Song of the Day 11/23: Thin Lizzy, “Fight or Fall”

Fans of Irish rockers Thin Lizzy all have the same lament: If you went by classic rock radio you’d think the band only released three songs.

Their breakthrough hit, at least in the British Isles, was a rocked-out cover of the folk song “Whiskey in the Jar,” released in 1972. It was another four years before they charted another single.

Under pressure from their record company, Phil Lynott composed a batch of songs designed for commercial appeal. The resulting “Jailbreak” LP contained the other two songs they’re famous for — the title track and “The Boys Are Back in Town,” a conscious emulation of Bruce Springsteen (who borrowed his early sound from Irish soul rocker Van Morrison) that went to No. 12 in the US in 1976.

The rest of that album is filled with great tunes that demonstrate Lynott’s range as a songwriter. He’s best known for tough-guy posturing, but he could be surprisingly gentle, too. “Fight or Fall” has a pugnacious title but a mellifluous, almost melancholy vibe that sounds like a precursor to Mark Knopfler’s work.

Most Lizzy songs feature the band’s trademark twin guitar attack, but this one is too mellow for that approach. It instead features a melodic solo by under-appreciated axeman Scott Gorham.