THIN LIZZY’s breakthrough album, 1973’s ‘Vagabonds Of The Western World‘, is being reissued for its 50th anniversary via multi-disc vinyl and CD box sets.
The band’s third studio album features the single ‘The Rocker’, although despite the top 10 success of the 1972’s ‘Whiskey in the Jar’, they left it off Vagabonds, although that hasn’t stopped the song being added to the various reissues over the years. That song was the last Lizzy release to feature original guitarist Eric Bell. After an unsuccessful New Year’s Eve show in Belfast, Bell was no longer in the band, which paved the way for Lynott’s idea about having twin lead guitarists, which led to the recruitment of American Scott Gorham and 18-year-old Glaswegian Brian Robertson.
For the 50th anniversary reissue a 3CD+blu-ray box set delivers the album newly remastered (by Andy Pearce and Matt Wortham), bonus tracks, rare radio sessions, live performances and 10 demos and outtakes – unreleased music previously never heard.
The album was Thin Lizzy’s last roll of the dice, as they had been working for two years with limited success. After the band moved to London from Dublin, they played every gig they could to keep themselves afloat. While messing around in their rehearsal studio, Phil Lynott started busking the old Irish folk song ‘Whiskey In The Jar’, which dates back to the 1700s.
Their then manager remarked upon it and insisted that the band recorded, against their gut instincts. The single was released in November 1972 and rose to number 6 on the UK singles chart. However, the song didn’t sit well with the band, and despite its success, they left it off their forthcoming album.
Since then, the song, in arrangements influenced by The Lizzy version, has gone on to be covered by artists such as U2, Metallica, Belle & Sebastian, The Pogues, Pulp, Bryan Adams, Gary Moore and Simple Minds.
After a two-year struggle for recognition, Thin Lizzy had finally scored a breakthrough hit. It paved the way for the ‘Vagabonds Of The Western World’ album, but it would be their last with original guitarist Eric Bell. After an unsuccessful New Year’s Eve show in Belfast, Bell was no longer in the band, which paved the way for Lynott’s idea about having twin lead guitarists.
After a short spell with very young Gary Moore filling in, Phil & Brian recruited American Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, and a new adventure started.
The 50th anniversary of ‘Vagabonds Of The Western World’ is the sound of nascent Lizzy finally finding their feet and starting on their journey to be one of the greatest rock bands of the 70s and for Philip to be recognised as one of the best songwriters of his generation.
This LP was THIN LIZZY putting all they had into the music and taking risks. It’s passionate, high energy and distinctive. The sound quality on this Deluxe Edition 50th anniversary is really good.
‘Vagabonds Of The Western World’ was also the first album to feature artwork by Jim Fitzpatrick, who would go on to work with the band on classic albums such as Nightlife, Jailbreak, Johnny The Fox, Black Rose and Chinatown.
Classic
Tracklist:
1. Mama Nature Said (4:54)
2. The Hero And The Madman (6:10)
3. Slow Blues (5:15)
4. The Rocker (5:12)
5. Vagabond Of The Western World (4:45)
6. Little Girl In Bloom (5:15)
7. Gonna Creep Up On You (3:29)
8. A Song For While I'm Away (5:13)
9. Whiskey In The Jar (5:46)
10. Black Boys On The Corner (3:23)
11. Randolph's Tango (3:48)
12. Broken Dreams (4:27)
13. The Rocker (Single Edit) (2:42)
14. Here I Go Again (3:53)
15. A Ride In The Lizzy Mobile (4:08)
16. Whiskey In The Jar (John Peel Session) (5:53)
17. Suicide (John Peel Session) (4:02)
18. Black Boys On The Corner (John Peel Session) (3:07)
23. Vagabond Of The Western World (John Peel Session) (4:24)
24. Gonna Creep Up On You (John Peel Session) (3:21)
25. Little Girl In Bloom (John Peel Session) (4:37)
26. Randolph’s Tango (John Peel Session) (3:47)
27. The Rocker (John Peel Session) (5:12)
28. Slow Blues (John Peel Session) (5:33)
29. Randolph’s Tango (Bob Harris Session) (3:42)
30. Little Girl In Bloom (Bob Harris Session) (4:37)
31. The Rocker (Bob Harris Session) (5:12)
32. The Rocker (Radio One In Concert) (6:00)
33. Things Ain't Working Out Down At The Farm (Radio One In Concert) (7:53)
34. Slow Blues (Radio One In Concert) (8:08)
35. Gonna Creep Up On You (Radio One In Concert) (3:48)
36. Suicide (Radio One In Concert) (4:35)
37. The Rocker (Take 1 / Instrumental) (5:19)
38. Little Girl In Bloom (Take 3) (5:54)
39. Gonna Creep Up On You (Take 2 / Instrumental) (4:39)
40. Slow Blues (Take 2 / Instrumental) (5:42)
41. Here I Go Again (Extended Version) (6:44)
42. Suicide (gtr Needles And Pins Jam) (1:33)
43. Whiskey In The Jar (Extended Version / Rough Mix) (6:01)
44. Black Boys On The Corner (Rough Mix) (3:47)
45. Gonna Creep Up On You (Acetate Mix) (3:33)
46. Baby's Been Messin' (Acetate Mix) (4:02)
47. Whiskey In The Jar (Richard Whittaker Mix) (5:45)
Thin Lizzy – Vagabonds Of The Western World (Deluxe Edition 50th anniversary) (2023) Box-Set 3 CD, MP3+FLAC
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Just to clarify:
ALL 47 TRACKS FROM THE DIGITAL VERSION ARE INCLUDED IN BOTH ARCHIVES (flac + mp3).
The 4 tracks are only missing in the description in the post, but they are in fact included both as flac and mp3.
The CD version will include 4 tracks which are not included in the digital version.
2 tracks from the digital version will not be included in the 3 CD release.
Track 15 of the digital release is probably another version than track 15 included on CD 1 of the physical release
The 3 CD version will include 49 tracks.
The track order on CD 2 and CD 3 will be different from the track order of the tracks 16-47 of the digital version.
This is according to the info available from Amazon.
As the digital release is available for purchase on Amazon, I guess it has to be the official version.
..OH, so this is only an ADV. PROMO, that´s why not al tracks are there, OK. that makes sense BUT these 4 tracks had already been released anyways in 2020 in the “Thin Lizzy – Rock Legends” boxset in CD 2 “The Early Years” there´s even MORE songs from that same session so is all good, I also hadn´t noticed the official release date Dec. 22..!! since all contents are known from previous releases, I don´t think it´ll be necessary to physically purchase this one in December..!!
Edit
I just checked the mp3 file.
ALL 47 tracks are included in the file. This means also the tracks 19, 20, 21 and 22 are present in the archive.
This is the same I wrote in 3 comments in the cbox.
@A.N.N. It is the digital version. Amazon list the album for sale with those 4 tracks marked as not available for purchase.
The release date of the physical version is December 22, 2023. The tracks will probably not be available in any format prior to that date.
The physical version will also include additionally 2 tracks (total 49 tracks) with an altered track order and 2 of the tracks from the digital version omitted. The 4 tracks only on 3 cd version are:
“Little Girl in Bloom – Take 2 / Instrumental”,
“Suicide – Take 3 / Instrumental”,
“A Ride in the Lizzy Mobile – Take 2 / Instrumental” &
“Mama Nature Said – Vox and Organ / Take 6”.
The 2 tracks not included on the cd version are:
“38. Little Girl In Bloom (Take 3)” &
“47. Whiskey In The Jar (Richard Whittaker Mix)”
I am not sure about track 15. A Ride In The Lizzy Mobile” as the cd version says “Cruising in the Lizzymobile”. Besides that the track order of the first 15 tracks is identical to the 15 tracks on cd1.
..exactly the most important & only unreleased part of the new Thin Lizzy is missing in the free digital web edition:
RTE RADIO EIREANN SESSION 1973-01-16
19. 1969 Rock
20. Suicide
21. Broken Dreams
22. Eddie’s Blues/Blue Shadows
..¿¿ can you get full version..??