Thin Lizzy: Mama Nature Said
From: Vegabonds of the Western World [Dream, 1973]
and Renegade
From: Renagade [Warner Bros, 1981]

I have developed a love for Thin Lizzy that really isn’t like any other band I like. To me they are the perfect blend of hard rock, melodic vocals and brilliant guitar playing. They never went so much as Platinum in the United State but were able to play epic shows around the world. It seems weird to me that they never blew up in the United States. They were like a precursor to Iron Maiden, another group that seemingly should have been just as big if not bigger than their peers in the United States and also were a band that was quite possibly the biggest hard rock/metal band in the world at one point.

The way I got into Thin Lizzy was the way in which I’ve found inroads to many of my musical passions and that was through a underrated film that is part pulp action movie, part comedy and part hard rock musical. A Knight’s Tale was so weird it’s surprisng that it was ever made and by a studio no less. Taking a medieval action story it used Thin Lizzy, Queen and David Bowie as it’s soundtrack. When I saw their use of Thin Lizzy’s The Boy’s Are Back In Town I realized how perfect it is. That led to me buying Jailbreak and then came the whole catalogue.

Thin Lizzy by and large is an album band. Generally their albums don’t dissapoint. Jailbreak includes the singles Jailbreak and The Boy’s are Back in Town and standouts Cowboy Song and Emerald. The rest of the album holds together just as well and is the perfect place to start. Thin Lizzy put out twelve studio albums and the two songs I’ve chosen showcase the beginning and end of their career.

Mama Nature Said is a perfect showcase of dueling guitar work, hustling drums and smooth vocals. Phil Lynott the Bass guitarist and vocalist was like a Rich Man’s Hendrix on vocals. Backed by various guitarists throughout his career including Brian Robertson also of Motorhead and Scott Gorham. The two part guitar was used as a method for making the music flow together rather than to simply blast the listener with guitar solos. However once the guitars were let loose they were nothing but soulfully fun.

Renegade captures Thin Lizzy at their most toned down. It starts slow but the music picks up (it always does in a Thin Lizzy song). It’s hard not to have the lyrics of Thin Lizzy resonate as you listen. Rebels and outcasts were the main protagonists and its impossible not to hear the truth and experiences that Phil is describing. He’s singing to the listener and for himself at the same time. It’s an amazing thing.

I’m just happy they were able to get out twelve studio albums and Phil was able to finish two solo albums before his death at 36 but it’s still a shame we missed out on possibly years of great music. Outside of the music the most telling factor of Thin Lizzy’s success is in the bands who list them as influences, everyone from Ted Leo and the Pharmacists to The Hold Steady.