Chinatown is the tenth studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1980. It introduced guitarist Snowy White who would also perform on the next album as well as tour with Thin Lizzy between 1980 and 1982; he replaced Gary Moore as permanent guitarist. White had previously worked with Cliff Richard, Peter Green and Pink Floyd. Chinatown also featured eighteen-year-old Darren Wharton on keyboards, and he joined Thin Lizzy as a permanent member later that year.
Recording
Having recruited new guitarist Snowy White just before Christmas 1979, Thin Lizzy began recording sessions at Good Earth Studios for what would become the Chinatown album in January 1980, and finished recording "Dear Miss Lonely Hearts" (co-written with Jimmy Bain) in early February. This song was not considered for the album and was instead used for Phil Lynott's debut solo album Solo in Soho, despite all the musicians playing on the song (and ultimately appearing in the video) being members of Thin Lizzy. Between March and May, the band worked on more songs, including "Lady Killer on the Loose", "The Sacred Sweetheart" and the title track "Chinatown", the latter two of which were also performed live at this time, at shows in Ireland and Scandinavia.
The co-producer on the album was Kit Woolven, who was employed by Thin Lizzy's previous producer, Tony Visconti. New keyboard player Darren Wharton later described Woolven as a "really nice guy, easy-going, diplomatic type of guy", and a "really good engineer". Wharton also described how Woolven acted as a guide for Lynott in terms of production, rather than either man producing the album himself.
Midge Ure had been performing live with the band up to this point, but left after the Scandinavian shows in April. The band reconvened at Good Earth to continue work on the album, but soon had to relocate to RAK Studios when more time at Good Earth became unavailable. It was there that the band met teenage keyboard player Wharton, who had been recommended to Lynott by a friend in Manchester. Wharton travelled to London for an audition in the form of a loose jam, but the band were too busy finishing "Chinatown", which was to be released as a single in May. He returned the following week, having learned all the band's material, and was hired on a temporary basis. "Didn't I" was completed with the help of Tim Hinkley, who added piano parts, and Fiachra Trench, who provided string arrangements. Hinkley had previously added keyboards to "Running Back" on the Jailbreak album in 1976, and Trench had worked on Johnny the Fox, also in 1976, as well as Vagabonds of the Western World in 1973. Trench also worked on Lynott's solo albums, and said "Didn't I" ultimately "could've gone either way, Lizzy or solo".
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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 " almost entirely of bland filler", although he believed that Chinatown was "not their worst album".
Track listings
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.
- Track 3 originally issued as a B-side on the "Chinatown" single.
- Track 4 originally issued as a B-side on Phil Lynott's "Nineteen" single.
- Tracks 5 and 8 originally issued on the Killers Live EP.
- Tracks 6–7 originally issued as B-sides on the "Killer on the Loose" single.
- Track 9 originally included as bonus track on double LP and cassette versions of the Thunder and Lightning album.
- Tracks 11–15 previously unreleased.
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 US, the B-side was "Sugar Blues".
- "We Will Be Strong" / "Sweetheart" (US only)
- "Hey You" / Killer on the Loose" – 6 January 1981 (Germany only)
Personnel
Thin Lizzy
- Phil Lynott – bass guitar, keyboards, lead vocals
- Scott Gorham – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Snowy White – lead and rhythm guitar
- Brian Downey – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
- Darren Wharton – keyboards, backing vocals
- Midge Ure – backing vocals on "Chinatown"
- Tim Hinkley – electric piano on "Didn't I"
- Fiachra Trench – string arrangement on "Didn't I"
Production
- Kit Woolven – producer, engineer
- Gordon Fordyce – assistant engineer
- Ian Cooper – mastering
Charts
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
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! scope="col"| Chart (1980)
! scope="col"| Peak<br /> position
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! scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)
| align="center"| 16
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