Thin Lizzy's 10 greatest songs, ranked

4 September 2024, 13:22

Thin Lizzy in 1974. Picture: Getty Images

By Mayer Nissim

We round up ten of the Boys' very greatest.

Loading audio...

Thin Lizzy were one of the all-time great guitar bands.

They released 12 classic albums, each packed with hard rock classics and swoonsome ballads.

Led by Phil Lynott, the band weren't just about absolutely massive riffs, but also lyrics that absorbed the history of their native Dublin and beyond.

They split in 1983, and any hope of a full reunion was extinguished by the tragic death of Lynott in 1986, aged just 36.

The group reformed in tribute to Lynott in 1996, and in various incarnations have continued to give fans the hits. But there's nothing like hearing Phil on those originals, ten of the very best we've rounded up below.

Sarah

Thin Lizzy - Sarah (Official Music Video)

This is actually the second song by Phil Lynott for Thin Lizzy called 'Sarah'. The first, from 1972's Shades of a Blue Orphanage, was written for his grandmother who raised him.
That song is pretty good. This, from 1979's Black Rose: A Rock Legend, named after his then-newborn daughter, is even better. It was written by Lynott with Gary Moore, who was in his third stint in the band.
'Sarah' was co-produced by the band with Tony Visconti, featured Huey Lewis on harmonica, and went to number 24 in the charts.
Then-Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham and drummer Brian Downey don't play on the song, which was originally destined for a Lynott solo album before it was nabbed for Lizzy's record.
The Sun Goes Down

The Sun Goes Down

"I think that one is a nice note to go out on," said Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy's farewell single before their split.
"I can see it being played on the radio and fully believe it has great chart potential."
He was sadly only half right, as the single limped into the Top 60, without even a video to promote it, but it was a beautiful farewell for the band.
Don't Believe A Word

Thin Lizzy - Don't Believe A Word (Official Music Video)

Officially written by Phil Lynott, 'Don't Believe a Word' was taken from the Johnny The Fox album, the last to feature the in-out guitarist Brian Robertson.
It was this song that brought their musical warring to a head. Lynott played his initial slow bluesy arrangement of the song, Robertson said it was "sh**e" and Phil stomped off.
Eventually, it was reworked with a faster rhythm from drummer Brian Downey and a new riff from Robertson... but Lynott retained sole writing credit, much to Robertson's annoyance. The version on Live was closer to Lynott's original.
The song may or may not feature Phil Collins, who offered some guest percussion, but no one can quite remember which songs he played on the album.
Do Anything You Want To

Thin Lizzy - Do Anything You Want To (Official Music Video)

This second single from Black Rose: A Rock Legend is especially notable for its music video, directed by David Mallet. He was on his way to becoming one of the established masters of the emerging form (he stuck around with the band to do the 'Sarah' promo, also).
The song itself is pretty fantastic too, opening with tribal drums before those classic Lizzy guitars kick in and Phil floats over the top with some catchy internal rhymes.
'Do Anything You Want To' peaked at number 14 in the UK singles chart.
Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight)

Dancing In The Moonlight (It's Caught Me In It's Spotlight)

Absolutely nothing to do with the Sherman Kelly/Boffalongo/King Harvest/Toploader hit of the same name, but (for our money), a much better tune, written by Lynott for Lizzy's 1977 album Bad Reputation.
“Phil said, 'I've got this kinda groove… What do you think?'," said guitarist Scott Gorham. "And I said, 'Yeah, that’s pretty cool. I like that'."
Scott wanted to opt for a "tougher" feel, but bowed to Lynott's decision-making, with that swing underlined by producer Tony Visconti enlisting Supertramp saxophonist John Helliwell to round out the sound.
A number 14 charting single in the UK, it's become one of the group's best-loved and best-known songs, popping up on adverts over the years (Magners, Specsavers) and has been covered by acts as diverse as Smashing Pumpkins and Diana Vickers.
Killer on the Loose

Thin Lizzy - Killer On The Loose (Official Music Video)

Hard rock and controversy aren't far away from one another, and Thin Lizzy's 'Killer on the Loose' certainly rustled some feathers.
It wasn't just Lynott doing a first-person serial killer thing ("Cause you know I'm Jack the Ripper / Now don't wail, don't"). It wasn't just the video. It was the murders by the so-called "Yorkshire Ripper" Peter Sutcliffe ongoing at the time that made it all seem especially tasteless.
Still... you can't deny a great rock 'n' roll song, and 'Killer on the Loose' was just that, fully earning its top ten place in the UK charts.
Waiting for an Alibi

Waiting For An Alibi

Another top ten single from the band, and the first single from their Black Rose: A Rock Legend album.
That ninth album is perhaps the ultimate distillation of the Lizzy sound and 'Waiting For an Alibi' is no exception.
It's all massive riffs, Lynott's rocker croon, and great, character-led lyrics, this time being about a reckless gambler ("Valentino's in a cold sweat /Placed all his money on that last bet"). And then there's that 100mph OTT solo, shrugging off the prevailing punk winds with a shimmy.
An extended version on later compilations added a third verse and chorus in its extra 40 seconds.
Jailbreak

Jailbreak - Thin Lizzy | The Midnight Special

Let's park that joke to one side (a jailbreak Phil? somewhere in this town? How about the jail... look, some towns can have two jails), and let's focus on one of the greatest riffs in the history of rock 'n' roll.
Add in Lynott's half-spoken breathy verses, that chorus melody, ace drum fills, snappy guitar solos and wah-wah FX and you've got a stone-cold classic bit of hard rock.
The title track from 1976's Jailbreak album, it only got to number 31 in the charts on release but is up there today as one of THE Thin Lizzy songs.
The Boys Are Back in Town

Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back In Town (Official Music Video)

Thin Lizzy were absolutely cooking on Jailbreak, with the album also including 'The Boys Are Back In Town', hailed by many as their greatest single.
The inspiration behind the song's gang of ruffians ("The drink will flow and blood will spill") is shrouded in mystery, but truthfully the identity of the "real life" Boys hanging out at Dino's matters not a jot.
Another rock-solid riff, Lizzy's biggest and best chorus of all, a guitar sound that's been stolen several times over (it's all over the first Libertines album
Whiskey in the Jar

Thin Lizzy - Whiskey In The Jar (Official Music Video)

Given how good a songwriter Phil Lynott was, it seems almost unfair to pick a cover as their number one song, but the truth is Thin Lizzy more than made 'Whiskey in the Jar' their own when they put their rock spin on the traditional number.
A traditional Irish folk song ("goin' over the Cork and Kerry mountains") about a highwayman betrayed by his partner ("But the devil take my women for they never can be easy") came to modern prominence with an excellent version by The Dubliners in the 1960s, who recorded it several times over.
In the US, it was the '60s folk group The Highwaymen (not the country rock supergroup of the same name) who made the song a hit, but on both sides of the Atlantic, it was Thin Lizzy who took it stratospheric.
A non-album single released around the same time as their second long player, it scored them what remained their biggest hit throughout their career, charting at number 6.