Thin Lizzy-Johnny the Fox (1976)

Johnny The Fox was published in 1976 and composed almost entirely by Lynott that same year during his recovery from a hepatitis that left him for a few months off the road (they had to cancel the American Jailbreak presentation tour that had nothing more program and nothing less than with Rainbow).

It is the most Lynott album of Thin Lizzy since the themes of slow and melancholic cadence predominate (Old Flame, Borderline, Sweet Marie) and the fussion with Pop or funk sounds, like the addictive Jimmy The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed. Eclectic sonorities all very liked by the iconic bass player. The album was recorded by the classic line-up of Thin Lizzy: Lynott, Downey, Gorham and Robertson and contains some of the band's essentials, which never stopped playing live, like the adrenaline-fueled Massacre or the mythical Do not Believe A Word. This theme was conceived by Lynott as a half-time with a certain air of blues, as it appears in the album Back On The Streets (1978) by Gary Moore or in the posthumous live performance of the band Live / Life (1983), but final was recorded in an accelerated version, courtesy say of the always mischievous Brian Roberston. In fact Robertson got pissed off because he is not mentioned in the credits as co-author of the subject.

The two initial themes show that, despite Lynott's recent illness, the group is in top form. Hard rock with all the characteristics of the Lizzy: the melancholy voice of Phil, the unmistakable melodies of the double guitars and stories of rockstars charmingly losers (Rocky) and characters with very bad luck (Johnny). Recurring themes in the discography of the group.