It just struck me how little you hear of their music now, such a great band. Massively charismatic front man belting out classic albums such as Chinatown, Jonny the fox, bad reputation, Jailbreak etc. Live and dangerous - what a live album that is.
Listening to the title track to Chinatown, what a track. To my mind, a hugely under appreciated band
Not by me âŚalthough I do wonder how their lyrics would go down with the yoof of today.
M
One of my favourite rock acts. They were touring a lot when I was young but for some reason I never got to see them, huge regret.
Super band, love them and stil play them often. Saw them on his last tour in Manchester and they were superb
I enjoy Thin Lizzy, but some/most of the lyrics are perhaps a little dated.
"Down at the juke joint me and the boys are stompinâ
Bippinâ anâ boppinâ and telling a dirty joke or two
In walked this chick and I new she was up to something
And I kissed her right there out of the blue
I said, âHey baby, meet me Iâm a tough guy
Got my cycle outside, wanna try?â
She just looked at me and rolled them big eyes and said
âOoh, Iâd do anything for you, 'cause youâre a rockerâ "
Sure, but I think you have to be a little careful of not being too revisionist. For example, they also wrote touching love song as well, old flame of mine:-
Thereâs a girl Iâll remember
Oh for such a long, long time
This girl Iâll remember
She was an old flame of mine
Beneath the stars just sipping wine
Young lovers then in summertime
Iâll always remember
That old flame of mine
And love, she comes and goes
True love, she hides then shows
My love, may I propose
That love, she comes and goes
Two hearts together, two hearts alight
To keep us warm on winter nights
With each dying ember
I remember that old flame of mine
Once this flame it did brightly blaze
Among the ashes there still remains
A glowing spark in my heart
For that old flame of mine
Brilliant band but suffered from their lyrics, their gung-ho approach to substance abuse, and their videos.
Killer On The Loose is one of my top tracks and the slightly manic dropping-in-pitch laughter in the bridge used to entertain my son hugely when he was a toddler (watch out, nasty man is hereâŚ), but the video and the song caused problems even then when it was first made & shown, back in the 80s.
A great band whose lyrics I think weâre often a little tongue in cheek than fully intended.
Mind you, Mr Lynotts invitation to the girls on Live And Dangerous to acquire a little more Irish in them would probably now see him castigated on social media.
I agree my friend, a very much underrated band, a true classic group of the 70âs, sadly missed by an awful lot of fans, their music has formed a lot of teenagers lives such as myself, itâs such a shame their music is not played more.
I was at that gig when it was recordedâŚâŚhe had a grin when he said it, just mischief.
One of the best bands I saw live in my youth⌠Hammersmith Odeon a long time ago.
Even better as I did not have to pay for ticket, mates girlfriend did not want to go so he turned up on doorstep and off we went⌠did pay for the beer all night.
Ah wis there anâ aw!
Small world, isnât it ⌠too many retrospectively po-faced folk these days.
Or over-rated? Probably somewhere between the two. I saw them live a couple of times and enjoyed the gigs, but their recorded efforts fall, for me, a little flat. Metallicaâs version of âWhiskey In The Jarâ shows how good it can sound. Lynottâs vocals never quite hit the spot - he always seemed to be trying just a little too hard, whereas Hetfield simply has âitâ in spades!
âWhiskey in the Jarâ was played on repeat on the pub juke box by the Irish lads in 1972-3. I was thinking about posting on the Folk thread. I donât recall any of their other tracks, I think this was the hit single.
One of my all-time favourite songs - I even like The Dublinersâ version!
I have a bio of Phil Lynott - Cowboy Song - The Authorised Biography - by Graeme Thompson. Worth a read, if you have an interest in Thin Lizzy.
Ultimately, too many drugs did for Philo. What a waste.
I saw them around 80 thought them over ratted. Apparently Bob Geldof always regrets not going to see Phil and telling him to get straight and get TL back together for Live Aid felt it might have saved him.
The Dubliners later did a version with the Pogues. Burl Ives, Jerry Garcia and even Icelandic bands.
Wikipedia
I have a shelf full of musiciansâ biographies bought for me over the years as presents by my children. Unfortunately the bios have about the same appeal for me as the majority of song lyrics - approximately zero! I buy the music, I listen to the music. Reading the lyrics because I canât make them out by ear, or reading about the lives of the performers just does nothing for me. I guess thatâs why 95% of the reality dross shown on TV holds no interest for me. Each to their own, as ever, but thanks for the recommendation.
Looks like most of us were at the Hammersmith Odeon that night in November. Saw them earlier that year as well, at the tiny Croydon Greyhound with Graham Parker and the Rumour as support. Phil was a true rocker and a great frontman.