Released in the summer of 1978 when they were at the peak of their powers, Live And Dangerous remains the most compelling argument for Thin Lizzy’s greatness. Recorded on the barnstorming Bad Reputation tour in 1977, this double vinyl LP is a tour de force, Lizzy’s trademark hard rock with a heart.
At the time of its release this incarnation of the band, featuring Philip Lynott, Brian Downey, Scott Graham and Brian Robertson, had been together for four years. The big breakthrough had come with the 1976 album Jailbreak, which contained the smash hit single, ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’. They followed it less than a year later with the Johnny The Fox album, which spawned another top twenty hit in ‘Don’t Believe A Word’. Still riding a wave of success they followed swiftly with 1977’s Bad Reputation, which included yet another hit in ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’.
Live And Dangerous included all of the aforementioned singles, a brilliant rendition of the Bob Segar rocker ‘Rosalie’ and powerful versions of the Jailbreak tracks ‘The Cowboy Song’ and ‘Emerald’. But for many the standout track is the smouldering, atmospheric version of ‘Still In Love With You’ – one of Lynott’s finest ballads, though, interestingly, it was originally recorded as a more up-tempo number on the band’s 1974 album Nightlife. On the commercial front, Live And Dangerous was Lizzy’s most successful album, reaching the number two slot in Britain shortly after its release. Live And Dangerous is not only Lizzy’s finest hour but ranks among the best live albums of all time.