10 Most Underrated Hard Rock Frontmen
3. Phil Lynott - Thin Lizzy
Hard rock lyrics are normally considered to be not that important. For as much as people claim that their lyrics are meaningful and can speak to a generation, only a handful of songwriters in the rock world actually have something to say beyond stereotypical tough lyrics. On the other hand, Phil Lynott might be the eternal exception to that rule.
Rising to prominence in the late ‘70s with Thin Lizzy, Lynott may be one of the most underrated lyricists of all time, as he used his songs to create sonic scenes in your head. While the band always maintained their hardass reputation, there was always a little bit more to unpack with Lizzy’s material, from the epic grandeur of “Emerald” to the multi-part odyssey of “Black Rose.”
Beyond just his lyrical prowess, Lynott’s vocal timbre was perfectly suited to the music, as he fluctuated between his leather clad badass persona and a more storytelling tone of voice. As opposed to just filling in the syllables with whatever fit the sound, this was the closest thing the hard rock world had to a poet, with songs that could have made for excellent short stories if not married to the sound of guitar riffs. Thin Lizzy might not have gotten to the ranks of a band like Metallica, but Phil Lynott’s contribution to the rock world goes much further than just a few catchy tunes.