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Rating: Led by the charismatic Phil Lynott, the Irish Thin Lizzy embodied a "third way" to hard rock, which went beyond the domination of British and American giants. Thanks to a very personal approach, which combined electric guitars and Celtic rhythms with substantial lyrics, far from the banalities that often plague the genre, they managed to build, for a short period, a great following, cemented by incendiary concerts and a repertoire without weak points.
This Black Rose: A Rock Legend, from '79, is seen by many as the swan song, the last noteworthy one before the personal problems of the individual musicians engulfed everything. The success of Live and Dangerous, released the previous year and today considered one of the best live rock albums ever, doesn't seem to contribute to bringing harmony within the group, which is increasingly torn and difficult to manage. After various in-and-outs, in fact, the historical guitarist Brian Robertson unceremoniously says goodbye to his former bandmates, effectively opening the doors to the returning Gary Moore, who had already been with Lynott in the past for brief episodes.
Despite the ominous omens, the LP is fresh and enjoyable, well-written and played by inspired musicians. Do Anything You Want To, with its rhythmic pace, opens the dance, while Toughest Street in Town is the tight soundtrack of gritty tales from the suburbs. It continues with the seedy motel atmosphere of S&M, which then gives way to Waiting for an Alibi and its chorus, seemingly written to be sung at the top of one's lungs in concert. The register changes completely with the delicate Sarah, dedicated by Lynott to his little daughter, infused with affection and love. Reading the lyrics of many Lizzy songs, it’s clear that Lynott's poetry has always been populated by marginal characters: hooligans, outcasts, alcoholics, people overwhelmed by failed romances, all individuals whose stories are always narrated with an almost pitying gaze, almost as if the rocker himself didn't feel so far removed from that condition and, by telling stories of those more or less fictional characters, he was also talking about himself. And Got to Give It Up, in fact, seems almost like an exhortation by the author, directed at himself, to fight his own demons, demons that would ultimately prevail, overwhelming both him and the rest of the group. I used to be a dreamer / But I realize that it's not my style at all / In fact it becomes clearer that a dreamer / Doesn't stand a chance at all. The verses of Get out of here reaffirm the concept: the world of Thin Lizzy is not for dreamers, but that doesn't mean there's no room for feelings. With Love, in fact, demonstrates how to make hard rock without the necessity to always be aggressive, besides being a great "excuse" to highlight the blues roots of Moore and company. Phil never abandons his role as a storyteller and Róisín Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend is the best way to close the second side of the LP, with a song that reprises an Irish traditional, embellishing it with legends of kings and queens, evoking an Ireland perhaps more mythical than real, complete with Celtic dance party atmospheres: a heartfelt tribute to his homeland.
In conclusion, Black Rose is one of Thin Lizzy's most successful albums, created just before the quartet was overwhelmed. Gary Moore would slam the door in the middle of the tour, disgusted by all the drugs he saw around him, triggering a carousel of musicians that would continue until the group's dissolution years later. Lynott would pursue a solo career alongside the Lizzy, but the feeling is that from here on, the compass would be lost, until the tragic end in 1986, with Phil departing after an overdose. While his Dublin has dedicated a statue to him, highlighting an enormous artistic legacy, it's evident that Thin Lizzy never ranked among the "greats" of the genre in terms of popularity, despite the depth of their offering. And in hindsight, many must have been those who, teenagers in the late nineties, got to know about these "western vagabonds" thanks to the Metallica tribute in Garage Inc., not to mention the various tribute tours organized in the 2000s by Scott Gorham and John Sykes, ensuring that Phil Lynott's work would not be forgotten with his passing. A great album to rediscover, to then trace back through their discography.
Thin Lizzy:
- Phil Lynott, vocals and bass
- Scott Gorham, guitar
- Gary Moore, guitar
- Brian Downey, drums
"Black Rose: A Rock Legend":
- Do Anything You Want To
- Toughest Street in Town
- S&M
- Waiting for an Alibi
- Sarah
- Got to Give It Up
- Get Out of Here
- With Love
- Róisín Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Do Anything You Want To (03:53)
There are people that will investigate you
they'll incinuate intimidate and complicate you
don't ever wait or hesitate
to state the fate that awaits of those who
try to shake or take you
don't let them break you
CHORUS
You, can do anything you wanna do
it's not wrong what i say is true
you can do anything you wanna do
do what you want to
People who despise you
will analyse and critizise you
they'll scandalyise untill they realise you
are someone they should've apolagised to
Don't let these people compromise you
be wise to
Chorus
Hey you, you're not that puppet on a string
you can do everything
It's true if you really want to
you can do anything you want
Just like i do
Chorus
hey you, you can do.
hey you, yes you
Elvis is dead
the king of rock and roll is dead
Elvis is dead
04 Waiting for an Alibi (03:30)
Valentino's got a booky shop and what he takes
He gives for what he's got
And what he's got he says he has not
Stole from anyone
It's not that he don't tell the truth
Or even that he misspent his youth
It's just that he holds the proof
But you feel there's something's wrong
Waiting for an alibi
Waiting for an alibi
Waiting for an alibi
Waiting for an alibi
Valentino's in a cold sweat, placed all his money on that last bet
Against the odds he smokes another cigarette
Says that it helps him to forget
That he's a nervous wreck
It's not that he misses much
Or even that he's lost his lucky touch
It's just that he gambles so much
And you know that it's wrong
Waiting for an alibi
Waiting for an alibi
Waiting just to catch your eye
Waiting for an alibi
Waiting for an alibi
Try to say I told you I told you
Waiting for an alibi
Waiting just to get you
Waiting for an alibi
Waiting for an alibi
To say I told you
Waiting for an alibi
Waiting for an alibi
05 Sarah (03:31)
One, two
One, two, three, four
When you came in my life you changed my world
My Sarah
Everything seemed so right my baby girl
My Sarah
You are all I want to know
You hold my heart so don't let go
You are all I need to live
My love to you I'll give
My Sarah
When you begin to smile you change my style
My Sarah
When I look in your eyes I see my prize
My Sarah
You are all I want to know
You hold my heart so don't let go
You are all I need to live
My love to you I'll give
You are all I want to know
Oh my Sarah
Don't let go oh no
My Sarah
You are all I want to know
You hold my heart so don't let go
You are all I need to live
My love to you I'll always give
You are all I want to know
You hold my heart so don't let go
You are all I want to know
Oh my Sarah
Yes you changed my style with your baby smile
Sarah
Childlike charms keep me warm hold you in my arms
Sarah
Change my world my baby girl
Sarah
All I want to know don't let go
No, no, no, no, no, no
Sarah
Sarah
Be mine
06 Got to Give It Up (04:24)
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
Tell my mama and tell my pa
That their fine young son didn't get far
He made it to the end of a bottle
Sitting in a sleazy bar
He tried hard but his spirit broke
He tried until he nearly choked
In the end he lost his
Bottle drinking alcohol
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
Tell my brother I tried to write and
Put pen to paper but I was frightened
I couldn't seem to get the words out right
Right quite right
Tell my sister I'm sinking slow
Now and again I powder my nose
In the end I lost my bottle
It smashed in a casbah
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
I've been messing with the heavy stuff
For a time I couldn't get enough
But I'm waking up and it's wearing off
Junk don't take you far
Tell my Mama I'm coming home
In my youth I'm getting older
And I think it's lost control
Mama I'm coming home
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
I've got to give it up I've got to give it up
That stuff
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Other reviews
By Blackmore
"Lynott is more inspired than ever, and the arrival of the great Gary Moore adds a touch of class to the record."
"'Waiting For An Alibi' is an authentic 3-minute masterpiece—listen to believe!"
