TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Johnny The Fox" - Thin Lizzy (1976)

"Johnny The Fox" - Thin Lizzy (1976)

This was Thin Lizzy's follow-up to their break-out album aptly named "Jailbreak."  "Johnny The Fox" is filled with a lot of hard and catchy wrecking-ball riffs and harmonious guitars from Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham up and down the board and mixed with the heady melodic stuff that Phil Lynott sells so well.  The drumming of long-stay Brian Downey is solid, per usual.  Thin Lizzy has a unique hard rock style that's difficult to describe, but it's a rock-solid niche that hits that sweet spot.  And front to back, "Johnny The Fox" (1976) is a needle-drop banger.  

But it's an album I rarely see.  I always check the "T" bins at record shops but seldom, if ever, come across one. (I'm still looking for a "Vagabonds..." but that's another story.)  Thin Lizzy never hit the market in the States quite as strongly as they did across the pond, but their later albums were just as fire.  "Bad Reputation" and "Black Rose" quickly come to mind.

"Johnny The Fox" - Thin Lizzy (back)

"Johnny The Fox" - Thin Lizzy (record sleeve front and back)

Favorites include:
"Johnny" 
"Rocky"
"Borderline"
"Don't Believe A Word"
"Fools Gold"

This was the band's seventh album, and, if not their best, definitely one of my favorites.  This corner-cut copy is a Santa Maria pressing with RL Masterdisk in the deadwax.  RL represents engineer Robert Ludwig.  The credits are printed on a heavy card inner sleeve.  It's an easy VG+, and $18 brought it home.

Mercury Label

Cat #
SRM-1-1119
SIDE A DEADWAX
SRM-1-1119-A-13 MASTERDISK RL A S 2
SIDE B DEADWAX
SRM-1-1119-B-13 MASTERDISK RL A2 1 S

"Borderline" - Thin Lizzy / "Johnny The Fox" (1976)

TRACKS:

A1  "Johnny" 4:23

A2  "Rocky" 3:41

A3  "Borderline" 4:32

A4  "Don't Believe a Word" 2:18

A5  "Fool's Gold" 3:51

B1  "Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed" 3:42

B2  "Old Flame" 3:08

B3  "Massacre" 2:58

B4  "Sweet Marie" 3:55

B5  "Boogie Woogie Dance" 3:08


PERSONNEL:
Phil Lynott - bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
Scott Gorham - guitars
Brian Robertson - guitars
Brian Downey - drums, percussion
ADDITIONAL:
Fiachra Trench - brass and string arrangements
Phil Collins - percussion
Kim Beacon - backing vocals

Good stuff.

 

Casey Chambers

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