# In 1976, Thin Lizzy were one flop away from being dropped by their label. The song they wrote in response has been streamed 560,000,000 times

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1976-thin-lizzy-were-one-flop-away-from-being-dropped-by-their-label-the-song-they-wrote-in-response-has-been-streamed-560000000-times/
- Published: 2026-10-26T17:11:58+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-26T17:35:27+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/song-in-1976-that-saved-thin-lizzy-from-rock-and-roll-exile/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- “The Boys Are Back in Town” helped save Thin Lizzy’s career.
- The band initially left the song off *Jailbreak*.
- The track has been streamed 560 million times.

## Summary

Thin Lizzy were close to being dropped by their label when they made *Jailbreak* in 1976, after years without a follow-up hit to “Whiskey in the Jar”. “The Boys Are Back in Town”, the album’s lead single, became the breakthrough that helped secure the band’s future and established one of their best-known songs.

The band had recorded 15 tracks for *Jailbreak* but initially left the song off their chosen ten; management persuaded them to include it. Guitarist Scott Gorham recalled that the band were surprised when their manager told them they had a hit, and at first did not know which song had taken off. The article says the track has since been streamed 560 million times.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.