The Top 10 Thin Lizzy Albums...

..as picked by lil ol' Sammy Jo here.

10 'Fighting' (1975)


Phil decided to produce this one, so frustrated with getting people to get the sound of the band down on tape. There's the famous version of the Bob Seger's 'Rosalie', there's 'For Those That love To Live', 'Suicide', 'Wild One'. Good album.

9 'Nightlife' (1974)


A little lightweight in sound, but some lovely songs and playing. It begins with 'She Knows', so...y'know, it's gonna be cool. The funky blues of the title track. It's got the track named after his mum, 'Philomena' and there's 'Sha La La', a staple of their live shows. Good album. Not the best thing that producer Ron Nevison has done though.

8 'Thin Lizzy' (1971)


Oh, I do love this album. Their debut, recorded by the original three piece. Literally done in just a handful of days in April, 1971 after the band came over from Ireland to London. It has 'Honesty Is No Excuse', 'Ray-Gun', 'Look What The Wind Blew In' (my fav) and 'Eire' as highlights. Very much of it's time, steeped in that Hendrix kind of style, mixed with some folk. Nothing like where they would eventually end up, but a lovely album non the less.

7 'Chinatown' (1980)


New guitarist time, one Snowy White this time, and a fine produced piece of work. It has the title track, which is great, there's the 'Killer On The Loose' and the controversy surrounding that. Good song, and Phil talking about ladykiller in the romantic sense, but tying it to the ongoing (at the time) serial killing of women by Jack The Ripper? Oh dear! Bad move. Still, it has 'Having A Good Time' too. Not a bad little album.

6 'Thunder & Lightning' (1983)


Their swan song album. New guitarist, this time we have John Sykes and his blistering style and sound, adding a more hard rock sound to the band. Actually, this was perhaps the heaviest album that they ever made. It starts, furiously, with the title track - my fav on the album - and has the hit single 'Cold Sweat'. It has one of the most atmospheric songs they ever did in 'The Sun Goes Down' and there's some interesting chord changes (so I'm told by my daughter) in 'Someday She's Gonna Hit Back'. Sad that they came to a close.

5 'Black Rose : A Rock Legend' (1979)


Two words. Gary Moore. Two sentences. "Holy shit! How am I gonna compete with him?", said guitarist Scott Gorham to Phil Lynott about their new(ish) recruit. Famously recorded in Paris, France under the band (but not Gary) in a heroin haze, they still came out with a wonderful collection. There's the affirmation happy 'Do Anything You Want To', a big hit single at the time. Likewise 'Waiting For An Alibi'. There's the tender 'Sarah', written about Phil's daughter, and the title track that has all those Irish reels in the middle section, all shredded by Mr Moore. Again
with Mr Viscounti, and perhaps their best sounding album.

4 'Johnny The Fox' (1976)


An aborted tour of the US, after Phil contracted Hepatitis (the perils of sharing needles) and a stay, back home in the UK to coverless. What to do? Write the next album! The title track is just amazing - on of my favs - and there's the wonderful poetry on 'Fool's Gold'. There's 'Don't Believe A Word' too, the big single...oh, and 'Massacre' and 'Borderline'.

3 'Jailbreak' (1976)


Do or die time for Phil and the gang. After having a one-off hit single, in '73, in the UK, and a big(ish) selling album, a change of record labels and 2 albums that really didn't capture the band, that did nothing really, business wise, their backs were against the wall. Using John Alcock, and The Who's own studios they came out, after 3 months of diligent hard work with this. The production is a bit lightweight, but...my goodness, the songs shine through! Classic album stuff...and it has 'The Boys Are Back In Town', 'Angel From The Coast', 'Emerald' and 'Cowboy Song'...how could it fail?

2 'Bad Reputation' (1977)


Famously recorded as a trio, mainly, after the whole Robbo defending Frankie Miller in a drunken brawl the eve of an American tour, and getting kicked out the band. Great songs. Scott Gorham, the other lead guitarist in the group, taking over the reins and playing some very melodic solos and parts. Produced by Toni Viscounti, in Toronto, and featuring some wonderful songs - 'Soldier Of Fortune', 'Bad Reputation', 'Southbound'...oh, I could go on! So...I will! Featuring the huge hit, the funky 'Dancing In The Moonlight (It's Caught Me In It's Spotlight)'. I love 'Dear Lord', the closing track too. Footnote, I was chatting to Steve and Joe of Def Leppard, back in the day (1977)
about this very album when I was 7 when I first (and only time) met them.

1 'Live And Dangerous' (1978)


Regularly posted as one of the greatest live albums ever, you can see why. In the UK, Thin Lizzy were king of the 70's, with a raft of big selling albums and singles. This is, in effect, a live greatest hits album. I mean, you start with 'Jailbreak', there's 'Emerald', 'Southbound', 'Rosalie/Cowgirl Song'...and that's just the first side, in old money, of the first album of this double album collective. Recorded at Hammy-O in London, Seneca College Fieldhouse, Toronto and Tower Theatre, Philadelphia by the wonderful Tony Visconti, it's a heck of a ride. I mean, there's the
definitive version of 'Still In Love With You', featuring that guitar solo. It was a No 1 in the UK, so I'm led to believe.

So...there you have it. MY fav Thin Lizzy albums. Feel free to discuss and pop up your thoughts...


🥰

SJD x