In Escape From Brooklyn, a 1992 video and behind-the-scenes collection from White Lion, singer Mike Tramp reveals that his all-time favorite song is Thin Lizzy's "Southbound."
At the time, I was 17 and didn't really know Thin Lizzy's music outside of "Dedication," "The Boys Are Back in Town," and a few other songs. Since I was (and still am) a big White Lion fan, I was intrigued by Tramp's love for "Southbound." I had to hear this song he spoke so lovingly about.
I did some digging and found "Southbound" listed on the back of the CD to Thin Lizzy's Bad Reputation album. After bringing the disc home, I skipped the tracks so I could hear "Southbound" right away. The song starts off with a twin-guitar melody that is textbook Thin Lizzy, but I didn't really know that yet. Either way, that twin-guitar part was all it took for me to know that I had made a good move spending the $13 on the CD.
Sure, the rest of the song also kicks ass, but it's Scott Gorham's guitar work that makes "Southbound" so special. (Thin Lizzy's other guitarist at the time, Brian Robertson, didn't play on the track.)
The way Gorham's guitars float in and out before and after the verses and chorus sweetens the song, which sounds like a million bucks thanks to producer Tony Visconti (David Bowie, Morrissey). A song this melodically fulfilling deserved to become a classic rock radio staple, but it wasn't to be. It's another one of Thin Lizzy's disappointments in a career that sadly had many of them.
Here's a live clip of Tramp performing an acoustic version of "Southbound" at a 2012 gig.
