Chinatown (Thin Lizzy album)

For the Be Good Tanyas album, see Chinatown (The Be Good Tanyas album).

Chinatown
Studio album by Thin Lizzy
Released	10 October 1980
Recorded	London, April – August 1980
Genre	Hard rock
Length	41:02
Label	Vertigo (UK) Warner Bros. Records (USA)
Producer	Thin Lizzy & Kit Woolven
Thin Lizzy chronology
Black Rose: A Rock Legend (1979) Chinatown (1980) Renegade (1981)

Chinatown is the tenth studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1980 (see 1980 in music). It introduced guitarist Snowy White who would also perform on the next album as well as tour with Thin Lizzy between 1980 and 1982; he replaced Gary Moore as permanent guitarist. White had previously worked with Cliff Richard, Peter Green and Pink Floyd. Chinatown also featured seventeen-year old Darren Wharton on keyboards, and he joined Thin Lizzy as a permanent member later that year.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Greg Prato of Allmusic described Chinatown as a "letdown" compared to the previous album Black Rose: A Rock Legend, blaming the absence of Gary Moore and producer Tony Visconti, and the drug problems experienced by Lynott and Gorham. Prato praised side one as containing the best material, including the "anthemic" "We Will Be Strong", and the "pop perfection" of "Sweetheart". However, he described side two as "comprised almost entirely of bland filler", although he believed that Chinatown was "not their worst album".^[1]

Track listing

All songs by Phil Lynott, except where noted.

1. "We Will Be Strong" – 5:11
2. "Chinatown" (Brian Downey, Scott Gorham, Lynott, Snowy White) – 4:43
3. "Sweetheart" – 3:29
4. "Sugar Blues" (Downey, Gorham, Lynott, White) – 4:22
5. "Killer on the Loose" – 3:55
6. "Having a Good Time" (Lynott, White) – 4:38
7. "Genocide (The Killing of the Buffalo)" – 5:06
8. "Didn't I" – 4:28
9. "Hey You" (Downey, Lynott) – 5:09

Singles

• "Chinatown" / "Sugar Blues" (live) - 16 May 1980
• "Killer on the Loose" / "Don't Play Around" (Gorham, Lynott) - 9 September 1980

A double single pack was also released, with the other disc featuring "Got to Give It Up" (live) / "Chinatown" (live).

In the USA, the B-side was "Sugar Blues".

• "We Will Be Strong" / "Sweetheart" (USA only)
• "Hey You" / Killer on the Loose" - 6 January 1981 (Germany only)

Remastered edition

A new remastered and expanded edition of Chinatown was released on 27 June 2011. This new edition is a 2CD set, with the original album on disc one, and bonus material on disc two.

Disc Two

1. "Don't Play Around" (Single version)
2. "We Will Be Strong" (Single version)
3. "Sugar Blues" (City Hall, Cork, 1980)
4. "Whiskey in the Jar" (City Hall, Cork, 1980)
5. "Are You Ready" (City Hall, Cork, 1980)
6. "Chinatown" (City Hall, Cork, 1980)
7. "Got to Give It Up" (RDS Hall, Dublin, 1980)
8. "Dear Miss Lonely Hearts" (RDS Hall, Dublin, 1980)
9. "Killer on the Loose" (Hammersmith Odeon, 1981)
10. "Chinatown" (Edited version)
11. "Chinatown" (Soundcheck, Cork, 1980)
12. "Don't Play Around" (Soundcheck, Hammersmith, 1980)
13. "Sweetheart" (Soundcheck, Hammersmith, 1980)
14. "Didn't I" (Soundcheck, Cork, 1980)
15. "Hey You" (Soundcheck, Cork, 1980)

Personnel

• Phil Lynott - bass guitar, keyboards, vocals
• Scott Gorham - guitars, vocals
• Snowy White - guitars, vocals
• Brian Downey - drums, percussion

with

• Darren Wharton - keyboards, backing vocals
• Midge Ure - keyboards, Vox organ
• Tim Hinkley - electric piano

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Prato, Greg. "Chinatown review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/chinatown-r19986/review. Retrieved 2011-06-22.