Chinatown (Thin Lizzy album)

Reception

Greg Prato of Allmusic described Chinatown as a "letdown" compared to the previous album Black Rose: A Rock Legend, blaming the absence of Gary Moore and producer Tony Visconti, and the drug problems experienced by Phil Lynott and Scott Gorham. Prato praised side one as containing the best material, including the "anthemic" "We Will Be Strong", and the "pop perfection" of "Sweetheart". However, he described side two as "comprised almost entirely of bland filler", although he believed that Chinatown was "not their worst album".

Track listing

All songs by Phil Lynott, except where noted.

Side one

1. "We Will Be Strong" – 5:11
2. "Chinatown" (Brian Downey, Scott Gorham, Lynott, Snowy White) – 4:43
3. "Sweetheart" – 3:29
4. "Sugar Blues" (Downey, Gorham, Lynott, White) – 4:22
5. "Killer on the Loose" – 3:55

Side two

6. "Having a Good Time" (Lynott, White) – 4:38
7. "Genocide (The Killing of the Buffalo)" – 5:06
8. "Didn't I" – 4:28
9. "Hey You" (Downey, Lynott) – 5:09

Deluxe edition

A new remastered and expanded edition of Chinatown was released on 27 June 2011. This new edition is a 2-CD set, with the original album on disc one, and bonus material on disc two.

Disc two

1. "Don't Play Around" (B-side)
2. "We Will Be Strong" (Single version)
3. "Sugar Blues" (City Hall, Cork, 1980)
4. "Whiskey in the Jar" (traditional) (City Hall, Cork, 1980)
5. "Are You Ready" (Gorham, Downey, Brian Robertson, Lynott) (City Hall, Cork, 1980)
6. "Chinatown" (City Hall, Cork, 1980)
7. "Got to Give It Up" (Lynott, Gorham) (RDS Hall, Dublin, 1980)
8. "Dear Miss Lonely Hearts" (Jimmy Bain, Lynott) (RDS Hall, Dublin, 1980)
9. "Killer on the Loose" (Hammersmith Odeon, 1981)
10. "Chinatown" (Edited version)
11. "Chinatown" (Soundcheck, Cork, 1980)
12. "Don't Play Around" (Soundcheck, Hammersmith, 1980)
13. "Sweetheart" (Soundcheck, Hammersmith, 1980)
14. "Didn't I" (Soundcheck, Cork, 1980)
15. "Hey You" (Soundcheck, Cork, 1980)

Singles

"Chinatown" / "Sugar Blues" (live) – 16 May 1980

"Killer on the Loose" / "Don't Play Around" (Gorham, Lynott) – 9 September 1980

A double single pack was also released, with the other disc featuring "Got to Give It Up" (live) / "Chinatown" (live).In the USA, the B-side was "Sugar Blues".

"We Will Be Strong" / "Sweetheart" (USA only)

"Hey You" / Killer on the Loose" – 6 January 1981 (Germany only)

Thin Lizzy

Phil Lynott – bass guitar, keyboards, vocals

Scott Gorham – guitars, vocals

Snowy White – guitars, vocals

Brian Downey – drums, percussion

Additional musicians

Darren Wharton – keyboards, backing vocals

Midge Ure – keyboards, Vox Continental organ

Tim Hinkley – electric piano

Fiachra Trench – string arrangement on "Didn't I"

Production

Kit Woolven – producer, engineer

Gordon Fordyce – assistant engineer

Ian Cooper – mastering