Album · 55 years old this year
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy's self-titled debut came out on Decca Records on 30 April 1971, with a US release following on 14 July that year. It is the first of twelve studio albums the Irish band made, a run that stretches all the way to Thunder and Lightning in 1983. The genre tags give a good idea of its character: hard rock and blues rock sit alongside folk rock and a Celtic streak, an early hint of the mix that would define the group.
Shortly after the album appeared, the band went back into Decca Studios with producer Nick Tauber and recorded the EP New Day over four days in June 1971. It was released on 20 August, and its songs were added to later editions of the album, so a reissue is the best way to hear the full picture of this first chapter. For anyone who knows the band from Jailbreak onwards, it is a chance to meet them at the very start.
Thin Lizzy: tracklist, credits and charts
10 tracks · 38:11Tracklist
- 1The Friendly Ranger at Clontarf CastleEric Bell and Phil Lynott3:00
- 2Honesty Is No ExcusePhil Lynott3:38
- 3Diddy LevinePhil Lynott7:00
- 4Ray-GunEric Bell3:01
- 5Look What the Wind Blew InPhil Lynott3:19
- 6EirePhil Lynott2:05
- 7Return of the Farmer’s SonPhil Lynott4:11
- 8Clifton Grange HotelPhil Lynott2:23
- 9Saga of the Ageing OrphanPhil Lynott3:38
- 10RememberingPhil Lynott5:56
- Produced by
- Scott English, Nick Tauber
- Recorded at
- Decca Studios, London
- Recorded
- 4–9 January 1971
- Engineered by
- Peter Rynston
- Labels
- Decca Records, Decca, London (Canada and US)
- Length
- 38:11
Line-up
- Eric Bell · electric guitar
- Brian Downey · drums (drum set), percussion
- Phil Lynott · acoustic guitar, electric bass guitar, lead vocals
- Ivor Raymonde · mellotron · guest
Singles
- “The Farmer" / "I Need You” · 31 July 1970 (Ireland only)
- “Beggar’s Song” · 11 January 1971 (one – sided 7" acetate, UK only)
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart · Combined | 10 |
| Norwegian Physical Albums (IFPI Norge), 55th Anniversary deluxe edition · Combined | 9 |
| Scottish Albums · Combined | 9 |
| Swedish Physical Albums (Sverigetopplistan) · Combined | 9 |
| German Rock & Metal Albums (Offizielle Top 100) · 2026 | 14 |
| Swedish Hard Rock Albums (Sverigetopplistan) · Combined | 18 |
| Danish Vinyl Albums (Hitlisten) · 2026 | 39 |
| German Albums · 2026 | 41 |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
54.7
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
784
ListenBrainz listeners
55k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
3.3k
Deezer fans (all editions)
Released the same week
Also released on 30 April
Every year →
More from Thin Lizzy
Full discography →
New Day
1971
Shades of a Blue Orphanage
1972
Vagabonds of the Western World
1973
Nightlife
1974
Fighting
1975
Jailbreak
1976
Remembering, Part 1
1976
Johnny the Fox
1976
Bad Reputation
1977
Live and Dangerous
1978
Black Rose: A Rock Legend
1979
The Continuing Saga of the Ageing Orphans
1979
Chinatown
1980
Renegade
1981
Thunder and Lightning
1983
Dedication
1991
Dedication: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy
1991
BBC Radio 1: Live in Concert
1992
The Peel Sessions
1994
Wild One: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy
1996
Whisky in the Jar
1996
One Night Only
2000
Vagabonds Kings Warriors Angels
2001
Greatest Hits
2004
The Definitive Collection
2006
UK Tour 75
2008
Still Dangerous: Live at Tower Theatre Philadelphia 1977
2009
A Song For While I’m Away
2024
The Acoustic Sessions
2024
Here I Go Again
2024
Whiskey in the Jar
2024
1976
2024
The best of 1971
All of 1971 →![[Led Zeppelin IV] by Led Zeppelin, album cover](/img/2e61da88-39e9-3473-81d2-c964cb394952/300)
[Led Zeppelin IV]
Led Zeppelin · 1971
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones · 1971
Hunky Dory
David Bowie · 1971
Meddle
Pink Floyd · 1971
Satisfacción
The Rolling Stones · 1971
You Better Move On / Poison Ivy / By Bye Johnny / Money
The Rolling Stones · 1971
Jumpin' Jack Flash
The Rolling Stones · 1971
Street Fighting Man
The Rolling Stones · 1971
If You Need Me / Empty Heart / Confessin’ the Blues / Around and Around
The Rolling Stones · 1971
Azucar Morena
The Rolling Stones · 1971
Who’s Next
The Who · 1971
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones · 1971
More on Decca Records
The label →
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones · 1968
Route 66
The Rolling Stones · 1964
The Last Time
The Rolling Stones · 1965
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
The Rolling Stones · 1965
Rolling Stone Hits
The Rolling Stones · 1964
Time Is on My Side
The Rolling Stones · 1964
Volume 2
The Rolling Stones · 1964
Carol
The Rolling Stones · 1964
Satisfaction
The Rolling Stones · 1965
Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?
The Rolling Stones · 1966
19th Nervous Breakdown
The Rolling Stones · 1966
No me puedes alcanzar
The Rolling Stones · 1965
Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + wikidata
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | April 1971 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 30 April 1971 | |
| Wikidata | 30 April 1971 | |
| UK / Europe release | April 1971 | earliest UK or European date |
11 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1971 | XE | Decca Records | original | |
| 1990 | US | Deram | 042282052827 | other |
| 1990 | US | Deram | 042282052827 | other |
| 1 March 1990 | JP | Deram | 4988005060310 | other |
| 19 March 1990 | XE | Deram | 042282052827 | other |
| 18 October 2010 | GB | Decca Records | 602498444771 | other |
| 18 October 2010 | XW | UMC-Decca | 00602498444771 | deluxe |
| 2014 | US | Mercury Records | 600753535691 | other |
| 10 July 2026 | XE | Decca Records | 602465547146 | remaster |
| 10 July 2026 | XW | Universal Music Recordings | 602465547542 | other |
| — | — | UMC | 00602517838185 | other |
Cover art sources
deezer · upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| deezer ✓ | 1200×1200 | upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25) |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |
| coverartarchive | 300×300 | upscaled |