Thin Lizzy is another one of those 70s bands that should have been bigger. They had the chops, the songs and charismatic frontman Phil Lynott. Maybe it was timing or the shifting lineup. Or, as the documentary, Songs For While I’m Away, implies, it might have been Lynott himself who stood in the way of his band achieving more. Watching the film, you get a sense there was a series of unfortunate situations and circumstances. In the end, despite the tragedies, Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy left an indelible mark. Songs For While I’m Away paired together with the live The Boys Are Back In Town Live At The Sydney Opera House October 1978, available on Blu-ray Disc and DVD, both go to great lengths to reinforce that impact.
Songs For While I’m Away sets out to chronicle the life and music of Phil Lynott, but the non-linear, surreal approach the film takes reveals a man of many complexities. As we learn, being black in Ireland in the 50s and 60s presented any number of challenges for Lynott in his formative years. It wasn’t until he embraced art, poetry and music that his unique perspective on the world around him began to take shape. Once he forms Thin Lizzy with drummer Brian Downey and guitarist Eric Bell, the group’s rise to stardom becomes the focus.
To keep the story moving, Bell, guitarist Scott Gorham, guitarist Midge Ure, and keyboardist Darren Wharton — all whom were part of Thin Lizzy at one time or another — each provide their input and points of view. Oher Thin Lizzy members, namely Downey, guitarist Brian Robertson and guitarist Snowy White, are not included. Friend and admirers such U2 bassist Adam Clayton, singer Huey Lewis Metlalica lead singer and guitarist James Hetfield (Metallica), as well as Lynott’’s wife, Caroline Taraskevics, and his daughters, Sarah and Cathleen, all offer their perspectives. Sadly, Lynott’s mother, Philomena, an author who championed her son during and after his life, passed away in 2019 and did not participate.
Songs For While I’m Away also includes archival footage, interview snippets from Lynott himself, and plenty of songs from both Thin Lizzy and Lynott’s solo efforts. Packaged with the film is The Boys Are Back In Town Live At The Sydney Opera House October 1978. Previously released on VHS, Laserdisc, and DVD, this reissue features upgrades in the video and audio, plus five additional songs never officially released. The featured lineup of Lynott, Gorham, guitarist Gary Moore and drummer Mark Nauseef (substituting for Downey on this tour) run through the standards at the time — “Jailbreak,” “The Boys Are Back In Town,” “Bad Reputation” and “Me And The Boys.” Brought together with an additional CD of the Sydney Opera House show, this three-disc set is a must-have for any Thin Lizzy and Phil Lynott fan.
~ Shawn Perry
