Track Listing

1. We Will Be Strong
2. Chinatown - Thin Lizzy, Kit Woolven
3. Sweetheart
4. Sugar Blues
5. Killer On The Loose
6. Having A Good Time
7. Genocide
8. Didn't I
9. Hey You

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9960 in Music
• Released on: 1990-04-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 41 minutes

Customer Reviews

A LOT BETTER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK!
This album regularly gets what i consider to be an unfair pounding in most reviews.
Ok, it dosen't have the energy and freshness of thier classic albums, but this is largely due to the cold production and its certainly not to be overlooked. Apart from some top notch tunes, it contains some great moments of thoughtful and poignant lyricism. Its also interesting as a record of Phil Lynotts life at the time, its darker tones reflecting his decent into serious heroin addiction. Heres my thoughts on each track:

We Will Be Strong: Classic Lizzy with plenty of energy, upbeat lyrics, big guitar harmonies and hooks. A great start.

Chinatown: One of the singles from the album. A great track with an excellent intracate guitar riff, good harmonies and lyrics which really get across the feel of being somewhere like "Chinatown"

Sweetheart: Not a bad song, its a bit filler though. Has a nice harmony but feels a bit too much like the band are just going through the motions.

Sugar Blues: About cocaine, and Phils love for the stuff. The lyrics are worrying as you can hear genuine conviction in Phils praise for the drug in the lyric "sugar, won't you add a little sweetness to my life" Otherwise its got a great riff and has a good almost funky beat. Would have became a classic if it was on "Jailbreak"

Killer On The Loose: The second single. It came under criticism at the time as there was in fact a murderer on the loose who worked in a similar way to the subject of the song. Its hook is an excellent bass riff and harmony. Its a fast, driving anthem which would serve them well on the live stage in the years to come. Has an excellent solo too.

Havin' A Good Time: A tiny bit filler, but is probably the most upbeat on the album, and has an interesting breakdown in the middle where Phil introduces the rest of the band members to play solos. "Hit me with that drum Brian! Hit me with it as hard as you can!!!!" Has some intentionly humourus rhyming from Phil at the end.

Killing Of The Buffalo: Im never quite sure about this one, sometimes it sounds filler, other times as strong as the two singles and "We Will Be Strong". Either way its a driving heavy tune about, you guessed it....the killing of buffalos in Colonial America

Didn't I: A traditional Thin Lizzy style ballad, with great lyrics. Its not up there with "Still In Love With You" and "With Love" but is nonetheless worth a good few listens.

Hey You: For Me, this is the highlight of the album. Its a dark song both musically and lyrically, which deals with the the problems we all face sometimes when trying to fit in somewhere new. The character in the song moves from a small town where he feels enclosed, to the city where he experiences rough times, culture shock and isolation, to the country where he is rejected as he is seen as a city boy. It also deals with Phils situation at the time, and the idea that you can never go home again. Its send shivers down my spne whenever i hear it.

Another song written by Lizzy at this time called "Don't Play Around" was the b-side to Killer On The Loose. Its as good as the best stuff on this album and is well worth seeking out. its available on a few collections, most notably the box set "Vagabonds, Kings, Warriors, Angels"

All in all, Chinatown is a worthy addition to the collections of even the most partial lizzy fans, and a pretty dam good album in its own right.
check it out.

An album which gets you in the mood to paint the town red.
Thin Lizzy are sounding a little heavier on this album, but the songs don't suffer, Phil Lynott's magical song writting still manages to get you hooked to every song. Snowy White make's his debut on this album, and leaves you wishing he stayed for more than 2 albums, Renegade being the other. A must album for all guitarist wannabies.

Lizzy dabble in the Blues
The album kicks of with "We Will be Strong" as good as any dual guitar songs written during the Robertson/Gorham lizzy era and gets you tapping your feet. The two singles "Chinatown" and the top ten hit "Killer on the Loose" are probably two of Lizzy's best ever singles. "Sugar Blues" gives Snowy White a chance to show off his Blues playing talent. "Having a Good Time" puts you in the mood for clubbing, the thought provoking "Genocide" shows how deep Lynott could be and the beautiful "Didn't I" shows how well he could write a ballad. The album is let down by "Sweetheart" a poor version of the "Black Rose" song "With Love" and "Hey You" a poor ska song. However, the album is a grower and a must for a Lizzy and Lynott fans alike.