First time around, while growing up in the mid-’70s, I wasn’t all that into Thin Lizzy. Nor were any of my friends.
“Jailbreak” and “The Boys Are Back In Town” — a couple of the greatest FM rock songs of the time — were the only Thin Lizzy songs I knew.
Until now, that is. I’m 10 songs along, having heard the new record from Thin Lizzy. It’s a live album, recorded on Thursday, Oct. 20, 1977 — the night Lynyrd Skynyrd’s plane went down — at the Tower Theatre in Philadelphia, during the “Bad Reputation” tour.
Now I get it. Now I get what all the fuss was about. What I’m digging for the first time, many of you have been digging for three decades.
I’m sure I didn’t appreciate Phil Lynott’s distinctive voice, his distinctive style of singing and storytelling, when I was younger.
I’m sure I wouldn’t have been open to the band’s different styles — hard rock, pub rock, blues, soul, even a little folk — when I was younger.
Scott Gorham, one of Thin Lizzy’s guitarists then and now, found the old tapes and enlisted veteran producer Glyn Johns to remix and remaster it. It’s not a perfect-sounding record. Live albums rarely are, especially those drawn from 32-year-old tapes. Even with the drums too high in the mix, it’s still good enough to convince me.
“Still Dangerous” has three tracks from the “Jailbreak” album (the title song, “The Boys Are Back In Town” and “Cowboy Song”), two from “Johnny the Fox” (“Don’t Believe A Word” and “Massacre”) and three from “Bad Reputation” (“Soldier of Fortune,” “Opium Trail” and “Dancing in the Moonlight”). There’s also “Baby Drives Me Crazy,” which also was on “Live & Dangerous.”
Here, then, the song less heard. It’s a scorching, stomping, take-no-prisoners tour de force that closes this set.
“Me and the Boys,” Thin Lizzy, from “Still Dangerous,” 2009.
AM, Then FM 
Why I dig Thin Lizzy?! Why doesn’t everyone dig freakin Thin Lizzy!
But I have to make a sad confession: I first encountered them in the movie “Detroit Rock City”. Yeah you know I’ve just turned 21, I wasn’t able to dig them over 3 decades… sadly!!
But that movie, including it’s soundtrack changed my life. I started playing drums and guitar and played in several hard rock bands till now. Reason where those hot riffs! Ever since I first heard the harmonic solos of “The boys are back in town” I desperately needed to create something like this too.
Btw, awesome blog! I read it a lot!
Greetz
How’s this for weird? Going out with Karen at the time, we used to listen to the album Jailbreak (OK – she tolerated me playing it). I used to tell her that the track ‘Emerald’ was one of ‘our songs’.
Real romantic, huh? Still my favorite Thin Lizzie song though.
Thin Lizzy is one kick ass band. I had friends who were in a band in the late 70’s, early 80’s and they played a lot of TL. I wish I had appreciated them more when they were still touring. I would love to see them now but it is too late. RIP Phil.
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I remember cruising up to Wisconsin Dells with good friend Ken on hot summer night in the mid 70’s. Thin Lizzy cranked up on the car stereo – trying to pick up vacationing Illinois girls along the Lake Delton strip.
The boy’s we’re back in town that night.
*Bill in Milwaukee
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