The Story Behind Thin Lizzy's "Don't Believe A Word"
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- Опубликовано: 16 мар 2023
- The Story Behind Thin Lizzy's "Don't Believe A Word"
In this video, we take a look at the dynamics in Thin Lizzy when Phil Lynott brought his ballad, "Don't Believe A Word" to the band while they were recording their Johnny The Fox album. We look at both the fast version released on that album, and the slower one that appeared afterwards both on Gary Moore's album, Back On The Streets, and Thin Lizzy's second live album, Life.
Adrian is reacting to this song for the first time.
Philip Lynott was a renowned Irish musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the frontman of the rock band Thin Lizzy. He was born on August 20, 1949, in West Bromwich, England, to an Irish mother and a Brazilian father.
Lynott grew up in Dublin, Ireland, where he formed his first band, The Black Eagles, in the mid-1960s. He later joined the band Skid Row, where he met guitarist Gary Moore, with whom he formed Thin Lizzy in 1969.
Thin Lizzy gained popularity in the 1970s with hits such as "Whiskey in the Jar," "Jailbreak," and "The Boys Are Back in Town." Lynott's distinctive vocals and charismatic stage presence made him one of the most iconic rock stars of his generation.
Lynott's personal life was often tumultuous, and he struggled with drug and alcohol addiction throughout his career. He was also known for his relationships with several high-profile women, including actress Renée O'Connor and musician Midge Ure.
In 1983, Lynott disbanded Thin Lizzy and began a solo career. He released several successful albums, including "Solo in Soho" and "The Philip Lynott Album."
Unfortunately, Lynott's drug and alcohol abuse caught up with him, and he suffered multiple health problems in the early 1980s. On January 4, 1986, he died of pneumonia and heart failure, brought on by his addiction issues. He was only 36 years old.
Lynott's legacy as a musician and songwriter has endured long after his death. His music and lyrics continue to inspire new generations of musicians, and his influence on the rock genre is widely acknowledged. In 2005, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Thin Lizzy. 
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There are many, many great versions of this song as done by Gary Moore, mostly live, from his ‘80’s Metal days through the blues to rock to blues of the 90’s and 2000’s. Gary had a special affinity for ballads and he’ll grab you and not let go every time you hear one! He also may have been Phil’s closest friend, though Phil was so toxic it was difficult to stay around him for too long.
Phil introduced the song saying it was about a girl he met at Hammersmith (Odeon) 👍
The use of the wah wah pedal on the solo is pure genius.
That’s Brian Robertson for you - absolute master with the wah!
I've always loved both versions, but was introduced to the faster rock version from the Johnny The Fox album. There are live versions Lizzy played that combine the bluesy ballad version and gear up into the faster rock version toward the end. This to me, was the best of both worlds.
Very glad that whoever sped this tune up to be the smoker it is on Johnny The Fox stepped in. What a scorcher!!! The guitar solo is short but it peels the paint like few others. This is up there w/ Speedy's Coming from the Scorpions.
It does rock pretty hard! Can't deny that!
Hi guys, just subscribed after seeing you comment in the Contrarians live chat last night. 👍
Both Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson had their share of love ballads on the Johnny The Fox album and as far as I know Phil’s Don’t Believe A Word was a tongue-in-cheek response to that as both guitarists had their share of groupies on tour.
Hey Jan, welcome, and thanks for subscribing! Always appreciate extra info on these songs. - G
Not sure if that was the inspiration for the song - Phil introduced it as being about a girl he met at Hammersmith (Odeon)
Don't believe a word slow live version in Live Life is the best of the best..with Gary's super lead guitar...- Fantastic !
I believe it was John Sykes playing that time
In that era, Gary plays fender single coil quite often, you here it clearly.@@kbpm2678
You can notice that in that lead part there's a tremolo played as well. John Sykes doesn't use Fender.@@kbpm2678
..and also Gary, Robo and Eric Bell were guests..but Robo played in Emerald ( since his fav no). as a guest Gary, for sure played Dont Believe A word because Phil and him wrote this song..and all of them played Black Rose. @@kbpm2678
@@kbpm2678Sykes was there but it’s Snowy White - the only Lizzy guitarist who wasn’t (!)
Have you heard Space Elevator's cover of DBAW which does both versions? It's very good.
I gave their quick version a listen - they did it justice. - G
Snowy White and Ruud Weber do a great version on You Tube.
There are definitely two sides to this song, as there seem to have been two, or more, sides to Phil. The lyrics are a wry nod to his own image, but the fast version is a cautionary tale full of bravado, where the slower version is more reflective and regretful, and Phil the wounded romantic. The best performance of the song, where both versions are performed in full, is from the Hammersmith 1981 show, with Snowy White playing the solos.
The slow version on Life/Live isn’t the original arrangement. This is Gary Moore’s arrangement for his 1978 Back On The Streets album. It was more like in a singer/songwriter style when Philip showed it for the band in 1976. He really liked what Robbo and Brian had done to the song with the riff and playing it faster. The version on Life/Live must have been made on a soundcheck, in the studio or both since they didn’t play it on the 1983 Farewell Tour. The best slow version with Thin Lizzy in my opinion is the one from Hammersmith 1981 with Snowy White.
it is the original arrangement on life/life. philo even introduces it as such at the beginning of the song
@@CorvusCoroneCanisLupusSawel It’s not it’s just what Phil says. When Phil presented it to the band it was more in a singersongwriter style. There is demos you know and i know someone who have heard it. This was Gary’s arrangement. Robbo and Brian D. came up with the riff and the shuffle that is on Johnny The Fox and should have had credit for it.
@@matsandersson8857 phil lynott wrote it, probably as an acoustic song to start with and slower, like the first part of this song. moore may have been part of that writing as he was in thin lizzy in the early 70's (and had been in different collaborations with lynott on and off for years since the 60's), left, then came back in 78ish until 1980.
lynott took the song to thin lizzy and they weren't pleased at how slow it was, so they re-arranged it and came up with the version you hear on 1976's johnny the fox album and various live recordings. this version - slow then double time was used a few times in thin lizzy's career, just to swap things around a bit (as heard on 1983's life/live album.)
90% of thin lizzy songs were written by lynott on an acoustic guitar then he'd take the bare bones to the band and that's when the arrangements that you hear on the albums became what they became. moore used it on the back on the streets album in 1978.
@@CorvusCoroneCanisLupusSawel Gary was in Thin Lizzy for four month Jan-apr in 1974, when he stepped in for Robbo on The North American Tour early 1977 and mid 1978 to mid 1979. This song was written in 1976 and much that is on Johnny The Fox was written when Philip was hospitalised because of hepatitis in the summer of 1976. It wasn’t like Gary’s version i know someone who has the demo. Philip even if he wrote much was pretty good at taking credit for others work. Just look at the songs Military Man and Nineteen wich were Grand Slam songs written with Laurence Archer.
@@matsandersson8857 yes, lynott was a businessman also. robbo mentioned about royalties and writing credits never being given to him. he was just happy to have a bottle of whiskey, play a gig and get paid. he was only 17 when he first joined the band. he didn't know anything about business, royalties and writing credits etc.
there was a crappy side to lynott, for all his genius and brilliance, he was also very selfish, self destructive and cruel at times. as great as he was, he was only human
Phil said he Wrote this song. About chatting up the girls then leaving them after they got there wicked ways. Those guys missed the real meaning
Oh, I got THAT meaning when I first spun the song 40 years ago! But I don't think that totally explains the song, clearly Phil loved it as a more introspective number and had attached something even deeper to it. - G