Some Songs Considered

“The Boys are Back in Town (Live in Belfast, 2001)” – Belle and Sebastian
(Words/music: Phil Lynott, available on The BBC Sessions Bonus Disc, Matador 2008) 

The thing that always catches me off guard about “The Boys are Back in Town” is the way that Phil Lynott crammed in so many words during the verses.  I tend to think of the way the chorus just repeats the title of the song, so the longer half spoken verses sometimes sneak up on me.  Of course, Lynott tossed off these lyrics with casual grace and general coolness that made Thin Lizzy enjoyable.  This chunk of story forgives the somewhat hurried feeling to the vocals in this cover version, making the rushed feeling admirable rather than admonishing; after all, it’s impressive that he remembers all of the words and manages to keep up with the band’s somewhat raucous (at least as far as Belle and Sebastian goes) cover version. 

The band steals the spotlight here, giving the song the crowd pleasing enthusiasm it deserves.  However, it’s not just giddiness that makes this enjoyable; the band flexes some serious chops.  From the double guitar attack to the crispness of the off-beat fills, Belle and Sebastian showcase a tightness and precision that many of their early shows lacked.  All of the markings of a masterful live band – a playful tone, a precise performance, and an captivated crowd – shine here.  Even if the pairing seems unlikely (as Thin Lizzy and early Belle and Sebastian records share few sonic qualities), the marriage sounds healthy on this recording. 

More on Belle and Sebastian: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

“Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight)” – Thin Lizzy
(Words/music: Phil Lynott, available on Bad Reputation, Mercury 1977)

I’m a night person, and over my lifetime this has been an annoyance to my mother, a badge of honor, a source of professional stress, a partial reason for giving up caffeine for a couple years, and currently an accepted fact of my existence.  Even though I love the early morning, my body prefers to meet the quiet hours right before falling asleep rather than waking up in time for them.  Regardless, I don’t try to fight it as much anymore.  Instead, I try to use my most lucid hours to my advantage (part of the reason why ninety percent of these posts go up just before midnight) and try not to stress too much about the nights where I’m in bed wide awake at 1:30 AM.

In a strange way, I’d say that the late hours feel just like the introduction to this song.  It creates a relaxed cool propelled by finger snaps (because snare drums would wake the neighbors).  Of course, my late nights rarely sound as cool as Phil Lynott, who soulfully tells a story of a teenager getting in trouble for a late night romantic tryst.  His narrator offers the defense that the moonlight made him do the E-Street shuffle, and understand what’s he’s trying to say.  If the late nights and early mornings are equally quiet, the associated revelations tend to be different.  Early mornings offer solitary moments of personal reflection while late nights provide the time to be alone with someone else.  Whether at a dance meeting the pretty people or dancing on the streets with one specific person, the night gives the opportunity to have moments impossible during the busy mid-day rush.   These are the kind of moments that make us spontaneously dance, even if we know we’ll be paying for the consequences for the next few days.

More on Thin Lizzy: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm