Live and Dangerous

Live and Dangerous is a live double LP by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1978 (see 1978 in music). It was recorded during the tours accompanying the albums in London and Toronto in 1977 Johnny the Fox and Bad Reputation

Live and dangerous was originally meant to be a studio album. Together with Tony Visconti they had a huge success with they previous album Bad Reputation, and the group wanted to work with him again. But since Visconti had a very tight schedule Phil Lynott came up with the idea that they spend two weeks together compiling a live album instead.

After they had decided which track they were going to use Lynott asked if they could re-record some vocals due to technical issues. After spending some time overdubbing various bits noticing the impact on the result they enden up re-recording all the vocals, guitars and bass. So the only real live elements of Live and Dangerous is the drums and the audience. Visconti justified this by stating that every track was performed before a live audience. The exception being Southbound which was taken from a sound check onstage in Philadelphia ^[1]

Other sources state that although the finished album contains overdubbing, it is claimed that it is "75% live".^[2]

It was also the last album to feature Brian Robertson who went on to form Wild Horses with ex-Rainbow bassman Jimmy Bain. On this album, the band segues immediately from "Cowboy Song" into "The Boys Are Back in Town," on the line "a cowboy's life is the life for me". This technique was revisited more professionally on the same 2 live tracks from a different concert ending Greatest Hits.

The performance of "Still In Love With You" is considered by many to be the ultimate Thin Lizzy recording.

A DVD was released on October 16th, 2007 which contains all the recorded video from the Live and Dangerous concert, including: (in order) Rosalie, The Boys Are Back In Town, Emerald, Dancing In The Moonlight, Massacre, Call On Me(Original name for Still In Love With You), Don't Believe A Word, Are You Ready, Sha-La-La, Baby Drives Me Crazy, Me And The Boys (Also Not Included on the Live Recording.) Including various other Thin Lizzy performances, (Such as a recorded show from their farewell tour.)

[edit] Track listing

"Jailbreak" (Lynott) – 4:31
"Emerald" (Downey, Gorham, Lynott, Robertson) – 4:18
"Southbound" (Lynott) – 3:44
"Rosalie/Cowgirl's Song" (Downey, Lynott, Seger) – 4:00
"Dancing in the Moonlight (It's Caught Me in Its Spotlight)" (Lynott) – 3:50
"Massacre" (Downey, Gorham, Lynott) – 2:46
"Still in Love With You" (Lynott) – 7:40
"Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed" (Downey, Gorham, Lynott) – 3:32
"Cowboy Song" (Downey, Lynott) – 4:40
"The Boys Are Back in Town" (Lynott) – 4:30
"Don't Believe a Word" (Lynott) – 2:05
"Warrior" (Gorham, Lynott) – 3:52
"Are You Ready" (Downey, Gorham, Lynott, Robertson) – 2:40
"Suicide" (Lynott) – 5:00
"Sha La La" (Downey, Lynott) – 4:18
"Baby Drives Me Crazy" (Downey, Gorham, Lynott, Robertson) – 6:36
"The Rocker" (Bell, Downey, Lynott) – 3:58

[edit] Personnel

Brian Downey - drums, percussion
Scott Gorham - lead guitar, backing vocals
Phil Lynott - bass guitar, lead vocals
Brian Robertson - lead guitar, backing vocals

with

John Earle - saxophone on "Dancing in the Moonlight"
Huey Lewis - harmonica on "Baby Drives Me Crazy"

At the time of the recording, John Earle was in Graham Parker & the Rumour, and Huey Lewis was in Clover. Both of these groups were support acts for the tours that made up this album. Sadly, John "Irish" Earle passed away on 7th May 2008 in his native Dublin.

v • d • e Thin Lizzy

John Sykes • Scott Gorham • Francesco DiCosmo • Tommy Aldridge Phil Lynott • Brian Downey • Eric Bell • Gary Moore • Brian Robertson • Snowy White • Darren Wharton • Michael Lee • Randy Gregg • Midge Ure • Dave Flett • Marco Mendoza

Studio albums	Thin Lizzy • Shades of a Blue Orphanage • Vagabonds of the Western World • Nightlife • Fighting • Jailbreak • Johnny the Fox • Bad Reputation • Black Rose: A Rock Legend • Chinatown • Renegade • Thunder and Lightning

Live albums	Live and Dangerous • Life • BBC Radio One Live in Concert • The Peel Sessions • Boys Are Back in Town: Live in Australia • One Night Only

Key Singles/Songs	"Whiskey in the Jar" • "The Rocker" • "The Boys Are Back in Town" • "Jailbreak"

Other articles	Thin Lizzy band members