Pong Messiah Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 The greatest Irish rock and roll singer of all time died January 4th, 1986 from heart failure and pneumonia. Since then, things really haven't been the same. Here is but a small sample of what we've had to live through since his passing: Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait1990 recessionRwandan GenocideThe Oklahoma City bombingWacoElián GonzálezThe U.S.S. Cole bombingBritney Spears and her ilk9/11AfghanistanIraqSean Hannity, Keith Olbermann, Sarah Palin, etc., etc.,The Late 2000s RecessionEtc...I could go on, but I don't see any reason to rub anyone's nose in it. Especially since we all know the root cause is a deleterious lack of Phil Lynott. All I know is that I'm going to do what little I can to rectify the situation: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pong Messiah Posted August 26, 2010 Author Share Posted August 26, 2010 And of course:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgST27FIzNg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pong Messiah Posted August 26, 2010 Author Share Posted August 26, 2010 And...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHA3EZHvSWgYes, I know Live and Dangerous has more than enough overdubs to bring serious question its "liveness," but whatever. So I ask: if he were resurrected today, what would it mean for the world? Would there be immediate peace, or at the very least, free Ice Cream on Thursdays? Would people finally stop freaking out about gay marriage, Muslim presidents, and "hallowed-ground Mosques?" Would the economy recover and employers start hiring again? Would the Earth begin to heal herself, as people finally realize recreational sex is far healthier than procreational when it comes to our environment? I'm sure we'd see all this and more. What a better place this world would surely be if Phil Lynott were alive to cast his gaze upon it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antilla Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 If Phil Lynott were alive today, everything in the universe would be totally different. Except for Christian Slater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pong Messiah Posted August 26, 2010 Author Share Posted August 26, 2010 I agree, Antilla. But this thread isn't getting enough replies. I better post another clip! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9F6SssXoeU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryn Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 I want 15 minutes (and some change) of my life back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pong Messiah Posted August 27, 2010 Author Share Posted August 27, 2010 But you were enriched. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 If Phil were alive today, he´d be drunk. I think we could all learn a lesson from him. Like that Parris is actually a guy´s name and spelled with two Rs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evolence Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Surely Lynott's presence would have averted the financial meltdown of 2008. I bet the DOW would be at 20,000 if he were alive today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryn Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 But you were enriched.In my inexperience with Thin Lizzy, and exposure limited to classic rock radio, I sometimes confuse them with Steely Dan. And I DESPISE Steely Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pong Messiah Posted August 28, 2010 Author Share Posted August 28, 2010 That's fair, given the fact that: 1) sometimes, the comparison is actually quite apt.2) especially so, with the three songs that get played on American radio -- they all basically sound like faster, harder Steely Dan. In the interest of full disclosure, I should admit that I also like Steely Dan, so I'm a bit biased. But also, in sticking up for the great Mr. Lynott, there was a lot more to the sound than that. In fact, I think Thin Lizzy's inability to fit into any one genre is part of why they never took off in the U.S.: they had no problem throwing in a country or jazz lick here or there, or folk, traditional, disco or even soul. I can totally imagine a bunch stoned American teenagers just thinking "What the hell is this crap?!" regarding the subject matter of some of the songs -- it can be extremely Irish-centric and/or introspective at times. He would, of course, support your right to hate his music... Freedom SongLet me tell you the hard luck storyAbout a man named Jack McDuffHe believed in God and gloryBut he just wasn't tough enough Well they took him and they beat himUnderneath the old hanging treeSaying, "Jack, you must die""What will your last words be?" Jack, he hung his head back"Long live liberty!""I believe in the freedom song""Doesn't matter what you do to me" With a rope around his neck they left him hangingHigh on that old hanging treeOn her knees his wife was screaming"Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy" I believe in the freedom songLong live liberty!I believe in the freedom songDoesn't matter what you do to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 He would, of course, support your right to hate his music... And then send Robbo over to smash his face in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pong Messiah Posted August 30, 2010 Author Share Posted August 30, 2010 Duke, you are a freaking rock and roll god. Seriously, you're like a goddamned encyclopedia. So tell me this: who was the instigator of most of the fights Thin Lizzy got themselves into? I've seen pictures of Lynott performing with black eyes and bruises, but Robertson gets a lot of credit, too (and didn't he injure himself too badly to play guitar in a bar fight right before their "breakthrough" U.S. tour?). The description is usually "Robertson was the powder keg, Lynott the lit match." But I've never read The Rocker... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Aw shucks! My answer would be Robbo. And yeah, his first exit was after punching a light post in a fight - it probably deserved it anyway - and wrecking his hand. Then after really getting the boot he moved to Motörhead where he was prompty deemed a wimp. Robbo actually lives in Stockholm now and often shows up at the annual "King´s call" on Phil´s death day Jan 4th. Usually too drunk to play. I´m not counting the three times Gary Moore was in the band for about 15 minutes per try (plus the original Skid Row). Who started each the five thousand fights between him and Phil was just anyone´s guess... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pong Messiah Posted August 30, 2010 Author Share Posted August 30, 2010 Ah, Gary. I've never been sure if he truly weakened the band's sound (he almost had too much tone and personality in his playing -- Robertson and Gorham were a better fit, in my opinion), or if it's because he came along around the time Phil's drug use escalated to the point where it was effecting his songwriting/singing, but I always think of him replacing Robertson as marking the clear decline of the band (despite Black Rose actually being a damn good album). I guess just as good an argument could be made for Bad Reputation, considering Gorham did almost all (all?) the guitar work there, but it still sounds more like Thin Lizzy to me than Black Rose... I do love Gary Moore's tone, though, and for a guitarist, his voice is strangely tolerable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Well, "Black rose" is one of my fave Lizzy albums (along with the predictable "Jailbreak" and the underrated "Johnny the fox") but I see what you mean. The twin guitar attack started after Gary left the second time. (He was in the band replacing Eric Bell in 1973, recorded one single, "Little darling"/"Buffalo gal" plus the guitar solo for "Still in love with you".) And it ended when he came back, there´s no way in hell he´d play along with anyone. He couldn´t even do it if he tried, Gary Moore is one of the very few players who is instantly recognizable. Probably has something to do with being lefthanded but playing like he was a rightie. Plus that Lizzy could and should only have one star, Phil. The dvd from Sydney 1979 is almost parodic when Phil and Gary try to upstage each other all the damn time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 Not to mention that Phil would spam all the boring serious political threads saying Don´t believe me if I tell you, not a word of this is true... Or maybe that he´d be Standing in the shadows of love... waiting for you. Don´t unzip your zipper cuz you know I´m Jack the Ripper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pong Messiah Posted August 31, 2010 Author Share Posted August 31, 2010 Ha. That's great, but you do him little justice. Phil's probably the only true hard rock poet there ever was; he's definitely the only hard rock lyricist to blow my mind with his words. As far as I know, he's the only rocker Bob Dylan ever flat-out called a "genius," too. And that tragic, senseless (yet typically Irish) death. And even worse, the decline -- such a clear case of substance abuse robbing a man of his talents. I mean, how many other fully literate rock and roll singers were there in the '70s? And of those, how many were able to write polysyllabic songs without feeling a need to resort to silly Dungeons & Dragons lyrics? Definitely one of a kind. I need to catch that Sydney DVD. I've seen a few songs off of it on YouTube, but that's it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perfectsim Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 If Phil were alive today he would probably move this thread to the music forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pong Messiah Posted October 11, 2010 Author Share Posted October 11, 2010 I used to be a dreamerBut I realized that it's not my style at allIn fact it becomes clearer that a dreamerDoesn't stand a chance at all And I've become bitterFor I believe that this is betterNo matter, whatever, wheneverWe can never ever stay together He was clearly sending a warning to the Israelis and Palestinians. If only Phil were here to sort out this mess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 I feel an upcoming book: "The Thin Lizzy Code". "Cowboy song" is quite obviously a prophecy about George W Bush. And the line "Me, I went to the liquer store" in "King´s call" happened to me just last night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pong Messiah Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 I'm pretty sure "Roisin Dubh (Black Rose) A Rock Legend" is the best song ever written. I seriously never get tired of it. Well, so long as Gary Moore is doing the lead -- Gorham couldn't hack it, White didn't even try to, and Sykes made it sound like bad '80s hair-metal:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjjpBb9q1PAClearly, this song is both ode to and cautionary tale of political tribalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeygirl Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I heart this thread very hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishdancer2 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I think I was born twenty years too late for this thread... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pong Messiah Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 I think I was born twenty years too late for this thread... Nonsense. Timeless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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