Phil Lynott emerged as a significant figure in rock music after gaining experience in Dublin bands The Black Eagles and Skid Row before forming Thin Lizzy in 1969 with guitarist Eric Bell and drummer Brian Downey. Though the band received industry support and airplay early on, their first three albums failed to chart in the UK, and they endured personnel changes including the departure of founding guitarist Bell, who was replaced by Gary Moore and later by Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham.

Thin Lizzy's fortunes shifted dramatically in the mid-1970s when their cover of 'Whiskey in the Jar', initially released without the band's approval, reached number six on the UK charts and earned them television exposure. This momentum carried forward to their sixth studio album, Jailbreak, and its lead single 'The Boys are Back in Town', which finally delivered the commercial breakthrough the band had pursued throughout their early years.