There are some songs that feel like they’ve just always existed, so ingrained in rock history that you don’t even stop to wonder where they came from. The Boys Are Back in Town by Thin Lizzy is one of those songs. That twin guitar riff, the storytelling lyrics, the swagger—it all feels so quintessentially rock and roll. So you can imagine my surprise when I learned that Thin Lizzy wasn’t some all-American bar band but actually a British, technically Irish, group. I picked up that little fact while listening to the “This is Vinyl Tap” podcast and suddenly realized I didn’t know nearly as much about Thin Lizzy as I thought.
The band was formed in Dublin in 1969, led by bassist and singer Phil Lynott, whose distinct vocal style and poetic lyrics gave them their own unique identity. The Boys Are Back in Town became their breakout hit in 1976, propelled by that signature guitar harmonization from Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson. It’s a song about friendship, wild nights, and the kind of larger-than-life characters you only meet in your favorite dive bar. Apparently, the song almost didn’t even make the Jailbreak album until the record label heard it and knew they had a hit on their hands.
Thin Lizzy never quite reached the mainstream status of some of their contemporaries, but their impact is undeniable. The Boys Are Back in Town still feels like an anthem decades later, the perfect soundtrack for any night out. And thanks to a podcast, I got a crash course in a band I should have known more about all along.
Fun Fact: Two of the guys who started Thin Lizzy, Phil Lynott on bass and vocals and Brian Downey on drums, met back in school in Dublin during the early ’60s.
Fun Fact II: Before Thin Lizzy, Lynott was in a ‘60s band called Skid Row with future Thin Lizzy bandmate Gary Moore. But after getting his tonsils taken out, Phil got the boot since he couldn’t sing for a while.
Fun Fact III: Thin Lizzy’s first single, “The Farmer,” came out on July 31, 1970, through Parlophone. They pressed 500 copies, but only 283 ended up selling.
Fun Fact IV: Jim Fitzpatrick was the artist who created the album art for Jailbreak. He is most known for his iconic two-tone portrait of Che Guevara.
Song: “The Boys Are Back In Town”
Artist: Thin Lizzy
Album: Jailbreak
Year: 1976
Guess who just got back today
Them wild-eyed boys that had been away
Haven’t changed, had much to say
But man, I still think them cats are crazy
They were askin’ if you were around
How you was, where you could be found
Told them you were livin’ downtown
Drivin’ all the old men crazy
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
I said, the boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town
You know that chick that used to dance a lot
Every night, she’d be on the floor, shakin’ what she’d got
Man, when I tell you she was cool, she was red hot
I mean, she was steamin’
And that time over at Johnny’s place
Well, this chick got up and she slapped Johnny’s face
Man, we just fell about the place
If that chick don’t want to know, forget her
Friday night, they’ll be dressed to kill
Down at Dino’s Bar ‘n’ Grill
The drink will flow and blood will spill
And if the boys want to fight, you better let ’em
That jukebox in the corner blastin’ out my favorite song
The nights are getting warmer, it won’t be long
Won’t be long ’til the summer comes
Now that the boys are here again
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My name is Michael Sanchez and I’m an avid record collector and obscure song searcher. My goal is to post (hopefully) one song a day that’s been on my stereo/turntable frequently. If you don’t like the song… too bad 🙂 You can just wait for the next one. I do use A.I. here and there to help with writing and grammar. All the info I find is from wikipedia/youtube/interviews/news articles/personal stories I’ve heard/random googling. If you notice any mistakes, let me know or just keep it inside and be mad. Thanks!
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