Ranking Every Song on Thin Lizzy’s 1976 Classic ‘Jailbreak’

Even great albums have a hierarchy. Some songs are stone-cold classics, some play quiet yet vital supporting roles, and others simply do not reach the same level as the band’s best material. In this Live Music Blog series, we rank every track from worst to best on some of the most notable albums in music history.

While Thin Lizzy had produced some notable tracks up to this point in their career, the Irish group delivered their magnum opus with 1976’s Jailbreak. The album’s nine songs flow perfectly, and any one of them could be your favorite on any given day, depending on your mood. Here are my thoughts on the best songs from this seminal release.

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9. “Warriors”

One song had to bring up the rear here, and while “Warriors” is listed as the lowest on the totem pole from Jailbreak, it still boasts an extremely powerful guitar riff, a generally potent ambiance, and even some “ahhh” backing vocals (a rarity for the group on this album). Despite serving as this list’s caboose, this is still a great song, showcasing the overall strength of material on Thin Lizzy’s 1976 magnum opus.

8. “Emerald”

On an album filled with histrionic guitar highlights, the album’s closing cut might take the cut, as the song’s climax is a back-and-forth solo of the highest order, right up there with one of the best solos of all time, the Eagles’ 1976 extravaganza “Hotel California.”

With dramatic lyrics punctuated by a spirited vocal performance from lead singer and bassist Phil Lynott, “Emerald” helps Jailbreak end with a rebellious and powerful bang—befitting an album of its power and position in rock music history.

7. “Romeo and the Lonely Girl”

An eminently catchy story song, this track might not get the plaudits that other receive herein, but its overall quality and the inherent songcraft supporting it showcases the intense heights that the group were operating at during this time period. If you had this way higher up in your rankings, I would absolutely understand that.

6. “Fight or Fall”

The only ballad on the album is still classic “Thin Lizzy,” though it boasts some of the album’s most introspective and thoughtful lyrics. Of course, the interweaving guitar of Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson is omnipresent, but there is real sadness in Lynott’s vocals—something not found on the braggadocious and bravado-laden tracks elsewhere.

5. “Angel from the Coast”

Arguably the best guitar riff on album overstuffed with them, the hammer-on- and pull-off-heavy guitar part is layered on top of an already brilliant compression-heavy strummed guitar part.

With stellar guitar solos aplenty and a brief run time of just over three minutes, this song gets in, delivers a tuneful melody, tasty guitar tones, and spirited performances in almost under three minutes, dusts off its hands, and gets out. A terrific album deep cut.

4. “Running Back”

More or less a straight-ahead pop song on an album littered with hard rock gems from the era, this beautiful “come back to me” love song is glittering jewel in the crown of this album, as it showcases the group could do more than just write songs about bawdy gentleman fighting and boozing at “Dino’s Bar & Grill.”

Also, this track has one of the best solos on the entire album, though the inclusion of a quiet saxophone in the mix was probably a bad decision; the song would be stronger without it.

3. “Jailbreak”

Title tracks can sometimes be something of a letdown, especially when an album boasts an all-timer like “The Boys Are Back in Town,” as this one does. Luckily, Thin Lizzy assuage those concerns by delivering an absolute banger opening title track that indicates you’re in for a fun, bumpy, wild ride when listening to this definitive document from the band.

The guitars pummel, Lynott’s vocals coax and cajole, and the band’s immense heft is showcased right away with intense swagger and coupled with a singalong-worthy chorus. “Break out!”

2. “Cowboy Song”

While this album boasts some amazing guitar moments, Lynott’s bass playing doesn’t get many highlights, until this late-album banger comes on. Beginning with a slower, drawling intro that sounds as if it was meant to played around a campfire under the open sky of an Arizona desert, Lynott’s harmonized bass part cascades in following that section, upon which the group launches into a stunning track that turns the song’s “lonesome cowboy” inspirations into something else entirely—something far more powerful and memorable.

This lovely pastiche transcends its “Wild West” inspirations and turns into a singular metaphor for life itself that delves into what it means to not only be a cowboy, but simply a man in modern society. With guitar highlights aplenty and tremendous vocals from Lynott, this is an underrated, sterling track from Jailbreak that still sounds fresh and interesting.

1. “The Boys Are Back in Town”

Still the only song ever recorded about the boys being back in town, this timeless track is obviously the best song on Jailbreak. Despite being arguably overplayed, sometimes songs are omnipresent for a reason: They absolutely rule, which is certainly the case with this masterpiece from Lynott and company.

Boasting some of the tastiest guitar tones ever recorded courtesy of the band’s dual guitar attack of Gorham and Robertson as well as an imitable vocal performance from Lynott, the song continues to dazzle 50 years after its release. “The Boys Are Back in Town” absolutely holds as a masterpiece as well as one of the finest songs of the 1970s. So go ahead; “spread the word around.”

Running Back to Jailbreak

Ultimately, any ordering of this album is defensible so long as the #1 track is always “The Boys Are Back in Town,” which holds up as one of the best songs of not just 1976, but of the entire 1970s (a bold claim, I know).

That fact confirms the overall consistency of this album, as Phil Lynott and company delivered an all-timer across Jailbreak’s nine classic tracks. This is a rewarding album upon multiple listens, as you’ll find some new and interesting guitar figure or surprising musical flourish as you continue to explore this mission statement from the band. Rock on!

As always, ranking songs on a great album is bound to invite some disagreement, and that is part of the fun. Classic albums tend to inspire strong opinions, especially when the gap between the best song and the weakest one is not that wide, so let us know in the comments how you would rank the tracks on this album. Check back soon as this Live Music Blog series continues with more track-by-track rankings of important albums across music history.

^{Header Photo Courtesy Chris Hakkens/Wikimedia Commons}