Title - 'Fighting: Deluxe Edition' (Ume)
Artist - Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy's Fighting album is now digitally remastered and expanded into this deluxe two CD edition of the Irish rockers' 1975 album. Containing an additional 15 rare tracks, Fighting also features the identifiable sound of the twin guitars of Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson. In truth, it set the stage for the big commercial breakthrough of the follow-up album, Jailbreak.
The first song on the original album disc is the classic soft rocker 'Rosalie,' which is followed by the sedate 'For Those Who Love To Live,' the hectic 'Suicide,' and the beautiful 'Wild One.' The fist-pumping 'Fighting My Way Back' is backed by 'King's Vengeance,' the breezy 'Spirit Slips Away,' the brilliant blues number 'Silver Dollar,' and both the highly-impressive storytelling of 'Freedom Song' and the instrumental 'Ballad Of The Hard Man' rounding out the classic album.
The second disc of rare and extended tracks starts with the bass-strummed intro to the brilliant 'Half Caste,' a song whose lyrics were obviously close to Lynott; given that he himself was born to black and white parents. A really beautiful melody hungers underneath this tale, and to follow it with 'Rosalie (US Mix)' was excellent programming. But then, riding too close to the original comes another version of 'Half Caste', this time taken from the BBC Radio 1 John Peel Studio Sessions. Two more follow from those same sessions in the shape of a slightly-more-raw-than-usual 'Rosalie' and 'Suicide.'
Another instrumental versions of 'Ballad Of The Hard Man' is next, with the go-ahead vibe OF 'Try A Little Harder' and a 'Fighting My Way Back (Rough Mix With Alternate Vocal)' next. The stunningly-beautiful, piano-led 'Song For Jesse' instrumental is up next, with the instrumental Spanish flow of the ballad, 'Leaving Town' following. A four count leads us to the primarily-instrumental 'Blues Boy,' before and extended version of the instrumental ballad 'Leaving Town (Extended Take)' is given to us.
The brilliantly remastered double album is rounded off with 'Spirit Slips Away (Extended Version Take 4),' an extended instrumental version of 'Wild One,' and another instrumental in the shape of the combo track, 'Bryan's Funky Fazer / Silver Dollar.'
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