Johnny the Fox

Johnny the Fox is Thin Lizzy's seventh album, on which they deepened their street-flavored storytelling and twin guitars, showing a varied range of expressions. It was recorded in a short span in 1976, the same year as the huge hit Jailbreak. Work proceeded while Lynott recovered from hepatitis, and it was completed within the same year with their momentum intact. It also carries a loose concept centered on the character 'Johnny the Fox.' While rooted in hard rock, it takes in funk, soul and R&B textures, greatly broadening the band's range. Varied songs like "Don't Believe a Word," "Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed" and "Rocky" line up. Phil Lynott's storytelling, centered on rogue characters, colors the whole record. The guitars of Gorham and Robertson combine hardness with suppleness. Carrying over the momentum of the previous album, an accomplished record showing a more diverse musicality. For Robertson, it became his last full album with the band for some time. A record where variety and early momentum coexist — arguably one of their underrated signature works.