{"id":6508,"date":"2015-10-13T21:40:18","date_gmt":"2015-10-14T01:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/millheiser.com\/hokeyblog\/?p=6508"},"modified":"2022-11-02T18:36:09","modified_gmt":"2022-11-02T22:36:09","slug":"buttkickin-halloween-songs-the-hero-and-the-madman-thin-lizzy-1973","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/millheiser.com\/hokeyblog\/2015\/10\/13\/buttkickin-halloween-songs-the-hero-and-the-madman-thin-lizzy-1973\/","title":{"rendered":"Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs: “The Hero and The Madman” — Thin Lizzy (1973)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"blgvagabond\"The madman climbed the steeple spire<\/em>
\n“Go higher, go higher” said the crowd from down below<\/em>
\n“But…the world’s on fire” said the madman from the steeple spire<\/em>
\n“You’re a liar, you’re a liar” said the crowd from down below…<\/em><\/p>\n

The Hero and The Madman\u00a0<\/strong>is one of my absolute favorite Thin Lizzy songs, and I’m a huge fan of the band so this is high praise from your friendly neighborhood Hokeydude. I’m also pretty much entirely enamored with their 1973 album\u00a0Vagabonds of the Western World<\/em> <\/a>(click the link to check out my full album review), but this track could be the best track on the record.<\/p>\n

And I say that with a lot of love, because I have\u00a0zero\u00a0<\/em>idea what this song is about. Maybe that’s probably the coolest part about it, because The Hero and The Madman\u00a0<\/i>is the band at the abstract storytelling and mythmaking best.<\/p>\n

Soak up the imagery of it all: a horseman traveling the desert to rescue his woman, an image of strong, the silent heroic legend straight out of a cowboy movie’s central casting. A helpless damsel locked up in a tower, in need of rescue.<\/p>\n

But is this really happening or what? Guest star Kid Jensen provides the prose storytelling, bassist\/vocalist\/legend Phil Lynott sings the commentary and chorus, and maybe the reality of it is all is a sad tale of a twisted, lonely guy acting upon his rage and his dangerous obsessions for a woman who clearly wants nothing to do with him. A hero in his own mind, a madman to everyone else.<\/p>\n

And that wicked Eric Bell outro… great stuff.<\/p>\n

If I recall you’re the actor w<\/em>ho followed the stars<\/em>
\nSearching for t<\/em>he lost city of Mars<\/em><\/p>\n

Hoping time could heal the scars
\n<\/em>Knowing fate held no bars<\/p>\n

Those that knew ya always said you’d go far
\n<\/em>Are you the one who <\/em>I think you are?<\/em><\/p>\n

Are you the hero or are you the madman?<\/em><\/p>\n