Johnny the Fox Songs Ranked
Johnny the Fox is the seventh studio album by Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy, released in 1976. This album was written and recorded while bassist/vocalist Phil Lynott was recovering from a bout of hepatitis that put him off the road halfway through the previous Jailbreak tour. “Don’t Believe a Word” was a British hit single. Johnny the Fox was the last Thin Lizzy studio album on which guitarist Brian Robertson featured as a full member of the band, as the personality clashes between him and Lynott resulted in Robertson being sacked, reinstated, and later sacked again. Once Lynott had returned to the UK from the aborted US tour in June 1976, when the band had been scheduled to support Rainbow, he spent time in hospital in Manchester recovering from hepatitis. He had an acoustic guitar with him and wrote the songs for Johnny the Fox during June and July, with one outing to play a gig at Hammersmith Odeon on 11 July. After his release from hospital, Lynott joined the other members of the band and travelled to Munich, Germany in August to record the album at Musicland Studios with producer John Alcock. Alcock has said that the decision to record outside the UK was for tax reasons. Here are all of Johnny the Fox songs ranked.
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10. Boogie Woogie Dance
“The album finally wraps things up in walloping fashion with the explosive and bombastic closer, “Boogie Woogie Dance” which is heavily laced with an array of heavy, pounding, walloping riffs, and blistering, relentless, powerhouse drumming that are just heavy and in your face throughout, you’ll feel like you’ve been smacked hard right in the face, plus yet another sick, screaming, wailing, and intense guitar solo is also thrown in for good measure too.”
9. Old Flame
“Old Flame” is an excellent and heartfelt, light rocker/semi ballad that again showcases Phil’s soulful and emotional melodies, and the chorus is also very top notch too, plus the song also includes some truly beautiful and catchy, post chorus twin lead guitar lines, as well as another great guitar solo to boot.”
8. Sweet Marie
“Sweet Marie” which is yet another slow, gentle, and beautiful ballad that once again slows the pace back down with some very genuine and soulful vocal melodies from Phil as he gently pours out his lyrics over a nice bed of light, clean, gentle chords, soothing bass lines, and nice, steady, slow percussion work. “
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7. Rocky
“Rocky” is another awesome, mammoth rocker that is highlighted by some really heavy, driving, grinding guitar riffing throughout, and Phil also shines here with his tough, passionate singing, and Downey also drives his way through the song with his top notch drum work. This song here is also highlighted by a fantastic mid section in which the Gorham/Robertson combination play some awesome twin lead guitar lines before erupting with an awesomely vicious, speaker rocking guitar solo that of course kicks ass.”
6. Borderline
“Thin Lizzy go right into the more slower and melodic stuff, with track three, “Borderline” which is a beautiful, melodic, slow paced ballad in which Phil’s soulful, emotional, and melancholic sung melodies really shine throughout over some slow, peaceful acoustic strumming, dreamy, melodic leads, tasty bass licks, and non-threatening percussion. The chorus is also very slow and just downright fantastic, and there’s also some great melodic soloing intact on here as well. Such a beautifully emotional and awesome ballad.”
5. Johnny
“Johnny” is a fantastic hard rocker that features some awesome, thunderous drumming from Downey that just rocks absolutely straight hard throughout with sweet, thumping beats and killer fills, along with some great, heavy rocking riffs and awesome, fiery, blistering soloing, tough, yet stellar, melodic singing, and a great chorus to boot as well.”
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4. Fools Gold
“Fools Gold” begins with a very epic and preachy, soft spoken vocal intro before going into a fantastic, light, melodic rocker highlighted by yet more of Phil’s amazing singing and lyrics, along with some great, driving, melodic guitar playing, including some great, catchy, melodic lead guitar lines during the chorus, as well as another excellent, wailing, soaring, melodic solo thrown in to boot.”
3. Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed
“The second half of the album kicks off with “Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed” which is an excellent funk type rock tune that features a very awesome, catchy, killer, funk rock like groove going on throughout with some really cool, funky guitar work (including a really tasty and cool solo being thrown in), along with some some excellent drumming and bass licks also being included, and Phil’s vocals here are also cool, tough, and very funky throughout too”
2. Massacre
“Massacre” is also another huge highlight, and is a fast, galloping, and energetic heavy rocker that starts off with a nice lead guitar intro before seguing into an energetic rock ride that features some great, galloping guitar riffs, bass licks, and pounding drum work throughout, of course with Phil’s powerful, soaring, and almost echoing-sounding vocals leading the charge, plus the song is also highlighted by a magnificent and killer breakdown/guitar solo section that will make your mind melt and jaw drop in such absolute delight and amazement.”
1. Don’t Believe a Word
“Don’t Believe a Word” (the album’s only single) which is a nice, fast, short rocker that features a great catchy riff that nicely chugs it’s way along throughout it’s over less than 2 and a half minutes, and also features excellent vocals and lyrics from Lynott,”