:en:The Boys Are Back in Town
{{about|the Thin Lizzy song}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox song
| name = The Boys Are Back in Town
| cover = theboysareback.jpg
| alt =
| caption = 1991 Re-release UK 7-inch single
| type = single
| artist = Thin Lizzy
| album = Jailbreak
| B-side = "Emerald" or "Jailbreak"
| released = April 1976
| recorded =
| studio = Ramport, London
| genre = *Rock{{cite web|last= Paste Staff |title= The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time|website= Paste |date= June 3, 2024|url= https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/greatest-albums/the-300-greatest-albums-of-all-time-2|quote=...turning in three of the greatest rock tracks of the era: “The Boys Are Back in Town,” “Jailbreak” and “Cowboy Song|accessdate= June 4, 2024}}{{cite book|title= Night Moves - Pop Music in the Late 70s|first1=Don|last1=Breithaupt|first2= Jeff|last2= Breithaupt|date= July 17, 2000|chapter=
Dazed and Confused: Rock|page= 116|publisher=St. Martin's Griffin|isbn=978-0-312-19821-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kh04AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT95}}
- hard rock{{cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/70s-hard-rock-songs/|title=Top 50 Hard Rock Songs of the '70s|first=Michael|last=Gallucci|date=17 October 2024|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|access-date=20 January 2025}}{{AllMusic |class=album|id=mw0000951292|title= Various Artists - Sounds of the Seventies: 1976 - Take Two (1991) Review|last= Sendra|first= Tim|access-date= February 14, 2025}}
| length = 4:29 (album version)
3:11 (single version)
| label = Vertigo (UK)
Mercury (US)
| writer = Phil Lynott
| producer = John Alcock
| prev_title = Wild One
| prev_year = 1975
| next_title = Jailbreak
| next_year = 1976
}}
"The Boys Are Back in Town" is a song by Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy. The song was released in 1976 as the first single from their album Jailbreak. It is considered by Rolling Stone to be the band's best song, placing it at No. 272 on the 2021 edition of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.
Lyrical content
There are many theories regarding the inspiration behind the lyrics to "The Boys Are Back in Town", although none has been verified.Bailie, Stuart – Jailbreak album sleeve notes One theory is that it is about a group of Manchester criminals collectively known as the Quality Street Gang.{{cite news|date=28 February 2011|title=Phil Lynott's mother recalls exciting days in Manchester|work=Manchester Evening News|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/phil-lynotts-mother-recalls-exciting-855110|access-date=23 June 2018|archive-date=14 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614044625/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/phil-lynotts-mother-recalls-exciting-855110|url-status=live}}
Single release information
The original 1976 UK single release featured the album track "Emerald" as a B-side, although in some territories "Jailbreak" was chosen. The single was remixed and re-released in several formats in March 1991, after the success of the "Dedication" single, reaching No. 63 in the UK.{{cite web |url=http://www.45cat.com/record/lizzy15 |title=The Boys Are Back in Town (1991) Record details |access-date=17 June 2011 |publisher=45cat.com |archive-date=7 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907024118/http://www.45cat.com/record/lizzy15 |url-status=live }} The 12" EP featured the extra tracks "Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed", "Black Boys on the Corner" and a live version of "Me and the Boys".
Shortly after the UK single release of "The Boys Are Back In Town" BBC Radio 1 Disc Jockey Tony Blackburn picked this single as his 'Record of the Week', receiving daily plays during his mid morning show.
Reception
"It was 1976 and we were touring America", recalled Scott Gorham. "Jailbreak wasn't shifting and we weren't selling any tickets". The band were surprised to learn from their manager that "The Boys Are Back in Town" was becoming a hit record, especially as the track had not been among the ten songs originally chosen by the band for the album. Gorham attributed the song's unexpected success to two DJs in Louisville, Kentucky who "played it incessantly until other stations in the surrounding area picked up on it… Had that song not kickstarted the sales of the album, then the band was over."Barton, Geoff, Dome, Malcolm, Kendall, Jo, Ling, Dave: "The night I set Phil Lynott's todger on fire and other stories"; Classic Rock #219, February 2016, p. 55{{cite web |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/40-years-thin-lizzy-jailbreak-scott-gorham |title=Scott Gorham on 40 Years of Thin Lizzy's Jailbreak |last=Ling |first=Dave |publisher=Classic Rock |date=2016-03-26 |access-date=2021-12-31 |archive-date=31 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231104025/https://www.loudersound.com/features/40-years-thin-lizzy-jailbreak-scott-gorham |url-status=live }}
It was given 499th position among the 2004 Rolling Stone{{'}}s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/5|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330202021/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/5|archive-date=March 30, 2009|title= The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (1–500)|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=December 9, 2004}} though was not included in the 2010 update. However, it re-entered the list in the 2021 update at an even higher position than before at number 272.{{cite web |title=500 Best Songs of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-1224767/thin-lizzy-the-boys-are-back-in-town-1225066/ |website=rollingstone.com |date=15 September 2021 |publisher=Rolling Stone |access-date=16 September 2021 |archive-date=17 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917153928/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-1224767/thin-lizzy-the-boys-are-back-in-town-1225066/ |url-status=live }} Rolling Stone praised lead singer and bassist Phil Lynott's "Gaelic soul" and said the "twin-guitar lead by Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson" was "crucial to the song's success".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596344/the_boys_are_back_in_town |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061228110828/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596344/the_boys_are_back_in_town |archive-date=28 December 2006 |title=News |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=2016-07-27}} In March 2005, Q magazine placed "The Boys Are Back in Town" at No. 38 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.{{cite web |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage3.htm |title=Rocklist.net...Q Magazine Lists |website=Rocklistmusic.co.uk |access-date=2016-07-27 |archive-date=13 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013220837/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage3.htm |url-status=usurped }} The song won a 1976 NME Award for Best Single.{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/awards-history/1976-606201|title=1976 – NME|website=NME |date=28 February 1976|access-date=22 January 2018|archive-date=23 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123072355/http://www.nme.com/awards-history/1976-606201|url-status=live}}
Other uses
At the 2012 Republican National Convention, the song was used to introduce then vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan on stage. This unauthorised use of the song caused controversy. Both Lynott's mother, Philomena Lynott, and Thin Lizzy lead guitarist Gorham criticised its use, suggesting that Lynott would not have wanted his music used for any political purpose, including endorsing politicians, and furthermore would likely have objected to the policies of Ryan and his running mate Mitt Romney.{{cite news|last=McDonald|first=Henry|date=3 September 2012|title=Phil Lynott's mother objects to Mitt Romney using Thin Lizzy's music|newspaper=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/sep/03/phil-lynott-mitt-romney-thin-lizzy|access-date=16 December 2016|archive-date=19 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170719225439/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/sep/03/phil-lynott-mitt-romney-thin-lizzy|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|title=Scott Gorham hits out at Mitt Romney's use of 'The Boys Are Back In Town' | Music | News|url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/9172026.html|magazine=Hot Press|access-date=2016-07-27|archive-date=20 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520021943/http://www.hotpress.com/news/9172026.html|url-status=live}}
The song is played at most Irish rugby matches.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/fameacademy/songs/89.shtml |title=Comic Relief does Fame Academy – Home |publisher=BBC |date=2014-09-24 |access-date=2016-07-27 |archive-date=25 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925050607/http://www.bbc.co.uk/fameacademy/songs/89.shtml |url-status=live }} It has also been used for trailers and TV spots to promote the Toy Story franchise.
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!scope="col"|Chart (1976–1977) !scope="col"|Peak |
| scope="row"| Australian Singles (Kent Music Report){{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=35092 |title=Forum – 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts) |website=Australian-charts.com |access-date=2016-12-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602084720/http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=35092 |archive-date=2016-06-02 }}
| align="center"| 55 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|8|chartid=4289a|rowheader=true|access-date=19 June 2023|refname=can1}} |
| {{singlechart|Ireland2|1|song=The Boys Are Back in Town|rowheader=true|access-date=19 June 2023}} |
| {{single chart|UK|8|date=19770904|rowheader=true|refname=UK1|access-date=19 June 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|artist=Thin Lizzy|12|rowheader=true|access-date=19 June 2023}} |
1991 reissue
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!scope="col"|Chart (1991) !scope="col"|Peak |
| {{singlechart|Ireland2|16|song=The Boys Are Back in Town|rowheader=true|access-date=19 June 2023}} |
| {{single chart|UK|63|date=19910317|refname=UK2|rowheader=true|access-date=19 June 2023}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1976) !Position |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|93|chartid=5173a|rowheader=true|access-date=19 June 2023|refname=can2}} |
| scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1976.htm|title=Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976|website=www.musicoutfitters.com|access-date=15 December 2016|archive-date=7 March 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040307155555/http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1976.htm|url-status=live}}
| align="center"| 87 |
|---|
| scope="row"|US Cash Box{{cite web|url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1976YESP.html|title=Cash Box YE Pop Singles – 1976|website=tropicalglen.com|access-date=15 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020004356/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1976YESP.html|archive-date=20 October 2018}}
| align="center"| 91 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Thin Lizzy|title=The Boys Are Back in Town|award=Platinum|relyear=1976|certyear=2021|source=radioscope|access-date=16 March 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Thin Lizzy|title=The Boys Are Back in Town|award=Platinum|relyear=2004|certyear=2022|id=14424-1487-1|access-date=23 September 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Cover versions
=Happy Mondays version=
A cover version of The Boys Are Back in Town became the last Top 40 single for the Manchester rock band Happy Mondays when it peaked at number 24 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1999.{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/26199/happy-mondays/|title=Happy Mondays | full Official Chart History|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=7 December 2021|archive-date=1 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501173728/https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/26199/happy-mondays/|url-status=live}}{{cite book |first=Martin C. |last=Strong |year=2000 |title=The Great Rock Discography |edition=5th |publisher=Mojo Books |location=Edinburgh |pages=421–422 |isbn=1-84195-017-3}} According to the band they did not think that their version was a straight cover, but a record "inspired by the Phil Lynott song, but doesn't sound a thing like the original".{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/happy-mondays-125-1391234|title=MONDAYS SKANK YOUR WAY IN MAY|website=NME|date=14 March 1999|access-date=7 December 2021|archive-date=2 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202134058/https://www.nme.com/news/music/happy-mondays-125-1391234|url-status=live}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{YouTube|nN120kCiVyQ|Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back in Town}}
{{ThinLizzy}}
{{Everclear}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boys Are Back in Town, The}}
Category:Songs written by Phil Lynott
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles