Jailbreak

With Jailbreak, their sixth album, there’s an unmistakable sense of a band whose time had come, and Thin Lizzy seized the day with a swaggering aplomb. The gritty title-track and the ubiquitous and exuberant ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’ are classics, backed up by the fist-pumping ‘Warriors’ a shit-kicking hard rock tour de force, and ‘Fight Or Fall’ – one of the best “us against the world” rock songs ever. ‘Romeo And the Lonely Girl’ is Lynott as his most rogueishly romantic, while ‘Cowboy Song’ could be both scenario and soundtrack for a John Ford western. Philo is at his self-assured vocal best throughout. Meanwhile the sparkling twin leads of Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham deliver a masterclass, underpinned by the precision drumming of Brian Downey. There were dark days ahead, but this album is a joyous celebration of the defiant outlaw rocker.

No 14 in 2009, as voted for by over 200 Irish musicians. Up from No 19 in 2004.