Emerald – Tribute to Phil Lynott
Down from the glen came the marching men
With their shields and their swords
To fight the fight they believed to be right
Overthrow the overlords
To the town where there was plenty
They brought plunder, swords and flame
When they left the town was empty
Children would never play again
From their graves I heard the fallen
Above the battle cry
By that bridge near the border
There were many more to die
Then onward over the mountain
And outward towards the sea
They had come to claim the emerald
Without it they could not leave
The most important stylistic component what Thin Lizzy are primarily known for was their twin guitar harmonies and Phil Lynott’s storytelling. Their song Emerald features both guitar harmonies and an extensive guitar solo swap between Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson. Lynott explained that the lyrics did not refer to a exact moment in time of Irish history, on the other hand. “No, I was just thinking of a generalization. That’s why I said, ‘Down from the glen came the marchin’ men with their shields and their swords.’ It was just to show that aggression has been taking place for years. You could almost relate it any age of time.”
High quality archival limited edition giclee print available here
