Vagabonds of the Western World
Vagabonds of the Western World | ||||
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Studio album by Thin Lizzy | ||||
Released | 21 September 1973 | |||
Recorded | July 1973 at AIR London and Decca 4, Tollington Park | |||
Genre | Hard rock, blues rock | |||
Length | 39:59 | |||
Label | Decca | |||
Producer | Nick Tauber | |||
Thin Lizzy chronology | ||||
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Vagabonds of the Western World is the third studio album by Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy, released in 1973. It was the band's last album with original guitarist Eric Bell and the first to feature the artwork of Jim Fitzpatrick, whose work would appear on many subsequent albums by the band.
Reception
Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Sea of Tranquility | [2] |
Pitchfork Media | 7/10[3] |
Eduardo Rivadavia of Allmusic describes the album as "brimming with attitude and dangerous swagger", and Thin Lizzy's "first sonically satisfying album", with "The Rocker" their "first bona fide classic". He describes "Little Girl in Bloom" as "absolutely flawless", but criticises "The Hero and The Madman" and "Slow Blues" as "overblown" and "tepid" respectively.[1]
Pete Pardo of Sea of Tranquility stated that Vagabonds of the Western World was "filled with blistering blues-rock, folky/psychedelic tinged numbers, and dark, moody, and atmospheric tracks that bridged rock and jazz influences into a hauntingly new sound." He also praised the bonus material on the remastered release, such as the "red hot" version of "Suicide".[2]
Track listing
All tracks written by Phil Lynott, except as indicated.
- "Mama Nature Said" – 4:52
- "The Hero and the Madman" – 6:08
- "Slow Blues" (Brian Downey, Lynott) – 5:14
- "The Rocker" (Eric Bell, Downey, Lynott) – 5:12
- "Vagabond of the Western World" – 4:44
- "Little Girl in Bloom" – 5:12
- "Gonna Creep Up on You" (Bell, Lynott) – 3:27
- "A Song for While I'm Away" – 5:10
When the album was repackaged for CD in 1991, it included the respective A and B-sides of the two singles released at around the same time. "Whiskey in the Jar" was Lizzy's first hit.
- "Whiskey in the Jar" (Traditional arr. Bell, Downey, Lynott) – 5:44
- "Black Boys on the Corner" – 3:21
- "Randolph's Tango" – 3:49
- "Broken Dreams" (Bell, Downey, Lynott) – 4:26
Remastered and expanded release
On 11 October 2010 Vagabonds of the Western World was reissued as a 2CD deluxe edition. This version was remastered with bonus tracks. The original album and bonus material is featured on disc 1, while disc 2 features bonus material.
The track listing is as follows: Disc 1:
- "Mama Nature Said"
- "The Hero and the Madman"
- "Slow Blues" (Downey, Lynott)
- "The Rocker" (Bell, Downey, Lynott)
- "Vagabond of the Western World"
- "Little Girl in Bloom"
- "Gonna Creep Up on You" (Bell, Lynott)
- "A Song for While I'm Away"
- "Randolph's Tango"
- "Broken Dreams"
- "The Rocker" (Single version)
- "Here I Go Again"
- "Cruising in the Lizzymobile" (Bell, Downey, Lynott)
- "Little Darling"
- "Sitamoia" (Downey)
- "Slow Blues" (1977 Overdubbed and remixed version)
- "Randolph's Tango" (Radio promo edit)
- "Whiskey in the Jar" (Promotional edited version)
Disc 2:
- "The Rocker" (BBC Radio One in Concert)
- "Things Ain't Working Out Down at the Farm" (Lynott) (BBC Radio One in Concert)
- "Slow Blues" (BBC Radio One in Concert)
- "Gonna Creep Up on You" (BBC Radio One in Concert)
- "Suicide" (BBC Radio One in Concert)
- "Vagabond of the Western World" (BBC Radio One John Peel Session)
- "Gonna Creep Up on You" (BBC Radio One John Peel Session)
- "Little Girl in Bloom" (BBC Radio One Rock On Session)
- "Sitamoia" (Downey) (BBC Radio One Bob Harris Session)
- "Little Darling" (BBC Radio One Bob Harris Session)
- "Slow Blues" (BBC Radio One Bob Harris Session)
- "Showdown" (Lynott) (BBC Radio One Bob Harris Session)
- "Black Boys on the Corner" (BBC Radio One John Peel Session)
Singles
- "Whisky in the Jar" / "Black Boys on the Corner" – 3 November 1972
- "Randolph's Tango" / "Broken Dreams" – 4 May 1973
- "The Rocker" / "Here I Go Again" – 9 November 1973
- In Germany, the B-side was "A Ride in the Lizzy Mobile".
- "Little Darling" / "Buffalo Gal" – 11 April 1974
- In the USA, the B-side was "The Rocker".
Personnel
- Thin Lizzy
- Additional personnel
- Kid Jensen – voice on "The Hero and the Madman"
- Jan Schelhaas – organ on "Mama Nature Said" and "The Hero and the Madman"
- Fiachra Trench – string arrangement on "A Song for While I'm Away"
- Technical
- Nick Tauber - producer
- Mick Rock, John Thomson - photography
- Derek Varnals, Alan Harris, John Fuller - engineers
- Alan Leaming, Dave Baker, Pete Swetenham - assistant engineers
- Jim Fitzpatrick - artwork, design
- Rodney Matthews - design
References
- 1 2 Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Vagabonds of the Western World review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
- 1 2 Pardo, Pete. "Vagabonds of the Western World review". Sea of Tranquility. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
- ↑ Berman, Stuart. "Thin Lizzy: Shades of a Blue Orphanage/Vagabonds of the Western World". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2015-03-03.
- ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Thin-Lizzy-Vagabonds-Of-The-Western-World/release/1429233