Thin Lizzy's band name origin stuns fans as they discover its meaning
Thin Lizzy, the iconic Irish rock group that emerged from Dublin in 1969, are nothing short of legendary. The original lineup included bass guitarist, lead vocalist, and main songwriter Phil Lynott, drummer Brian Downey, guitarist Eric Bell, and organist Eric Wrixon—who left early—and their sound became emblematic of the era. Eric Bell parted ways at the end of '73, paving the way for Gary Moore, who had a brief stint before the renowned twin lead guitar team of Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson took over by mid-1974. Through their musical journey, Gorham remained until their dissolution in 1983, while Robertson jammed until 1978 before the familiar figure of Moore rejoined. Later on, Snowy White replaced Moore in '80 and John Sykes joined in '82, alongside Darren Wharton who manned the keyboards starting in '80, reports the Mirror. Churning out classic tracks such as "Whiskey in the Jar", "The Boys Are Back in Town", and "Waiting for an Alibi", Thin Lizzy secured their spot in global music history. But there's this tantalising tidbit that's got fervent fans on Reddit buzzing - just what does the name "Thin Lizzy" actually mean? A single question ignited an explosion of speculation amongst fans, all keen to chip in their two cents. One Reddit user offered: "The band's name came from a robot character in The Dandy called Tin Lizzie, which they tweaked to Thin Lizzy as a nod to the local Dublin accent where 'thin' is pronounced as 't'in'." Another person added: "Dictionary.com: Tin Lizzie. A cheap, old, or run-down automobile (originally used as a nickname for early Ford cars, especially the Model T)."
Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy performs on stage with the audience behind at Hammersmith Odeon, London, United Kingdom, November 1976
Despite the many theories, the true origin of the name was unveiled some time ago. The Dandy, a British children's comic magazine first published in 1937 and running until 2012, featured a character named Tin Lizzie - a metallic robot maid, drawn by Jack Prout. This character, who appeared in the comic throughout the 1950s, seemed to have made a lasting impact on the band. In the late 1960s, Eric Bell was considering a name for the band when he remembered the comic android, thinking something like Tin Lizzie would be suitable. "It was [original guitarist] Eric Bell", said original Thin Lizzy drummer Brian Downey. "We were throwing around ideas for a name after a rehearsal one night, and Eric suggested Tin Lizzie, who was a character in [children's comic magazine] 'The Dandy'." In the end, the band name was accepted, but Bell altered the spelling to Thin Lizzy, which playfully acknowledged their Dublin accent where "Thin" would be pronounced as "T'in." He commented: "We all laughed at that one. But the next day, we were still trying to come up with a name, but nothing seemed right, so Eric again put forward Tin Lizzie. "As we had nothing better, we thought why not? It was also Eric who suggested tweaking the spelling to Thin Lizzy." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
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