‘The Boys Are Back in Town’ is a song by Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy. The song was originally released in 1976 as the first single from their album Jailbreak. It is considered by Rolling Stone to be the band's best song, placing it at No. 272 on the 2021 edition of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list. Rolling Stone praised lead singer and bassist Phil Lynott's "Gaelic soul" and said the "twin-guitar lead by Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson" was "crucial to the song's success".
There are many theories regarding the inspiration behind ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’, although none have been verified. One theory is that it is about the Quality Street Gang.
The song is played at most Irish Rugby matches, and has appeared in numerous commercials, most recently in a 2019 ad for Applebee's, television shows, and feature films. In March 2005, Q magazine placed ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’ at No. 38 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. The song won a 1976 NME Award for Best Single.
Label – Vertigo (UK), Mercury (US)
Songwriter – Phil Lynott
Producer – John Alcock
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]
Guess who just got back today?
Them wild-eyed boys that'd been away
Haven't changed, hadn't much to say
But man, I still think them cats are crazy
They were askin' if you were around
How you was, where you could be found
Told them you were livin' downtown
Drivin' all the old men crazy
[Chorus]
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
I said, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
[Verse 2]
You know that chick that used to dance a lot?
Every night, she'd be on the floor, shakin' what she's got
Man, when I tell ya she was cool, she was red hot
I mean she was steamin'
And that time over at Johnny's place
Well, this chick got up and she slapped Johnny's face
Man, we just fell about the place
If that chick don't wanna know, forget her
[Chorus]
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
I said, the boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
{Instrumental}
[Bridge]
Spread the word around...
Guess who's back in town!
You spread the word around!
[Verse 3]
Friday night they'll be dressed to kill
Down at Dino's bar and grill
The drink will flow, and blood will spill
And if the boys wanna fight, you better let 'em
That jukebox in the corner blasting out my favourite song
The nights are gettin' warmer, it won't be long
Won't be long 'til summer comes
Now that the boys are here again
[Chorus]
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
(Spread the word around)
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
(The boys are back, the boys are back)
[Instrumental]
[Outro]
The boys are back in town again
They're hangin' down at Dino's
The boys are back in town again!