and an electric blues rendition of "Still in Love with You." For those who worship at this particular rock altar and dont have this show, its most definitely a necessity -- especially since there are four never-before-released live cuts! | ||
 | Album: 36 of 40 Title: Still Dangerous: Live at Tower Theatre Philadelphia 1977 Released: 2009-03-02 Tracks: 10 Duration: 47:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Soldier of Fortune (05:26) 2 Jailbreak (04:28) 3 Cowboy Song (05:05) 4 The Boys Are Back in Town (04:46) 5 Dancing in the Moonlight (04:09) 6 Massacre (03:03) 7 Opium Trail (04:52) 8 Dont Believe a Word (02:25) 9 Baby Drives Me Crazy (06:12) 10 Me and the Boys (06:58) |
| Still Dangerous: Live at Tower Theatre Philadelphia 1977 : Allmusic album Review : Thin Lizzys Live and Dangerous album ranks among the most beloved and, if you believe the gossip, the most controversial concert recording of its age. On the surface, it is dynamic -- four vinyl sides of pure Lizzy gold. But underneath, who knows what studio trickery was employed to make the electricity crackle so loudly? The band shrugged and said very little; the producer claimed a lot, and the truth could be anywhere in between. Well, stop fighting. Live and Dangerous was a compilation drawn from a string of gigs recorded during 1976-1977; Still Dangerous zeroes in on just one, from the tail end of that span, and if you truly believe there are any critical differences between the two, then maybe you should find other ways of occupying your time. Seven songs (but not performances) carry over from one disc to the other -- you can probably guess which ones they are -- and in terms of energy, drive, and sheer exhilaration, theres not a sliver of daylight between them. "Jailbreak," all howling sirens and screaming guitars, is sensational (even if Phil Lynott does muff the occasional line); "Dancing in the Moonlight" is as coiled and sensuous as it ought to be; "Dont Believe a Word" is manic defiance. And then theres that indelible moment of magic that raised a Lizzy concert so high above the competition that it wasnt even worth going to see another band, a soaring "Cowboy Song" slipping deftly and deliberately into "The Boys Are Back in Town," while the entire audience self-combusts with joy. In other words, Live and Dangerous is still one of the greatest live albums ever made. And Still Dangerous is one of the greatest concert recordings. Its as simple, and brilliant, as that. | ||
 | Album: 37 of 40 Title: Icon Released: 2011 Tracks: 11 Duration: 47:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Whiskey in the Jar (05:44) 2 The Rocker (05:11) 3 Still in Love With You (05:49) 4 Rosalie (03:13) 5 Boys Are Back in Town (04:24) 6 Jailbreak (04:02) 7 Cowboy Song (05:18) 8 Borderline (04:33) 9 Don’t Believe a Word (02:18) 10 Bad Reputation (03:08) 11 Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight) (03:26) |
| Icon : Allmusic album Review : Universals 2011 collection Icon rounds up 11 of Thin Lizzys greatest: the hits "The Boys Are Back in Town," "Whiskey in the Jar," and "Jailbreak," the anthems "Bad Reputation" and "Cowboy Song," and such favorites as "Dont Believe a Word," "Rosalie," "The Rocker," and "Dancing in the Moonlight." There are other comps that dig deeper, including the excellent Dedication, but this serves up a clean straight shot of their basics. | ||
 | Album: 38 of 40 Title: Waiting for an Alibi: The Collection Released: 2011-04-04 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:18:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Boys Are Back in Town (04:25) 2 The Rocker (02:41) 3 Waiting for an Alibi (03:30) 4 Whiskey in the Jar (03:43) 5 Emerald (04:04) 6 Dont Believe a Word (02:20) 7 Kings Vengeance (04:10) 8 Wild One (04:20) 9 Philomena (03:43) 10 Still in Love With You (05:40) 11 Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight) (03:26) 12 Soldier of Fortune (05:19) 13 Opium Trail (03:58) 14 Massacre (live) (02:56) 15 Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed (live) (03:45) 16 Killer on the Loose (03:53) 17 Hollywood (Down on Your Luck) (04:12) 18 Bad Reputation (03:08) 19 Jailbreak (live) (04:05) 20 Thunder and Lightning (04:56) |
| Waiting for an Alibi: The Collection : Allmusic album Review : This 2011 budget-priced U.K. collection offers up a nice balance between Thin Lizzy’s radio hits ( “Boys Are Back in Town,” “Whiskey in the Jar,” “Killer on the Loose," "Dancin’ in the Moonlight”) and overlooked gems like “Soldier of Fortune,” “Opium Trail,” and “King’s Vengeance.” Twenty tracks strong, Waiting for an Alibi: The Collection holds its own against other single-disc overviews like 2004’s Greatest Hits and 2006’s Definitive Collection (2002’s exhaustive box set Vagabonds Kings Warriors and Angels still provides the most bang for the buck) and provides the perfect gateway for listeners looking to get their first fix of Ireland’s first heavy rockers. | ||
 | Album: 39 of 40 Title: Live in London 2011: 23.01.2011 Indigo2 Released: 2011-04-25 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:44:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Are You Ready (03:54) 2 Waiting for an Alibi (03:16) 3 Jailbreak (04:27) 4 Do Anything You Want To (04:20) 5 Don’t Believe a Word (02:18) 6 Dancing in the Moonlight (03:38) 7 Massacre (03:15) 8 Killer on the Loose (04:04) 9 Angel of Death (06:54) 10 Still in Love With You (08:49) 11 Whiskey in the Jar (06:37) 1 Emerald (05:45) 2 Hollywood (04:38) 3 Sha La La La (05:51) 4 Cowboy Song (06:06) 5 The Boys Are Back in Town (07:05) 6 Rosalie (06:11) 7 Bad Reputation (04:43) 8 Rocker (04:14) 9 Black Rose (08:17) |
 | Album: 40 of 40 Title: Collected Released: 2012 Tracks: 55 Duration: 3:46:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Look What the Wind Blew In (03:23) 2 Things Aint Working Out Down at the Farm (04:32) 3 Diddy Levine (07:08) 4 Dublin (02:31) 5 Buffalo Gal (05:30) 6 Baby Face (03:26) 7 Sarah (version 1) (02:58) 8 Whiskey in the Jar (promotional edited version) (03:44) 9 The Rocker (02:41) 10 Mama Nature Said (04:50) 11 Little Girl in Bloom (05:10) 12 Cruising in the Lizzymobile (04:09) 13 Still in Love With You (05:40) 14 Philomena (03:42) 15 She Knows (05:16) 16 Showdown (04:31) 17 Wild One (04:19) 1 Suicide (05:14) 2 Rosalie (02:56) 3 Fighting My Way Back (03:13) 4 Kings Vengeance (04:11) 5 The Boys Are Back in Town (04:27) 6 Jailbreak (04:01) 7 Cowboy Song (05:18) 8 Emerald (04:04) 9 Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed (03:41) 10 Borderline (04:32) 11 Dont Believe a Word (02:19) 12 Bad Reputation (03:08) 13 Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight) (03:26) 14 That Womans Gonna Break Your Heart (03:27) 15 Soldier of Fortune (05:18) 16 Opium Trail (03:56) 17 Do Anything You Want To (03:52) 18 Got to Give It Up (04:24) 19 Toughest Street in Town (03:57) 1 Waiting for an Alibi (03:30) 2 Sarah (version 3) (03:28) 3 Just the Two of Us (02:45) 4 King’s Call (03:40) 5 Tattoo (Giving It All Up for Love) (03:19) 6 Jamaican Rum (02:42) 7 Killer on the Loose (03:53) 8 Chinatown (04:42) 9 We Will Be Strong (05:10) 10 Hollywood (Down on Your Luck) (04:11) 11 Angel of Death (06:18) 12 Old Town (03:26) 13 Yellow Pearl (first 7" remix) (02:56) 14 Cold Sweat (03:09) 15 Bad Habits (04:05) 16 The Sun Goes Down (06:19) 17 Thunder and Lightning (04:55) 18 Nineteen (extended version) (05:26) 19 Dedication (03:58) |