Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys Are Back in Town” could be perceived to have two meanings. Both are personal to the song’s writer, Phil Lynott. Uncover the two possible meaning behind this rock classic, below.
Videos by American Songwriter
The Dual Meaning Behind Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys Are Back in Town”
Guess who just got back today?
Them wild-eyed boys that’d been away
Haven’t changed, hadn’t much to say
But man, I still think them cats are crazy
The life of a touring musician is often one rife with excess partying and other rough-and-tumble activities. As such, it stands to reason that this song could be about Thin Lizzy’s experiences out on the road.
There are various references to landmarks–many of which could have been inspired by their time touring the U.S. Friday night they’ll be dressed to kill / Down at Dino’s bar and grill / The drink will flow, and blood will spill / And if the boys wanna fight, you better let ’em, the lyrics read in the third verse. Many fans believe this lyric was inspired by a restaurant the band would frequent in Los Angeles.
That jukebox in the corner blasting out my favourite song
The nights are gettin’ warmer, it won’t be long
Won’t be long ’til summer comes
Now that the boys are here again
There is an alternative meaning. Some fans believe Lynott was writing about a gang in Manchester, England. Lynott spent time there growing up. According to his mother, he was fascinated by “the characters” from the gang that he would come in contact with.
“All of those people came in my bar and Philip liked them,” Lynott’s mother once said. “They were characters. He loved the nickname Jimmy The Weed. When [“The Boys Are Back in Town”] became a hit, he gave Jimmy his own gold album. And Jimmy came over for his funeral.”
Like the sentiment in the song, the gang seemed to be around for a good time and not necessarily anything nefarious.
“Years later we read that Jimmy was a member of the Quality Street Gang,” she continued. “If there ever was such a gang – and I did meet most of them that got named – they were lovely people. Gangsters today are going round shooting people. I never heard of those boys shooting anybody.”
Revisit this Thin Lizzy classic, below.
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
(Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns)
More Behind The Song
-
Left to right: Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page, of British heavy rock group Led Zeppelin, performing at Earl's Court, London, May 1975. The band were initially booked to play three nights at the venue, from 23rd to 25th May, but due to public demand, two more concerts were later added, for 17th and 18th May. Total ticket sales were 85,000. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images) -
Portrait of country singer Eddie Rabbitt in Memphis, Tennessee, May 31, 1981. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) -
LOS ANGELES – FEBRUARY 22: 31st Annual Grammy Awards. Broadcast February 22, 1989. Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California. Pictured accepting award is Bobby McFerrin. His song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" won Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male. Also Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images) -
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 03: Singers Mike McGuire (L) and Marty Raybon of Shenandoah attend the 51st Academy of Country Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 3, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Rick Diamond/ACM2016/Getty Images for dcp) -
Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images -
The three founding members of Talking Heads on a Manhattan rooftop, US, 1976. (Jerry Harrison would join the group at the beginning of 1977.) (L-R) Bassist Tina Weymouth, singer-guitarist David Byrne and drummer Chris Frantz. (Photo by Linda D. Robbins/Getty Images) -
Patty Smyth of Scandal at the Poplar Creek Music Theater in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, June 3, 1983. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) -
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images