The Boys Are Back in Town: quick facts
- Band: Thin Lizzy, formed in Dublin in 1969, fronted by Phil Lynott.
- Released: 1976, from the album Jailbreak.
- Charts: number eight in the UK and number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the band’s biggest American hit.
- Phil Lynott: born in 1949, raised by his grandmother in Crumlin, Dublin. He died in January 1986, aged 36.
- The statue: a life-size bronze of Phil stands on Harry Street, just off Grafton Street, unveiled in 2005.
A black Irish kid, raised by his granny in 1950s Dublin, became one of the coolest frontmen rock has ever seen. Half a century on, his biggest song still gets played at every reunion, homecoming and wedding where the lads are home for a few nights.
Here is the official video, from Thin Lizzy’s own channel.
Who was Phil Lynott?
Philip Lynott was born in 1949 to an Irish mother, Philomena, and a Guyanese father. He was raised mostly by his grandmother in Crumlin, in Dublin, at a time when a black child in Ireland stood out on every street. He grew up tall, funny and fiercely Irish, and he poured Dublin, Irish history and Celtic myth into his songs.
In 1969 he formed Thin Lizzy in Dublin with drummer Brian Downey and guitarist Eric Bell. Their first hit was a rock version of Whiskey in the Jar.
The song
By 1976, with the twin lead guitars of Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, Thin Lizzy had the sound they became famous for. The Boys Are Back in Town, from the album Jailbreak, is a song about a gang of friends back together and ready for a night out. It went top ten in the UK and to number 12 in the US, and it has never really gone away since, turning up in films, ads and every sports stadium you can think of.
Gone too soon
Lynott’s later years were hard, and he died on 4 January 1986, aged just 36. Dublin never forgot him. In 2005, his mother Philomena unveiled a bronze statue of Phil with his bass guitar on Harry Street, beside Grafton Street. Fans still leave flowers and pose for photos there, and every year on the anniversary of his death fans gather in Dublin for the Vibe for Philo.
The Boys Are Back in Town FAQ
Is Thin Lizzy an Irish band?
Yes. Thin Lizzy formed in Dublin in 1969.
Who wrote The Boys Are Back in Town?
Phil Lynott.
Where is the Phil Lynott statue?
On Harry Street, just off Grafton Street in Dublin.
When did Phil Lynott die?
On 4 January 1986, aged 36.
More Irish music
- Whiskey in the Jar: from Dublin pubs to Metallica
- U2’s rooftop gig
- Sinéad O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2 U
- The Script’s Hall of Fame
- The best viral Irish videos of all time
Featured image: still from Thin Lizzy’s official YouTube channel.
Love this? Save it to your Pinterest board for later.
A little bit of Ireland in your inbox every Friday ☘️
The free Weekly Dose of Irish: an Irish joke, a Celtic symbol, an Irish fact, a poem and the week’s best articles in one short email. Join 9,600+ readers.
Free. One short email every Friday. Unsubscribe any time.