Thin Lizzy – The Boys Are Back In Town

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  General Comment:Every time I hear this song I think of Good Fellas. Mostly the part about Dino's Bar and Grille. At the same time, I think of when I'm reunited during the Summer with my friends from high school coming back home from college.

  Flag glassjoeon June 05, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I don't care about any militaristic bullshit.
  
  This song is about meeting up with the old gang, the friends that no amount of time and distance can ever take away from you, and setting the bloody town on fire.

  Flag Das Boeseon December 17, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:Can someone please tell me why "Johnny the Fox" is no where to be found? That was a great song(and album) but I guess I'm all by myself on an island.

  Flag boneric22on July 13, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:Wrong!!!! Phil lived in Barnsley.
  
  Or was that Slash?

  Flag badgerboyon May 12, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:And another thing its not "But man, I still think those cats are great", its "But man, I still think those cats are CRAZY." I don't care what lyric site you copy and pasted it from, I hear it as crazy over and over again. Even when its live it sounds like 'crazy 'not 'great'.

  Flag Twopeiceon October 27, 2009   Link

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  Song Meaning:All of you idiots are WRONG!! Dummies from America trying to calim he wrote this about Military in SC lol idiots. Then other trying to say a SC man wrote this....sad.
  
  Phil wrote this song about a street gang called the "Quality Street Gang" and about Manchester United supporters, which he was a Manchester United supporter. He lived in Moss side, Manchester before moving to Ireland.
  
  Excerpts from an article that appeared in New Musical Express, April 9th, 1977 about the song "The Boys Are Back In Town."
  
  "...one of the few classic street songs. It was 1976's summer record."
  
  "Lynott is proud of this achievement. It was inspired, he says, by both Manchester United supporters and a bunch of Manchurian tearaways called the Quality Street Gang. He reckons the message is pretty universal."
  
  " 'Every street gang in the whole western world can identify with 'The Boys Are Back In Town,' he claims."
  
  Case closed! This song is about a Street gang in Manchester called the Quality Street Gang and Manchester United supporters. A person I talked to said Dino's Bar and grill was in Whitworth st. Phil's mom Philomena ran a hotel in Manchester which people say was a shebeen, which the gang would sometimes hang out at. Johnny I think refers to Johnny the fox , which I think Johnny the fox was a member of the QSG but I'm not sure. Johnny the Fox is also their the seventh studio album, which they have a song named "Johnny." I think the line "If the boys want to fight, you'd better let them" refers to Football hooliganism. Some for the people that think this is a nice little song, no! It's a street working class song, not some yuppie middle class crap.

  Flag Twopeiceon October 27, 2009   Link

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    Even though I am from America, I can honestly say i have to agree with your excerpt. Nicely put!

    Flag Phoenix13on December 04, 2012  
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  General Comment:This song is actually about guys from Tango company (often called "The Boys" among cadets) from The Citadel, which is a military college in Charleston, South Carolina. It actually refers to local cadet hangouts like Dino's.

  Flag hunan2on March 22, 2009   Link

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    I highly doubt this one concidering that it originated from the UK. Go to your little town library and read up or just rent the dvd "British Gangsters". You may just understand then. If not, then youre screwing yourself out of something very powerful, KNOWLEDGE!

    Flagged Phoenix13on December 04, 2012  
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  General Comment:This song is actually about guys from Tango company (often called "The Boys" among cadets) from The Citadel, which is a military college in Charleston, South Carolina. It actually refers to local cadet hangouts like Dino's.

  Flag hunan2on March 22, 2009   Link

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    BY THE WAY, THE BAND WAS FORMED IN DUBLIN IRELAND. NOT SOUTH CAROLINA........READ ON THE FACTS NOT FANTASY!!
    BACK THEN AND EVEN NOW, THEY DONT CARE ABOUT AMERICA OR LITTLE BARS IN SOME RED NECK TWO BIT TOWN....

    Flagged Phoenix13on December 04, 2012  

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    Actually I had heard the same thing regarding the song as it relates to the Citadel but not about tango company specifically but the cadet corp as a whole. If you do your research you will see that the song was written and released after they started their first American(USA) tour. Perhaps there is a connection to the Citadel and yes their was a very popular Cadet hangout back then called Dino's right off campus from the Citadel. As far as I could research and verify there is no definative answer regarding the inspiration for the lyrics and the song so keep your insults to yourself Phoenix13.

    Flag elcid85on December 24, 2012  
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  General Comment:I'd like to say that this is by far my fave summertime bar song. Who can resist those summer images going through their head? I can feel the temp rising just thinking about it. I'll give you some examples:
  
  "you know that chick that used to dance alot..." - Dancefloor in either a bar or maybe a roller rink.
  "remember that time over at johnnys place..." - Small get together or big party of late teens/college kids over at a friends house. In fact, I have a neighbor named John lol.
  "friday night theyll be dressed to kill..." - an imaginary Dino's bar and grill with a fight scene, booze, etc; and this actual 1950s style BBQ called PJ's. (yes I know, but its the closest thing we have to Dino's around where I live lol)
  "that jukebox in the corner blastin out my favorite song..." - I'd like to know who can resist listening to that line. Deff one of the more stand-out lines for me. You dont need me to explain what I see lol.

  Flag journeyhead4everon January 31, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:for me and most brings back memories of friends you've moved away from, chillin on lazy day smokin a fatty with a brew and my girl in my lap. love it haha

  Flag weevilson October 23, 2008   Link

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