Thin Lizzy’s The Boys are Back in Town

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Thin Lizzy’s The Boys are Back in Town

Thin Lizzy's The Boys are Back in Town

Hard Rock Music

The song was written by founding member of Thin Lizzy Phil Lynott. It was released on their 1976 album Jailbreak and as a single. For this Irish band, it was their breakthrough song in the U.S. They were surprised by its success and hadn’t even planned to put it on the Jailbreak album. However, the people found and liked it. The song went to #1 in Ireland, #8 in Canada and the U.K., #10 on U.S. Cash Box Top 100, and #12 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Evidently, there are a number of theories about the inspiration for the song, but none can be verified. Let’s just say it’s a slice-of-life story song.

Thin Lizzy formed in Dublin, Ireland, in 1960. Drummer Brian Downey, bass guitarist and lead vocalist Phil  Lynott met while in school. On the album Jailbreak were Lynott (bass guitar, lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Scott Gorham (lead and rhythm guitars), Brian Robertson (lead and rhythm guitars), Brian Downey (drums, percussion), and Jean Alain Roussel (Hammond organ, piano). There have been numerous iterations of the lineup. Phil Lynott died in 1986. The group  has continued to tour and perform.

Here are the lyrics to “The Boys are Back in Town” by Thin Lizzy:

Guess who just got back today
Them wild-eyed boys that had been away
Haven’t changed that 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 ’em you were livin’ downtown
Drivin’ all the old men crazy

The boys are back in town
(The boys are back in town)

I say, 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 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

The boys are back in town
(The boys are back in town)

I say, 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

Spread the word around
Guess who’s back in town

Just spread the word around

Friday night they’ll be dressed to kill
Down at Dino’s Bar ‘n’ Grill
The drink will flow and the 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 till the summer comes
Now that the boys are here again

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)
Spread the word around
The boys are back in town
(The boys are back. The boys are back.)

The boys are back in town again
Been hangin’ down at Dino’s
The boys are back in town again

For More 70s Tunes

The System has daily featured music from all sorts of genres of 1970s music. You’re welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections in The System. Thank you for stopping by. Hope you enjoyed “The Boys are Back in Town” by Thin Lizzy.

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