1641 - Thin Lizzy Running Back 1976

1976 was the year that Thin Lizzy finally broke through commercially and critically, and they did so in a big way. For Jailbreak, Lynott crafted a suite of songs that had a vague thematic linking. Clear antecedents to his verbose (and grandiose) compositional style include Bruce Springsteen. Like the Boss, Lynott set out to create songs of power and grandeur. In doing so he and his bandmates (Downey plus dual lead guitarists Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson) made one of the most influential hard rock albums of the decade. In terms of instrumentation, Jailbreak’s sonic approach is fairly basic and no-frills: guitar, guitar, more guitar, bass and drums. But on Lynott’s “Running Back,” the song is built upon a foundation of (session overdubbed) electric piano, and adorned with sax lines redolent of Springsteen or fellow Irishman Van Morrison. Percussion accoutrements even include handclaps(!), making “Running Back” the most pop-oriented number on the record.

1543 - Thin Lizzy Dear Lord 1977

Thin Lizzy came from Ireland, with members mostly being strictly working class; in addition to that, Phil Lynott was black, and some have quite justly pointed out that this rendered him "double outcast" in among the all-white European rock crowd of the day, especially since Hendrix had already gone by the time of Lizzy's arrival on the scene. Add to this his personal problems and a radical drugs & alcohol involvement that eventually led to his untimely death in 1986, and you pretty much get the picture of why so much of his material comes across as totally authentic and tear-bringing. The songs on ‘Bad Reputation,’ originally released in 1977, are full of Lynott’s lyrical vignettes backed by pounding drums and the dual-lead guitar harmonies. Most of the tracks feature only three-quarters of the band, with guitarist Brian Robertson only credited on three tracks. He had missed most of their previous tour, following an injury sustained in a brawl, and this album turned out to be his last studio effort with Thin Lizzy. With Robertson out of the band, Lynott had decided that Scott Gorham would be able to handle all the guitar duties himself, and that no replacement for Robertson would be recruited prior to recording the album. However, Gorham believed that a second guitarist was required, particularly for live work, performing songs that were written for two guitars. He later said, "I was always a big believer in the magic circle – once you broke the magic circle. Gorham persuaded Lynott to allow Robertson to return to the band to record some solos. Lynott relented, and Robertson flew to Toronto and recorded his lead guitar parts. However, he initially refused to socialise with the other band members: "Christ, I wouldn't even have a drink with them," he said. He later added, "I tried not to go out to clubs for about a week, then succumbed...". With its uplifting vocals and upbeat riff, "Dear Lord" is a happy end to "Bad Reputation". The solos are great here, and Phil´s lyrics are heartfelt.

604 - Thin Lizzy Massacre 1976

"Johnny The Fox" is, in general, a serious and grim record, as contrasted to the rather lightweight and even playful Jailbreak. The guitars are all tuned according to Mr Iommi's legacy, and this results in such tracks like 'Massacre' that are heavier than anything previously recorded by the band.

556 - Thin Lizzy Thunder and Lightning 1983

For "Thunder and Lightning" Thin Lizzy went all out and recorded what is arguably the heaviest album in their career, partially due to the intricate guitar work of John Sykes (who would later work with Whitesnake and form his own group called Blue Murder). Phil Lynott's voice is in top form on the album, which contains this fast title track.

492 - Thin Lizzy Don't Believe A Word 1976

"Johnny the Fox" is the seventh studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1976. This album was written and recorded while bassist/vocalist Phil Lynott was recovering from a bout of hepatitis that put him off the road halfway through the Jailbreak tour. "Don't Believe A Word" was a British hit single.

372 - Thin Lizzy Wild One 1975

Led by Phil Lynott, a tall black Irishman who always oozed charisma (he was one of those guys who all the ladies loved and the guys wanted to hang with), Thin Lizzy (named after a robot character in a comic strip) were one of the best hard rock bands ever. The band's sound was built around Robertson and Gorham’s harmonized guitars, as their dual guitar chemistry consistently coalesced into a single entity, creating one of most perfectly realized guitar tones in all of rock in the process (one that would greatly influence many later bands like Iron Maiden and Metallica, to name but two). The melodic guitars are sad on “Wild One,” which became (unfortunately) something of a theme song for the self-destructive Lynott. The guitars are all but weeping on this one, marking it as a true Thin Lizzy classic.

205 - Thin Lizzy The Boys Are Back in Town 1976

Despite a huge hit single in the mid-'70s ("The Boys Are Back in Town") and becoming a popular act with hard rock/heavy metal fans, Thin Lizzy are still, in the pantheon of '70s rock bands, underappreciated. Formed in the late '60s by Irish singer/songwriter/bassist Phil Lynott, Lizzy, though not the first band to do so, combined romanticized working-class sentiments with their ferocious, twin-lead guitar attack. This song came out in 1976 on their album Jailbreak. It is played after most Republic of Ireland football matches.

87 - Thin Lizzy Whiskey in the jar 1973

From their formation in Dublin in the late 60s up until their dissolution in September 1983, Thin Lizzy released some of the finest rock albums of their era. Not only that, but they managed the rare feat of being a credible rock band who released great singles.And in Phil Lynott they had possibly the coolest frontman ever to squeeze into leather trousers. Their early three piece line-up featuring guitarist Eric Bell scored some success with their version of Irish folk standard ''Whiskey in the Jar'', but Lizzy's most enduring line-up came after Bell was replaced by the twin guitar attack of Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham. The band recorded this rock version of an old Irish folk tune called "Whiskey In The Jar.