Facts About Phil Lynott

Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott is regarded to be one of the best rock creatives around, with his songwriting proficiency and a musical sense that were on par with his contemporaries in terms of uniqueness. The experienced frontman/bassist had a bright future ahead of him in the industry but was tragically undermined by his sudden death in 1986 at the age of 36. In remembrance of this titanic rocker, here are some Phil Lynott facts that you might’ve not known.

A Poet in the Truest Sense

Phil Lynott didn’t allow music to cage his writing passion, as the singer-songwriter was able to publish two books full of poetry in the ’70s which was mostly based off the material from Thin Lizzy’s albums. It was eventually compiled into a single volume, Songs For While I’m Away, which was also the title of his first literary release.

Kept In The Dark

Phil always kept close to his mother even during his adulthood, part of this was his mother wanting to guide his growth. However, Phil didn’t know that he had two other half-siblings who were put up for adoption, a path which his mother Philomena almost took for Phil as she struggled to raise him. Phil never really got to know his brother but learned of his sister when she made contact with their mother.

Silver Linings

Phil Lynott was part of the band Skid Row, along with Gary Moore, during his earlier years in rock music. But just as the band geared up for success, Lynott was hit with tonsilitis that forced him to undergo a tonsillectomy, which led to a long absence from any band activity. Skid Row sacked him for this, but it was all for the better as Thin Lizzy soon rose up, becoming his biggest shot to fame.

Topping the Pops

Lynott was behind the theme music for the weekly show, Top of The Pops. His composition, “Yellow Pear”, was taken by the show to become their main theme from 1981 to 1986.

Only Human

Phil Lynott’s career as a songwriter had him on his toes as legendary figures like Dylan and The Beatles were known for their creative prowess. He came to terms with it soon enough, though, saying that “You have to learn by mistakes, and that you can’t just go on getting better and better. And that’s when I knew I wasn’t going to be able to write ‘Desolation Row,’ 12 verses and every verse a killer.”