Phil Lynott
Philip Parris Lynott (20 August 1949 – 4 January 1986) was an Irish singer,… Read Full Bio ↴Philip Parris Lynott (20 August 1949 – 4 January 1986) was an Irish singer, instrumentalist and songwriter, who first came to prominence as a member of Thin Lizzy.
Lynott was born in Hallam Hospital (now Sandwell General Hospital) in West Bromwich (then in Staffordshire), England, the son of a Guyanese father, Cecil Parris, and a White Irish Catholic mother, Philomena (aka Phyllis) Lynott, whose surname he took. His father left his mother just three weeks after he was born and returned to his native Brazil. He was brought up in Moss Side , Manchester before moving to Crumlin, Dublin, whilst he was still quite young, to live with his grandmother, Sarah. His parents reportedly kept in touch for a number of years after his birth, but Lynott did not meet his father until the late 1970s.
Music Career
In the mid-1960s, Lynott began singing in his first band, the Black Eagles. It was around this time that he befriended Brian Downey. He formed Thin Lizzy around 1969 in Dublin after a short stint in Brush Shiels' Skid Row with Gary Moore. Lynott was the main songwriter for Thin Lizzy, as well as the lead singer and bassist. Lynott was half black, and was inspired by Jimi Hendrix as an example of how a black man could be successful fronting a hard rock band. Their first top ten hit was in 1973 with the traditional Irish song "Whiskey In The Jar".
In 1978, he was featured in Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, singing and speaking the role of The Parson. In 1979, under the name of "The Greedies", he recorded a Christmas single, "A Merry Jingle", featuring other members of Thin Lizzy as well as Steve Jones and Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols.
Though Thin Lizzy were still enjoying considerable success, in 1980 Phil Lynott launched a solo career with the album Solo in Soho, which was a Top 30 UK album and yielded two hit singles that year, "Dear Miss Lonelyhearts" and "King's Call". The latter was a tribute to Elvis Presley, and featured Mark Knopfler on guitar. His second solo venture, The Phil Lynott Album was a chart flop, despite the presence of the single "Old Town". The song "Yellow Pearl" (1982), was a Top 20 hit and became the theme tune to Top Of The Pops.
Also in 1980 he married Caroline Crowther, with whom he already had a child, Sarah. She later gave birth to their second daughter, Cathleen. Caroline is the daughter of British comedian Leslie Crowther.
In 1983 Thin Lizzy disbanded, and later that year Lynott recorded a rock'n'roll medley single, "We Are The Boys (Who Make All The Noise)" with Roy Wood, Chas Hodges and John Coghlan, and collaborated with former bandmate blues,/ rock guitarist Gary Moore on "Out in the Fields" (a No. 5 UK hit in 1985, his highest-charting single ever) and "Parisienne Walkways" (a UK no. 8 hit). His last single, "Nineteen", released a few weeks before his death, was produced by Paul Hardcastle. It bore no relation to the producer's chart-topping single some months earlier.
Lynott's last years were dogged by drug and alcohol dependency, and the night of December 25, 1985, he was rushed to hospital. He died of heart failure and pneumonia on January 4, 1986 at the age of 36.
A life-size bronze statue of Phil Lynott was unveiled on Harry Street, off Grafton Street, Dublin in 2005. The ceremony was attended by former band members Gary Moore, Brian Robertson, Brian Downey and Scott Gorham, and by Lynott's mother. The attending Thin Lizzy members paid tribute with a live performance. His grave in St. Fintan's cemetery in Sutton is regularly visited by family, friends and fans.
In November 2005, American actor Gary Dourdan revealed in a radio interview that he has carried out preliminary work with a view to playing Phil Lynott in a film biography.
In 2006 Lynott's mother allowed Micky Waters, bass guitarist of The Answer to be the first to play her son's bass since his death. The bass was also used in the band's music video for the single Keep Belevin'
Lynott was born in Hallam Hospital (now Sandwell General Hospital) in West Bromwich (then in Staffordshire), England, the son of a Guyanese father, Cecil Parris, and a White Irish Catholic mother, Philomena (aka Phyllis) Lynott, whose surname he took. His father left his mother just three weeks after he was born and returned to his native Brazil. He was brought up in Moss Side , Manchester before moving to Crumlin, Dublin, whilst he was still quite young, to live with his grandmother, Sarah. His parents reportedly kept in touch for a number of years after his birth, but Lynott did not meet his father until the late 1970s.
Music Career
In the mid-1960s, Lynott began singing in his first band, the Black Eagles. It was around this time that he befriended Brian Downey. He formed Thin Lizzy around 1969 in Dublin after a short stint in Brush Shiels' Skid Row with Gary Moore. Lynott was the main songwriter for Thin Lizzy, as well as the lead singer and bassist. Lynott was half black, and was inspired by Jimi Hendrix as an example of how a black man could be successful fronting a hard rock band. Their first top ten hit was in 1973 with the traditional Irish song "Whiskey In The Jar".
In 1978, he was featured in Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, singing and speaking the role of The Parson. In 1979, under the name of "The Greedies", he recorded a Christmas single, "A Merry Jingle", featuring other members of Thin Lizzy as well as Steve Jones and Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols.
Though Thin Lizzy were still enjoying considerable success, in 1980 Phil Lynott launched a solo career with the album Solo in Soho, which was a Top 30 UK album and yielded two hit singles that year, "Dear Miss Lonelyhearts" and "King's Call". The latter was a tribute to Elvis Presley, and featured Mark Knopfler on guitar. His second solo venture, The Phil Lynott Album was a chart flop, despite the presence of the single "Old Town". The song "Yellow Pearl" (1982), was a Top 20 hit and became the theme tune to Top Of The Pops.
Also in 1980 he married Caroline Crowther, with whom he already had a child, Sarah. She later gave birth to their second daughter, Cathleen. Caroline is the daughter of British comedian Leslie Crowther.
In 1983 Thin Lizzy disbanded, and later that year Lynott recorded a rock'n'roll medley single, "We Are The Boys (Who Make All The Noise)" with Roy Wood, Chas Hodges and John Coghlan, and collaborated with former bandmate blues,/ rock guitarist Gary Moore on "Out in the Fields" (a No. 5 UK hit in 1985, his highest-charting single ever) and "Parisienne Walkways" (a UK no. 8 hit). His last single, "Nineteen", released a few weeks before his death, was produced by Paul Hardcastle. It bore no relation to the producer's chart-topping single some months earlier.
Lynott's last years were dogged by drug and alcohol dependency, and the night of December 25, 1985, he was rushed to hospital. He died of heart failure and pneumonia on January 4, 1986 at the age of 36.
A life-size bronze statue of Phil Lynott was unveiled on Harry Street, off Grafton Street, Dublin in 2005. The ceremony was attended by former band members Gary Moore, Brian Robertson, Brian Downey and Scott Gorham, and by Lynott's mother. The attending Thin Lizzy members paid tribute with a live performance. His grave in St. Fintan's cemetery in Sutton is regularly visited by family, friends and fans.
In November 2005, American actor Gary Dourdan revealed in a radio interview that he has carried out preliminary work with a view to playing Phil Lynott in a film biography.
In 2006 Lynott's mother allowed Micky Waters, bass guitarist of The Answer to be the first to play her son's bass since his death. The bass was also used in the band's music video for the single Keep Belevin'
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Phil Lynott Lyrics
A Child's Lullaby Close your eyes my sleepy child Don't let a teardrop fall Th…
A Night In The Life Of A Blues Singer From the 12 inch single "Nineteen" by Phil Lynott with…
Baby Drives Me Crazy I said, "Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, ooh baby,…
Cathleen A beautiful Girl A beautiful irish Girl A beautiful Girl Cat…
Cold Sweat I put my money in the suitcase And headed for the…
Dear Miss Lonely Hearts Dear Miss Lonely Hearts I had to write this letter To tell…
Don't Talk About Me Baby Don't talk about me baby Don't talk behind my back Don't tal…
Fatalistic Attitude Betty was a loser And everyone that used her Would let her…
Gino Alright are you ready for this one? Alright this is big…
Girls Oh won't you send a letter home To say I'm living…
Growing Up The little girl she comes running home from school She's los…
Jamaican Rum The woman she like to Rumba The woman she like Calypso The…
King's Call It was a rainy night the night the king went…
Little Bit Of Water Just a little water Changed my very soul With just a little…
Nineteen You want it rough? You got it rough You want it tough? I'…
Ode To A Black Man If you see Stevie Wonder tell him I hear If you…
Ode To Liberty The dream was not a vision Or some preminition like…
Old Town The old covent garden I remember only too well The girl's a…
Out In The Fields It doesn't matter if you're wrong or if you're right. It mak…
Parisienne Walkways I remember Paris in '49 Champs Elysees, Saint Michel and old…
Sarah One, two One, two, three, four When you came in my life…
Sisters Of Mercy You cried, you cried Oh.. You've been living like a ho…
Solo In Soho Stop this lying Stop this cheating Stop treating me like I…
Somebody Else's Dream Damn, damn Damn, damn Damn, damn First he comes up and …
Still In Love With You Think I'll just fall to pieces If I don't find something…
Talk In The Clash were headed for a head on collision Crash for…
Tattoo She comes home at 5:30 And though her clothes are never…
The Boys Are Back In Town Guess who just got back today Them wild-eyed boys that had…
The Man Now do you understand That this was no ordinary man And do…
Together Please please stop If you see her Please give her this messa…
Yellow Pearl We all must beware of the yellow pearl The Yellow Pearl…