1.
Johnny (4:26)
2. Rocky (3:42)
(Submitted by Phil Osborne)
I read once Phil saying that "Rocky" was written about Robbo;
the tough, flash
guitar hero. If I come across the printed proof I will send it.
3. Borderline (4:35)
4.
Don't Believe A Word (2:18)
(Submitted by Phil Osborne)
"Phil used to introduce Don't Believe A Word as - "a song that
Scott hates",
with the emphasis jokingly on "hates", accompanied by a
mischievous
chuckle, which would suggest a shared in-joke between the two of
them."
(This excerpt appeared in an article from a
Dutch magazine called 'Aardschok Metal Hammer' in June 1988,in this
article Scott Gorham is given the opportunity to give his opinion on some
Thin Lizzy songs)
"This
is a song I really love. I remember telling Phil one day 'Yeah, that's a
nice little song you got there , because it only 2 minutes and 10 seconds
long.
Whenever we went on stage after that he introduced the song with 'We're
gonna
play a nice little song now' and he always looked back to me when he said
that.
I wish Phil was still around to tell you about the lyrics."
(Excerpts from an article that appeared in New Musical Express, April 9th,
1977)
" 'Don't Believe A word' is a reflection of Rock's bedroom battle of
the sexes,
he explains as he watches a number of ladies drift in and out of the room
to
check out the action"
(Phil says) "You go through the whole process of chattin' up the
chicks...and
playing the game...giving them the old line...and I reckon most fellas
will say
just about anything to get a girl into bed."
"So that's how I came to write 'Don't Believe A Word'. It's just to
say, if you
believe every line a fella hands you, you'll only get hurt."
5. Fool's Gold (3:51)
(Excerpt in an article from Melody Maker
called "Irelands' Own" which appeared
in 5-01-77)
(Phil says) "...with the talkin' piece on 'Fool's Gold', where I
speak with the
Irish accent all the time. It's very Dublin I think."
"The idea with that was to explain it away once and for all, how an
Irishman
sings with an American accent due to the immigration thing."
"That was the whole point of that introduction piece, because with so
many of
the situations on 'Johnny the Fox' being
American, I wanted it to relate as to
why a Black Irishman was singin' about those situations . For me that
piece was
connected to Rock Music."
6. Johnny the Fox (3:10)
7. Old Flame (3:10)
(Excerpt in an article from Melody Maker
called "Irelands' Own" which appeared
in 5-01-77)
"...'Old Flame', a 'Johnny the Fox' track which
is an expression in Ireland used
to describe a past female friend..."
8. Massacre (3:01)
(Excerpt in an article from Melody Maker
called "Irelands' Own" which appeared
in 5-01-77)
(Phil says)" 'Massacre came about when I was in hospital. I was
amazed how much
violence there is on the telly. How much death and destruction. I was
really
taken back."
"Y'know one day, you look at the television and it's no longer that
friendly
object that entertains you. It starts intrudin' in your home, tellin you
that
that somebody chopped somebody to bits. I was lyin' in hospital having to
watch
it because there was f--- all else to do."
"It just seemed to go on and on, and at that very time a knock came on the door.
In came a Reverend. I was born a Catholic and I'm not very devout, but once a
Catholic always a Catholic. It always has you. It's a real frightnin'
religion,
y'know. They always have you thinkin' in the back of your head that maybe
it's
true. They claim you when you're young."
"But he came in and asked if I would like visitors - you know, the
way they do
the rounds in hospital, just in case you want any, spiritual counseling.
He
knew, like, that I wasn't into it. When he left I thought 'Nice man, doin'
his
gig', but then the two things connected and I really thought and began to
say:
'God are you doin'?' I thought I'd take on God. Why not?"
"So I'm saying: 'If God is in the heavens how could this occur,
because in His
name there are religious wars and they use weapons to cause
massacres."
9. Sweet Marie (3:58)
10. Boogie Woogie Dance (3:07)