Solo in Soho

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1980 studio album by Philip Lynott

Solo in Soho

Cover photo by John Swannell

Studio album by

Philip Lynott

Released| 18 April 1980[1]
Recorded| Winter 1979-early 1980
Studio| Good Earth Studios, Soho, London, Compass Point Studios, Nassau, The Bahamas
Genre| Rock
Length| 35:47
Label| Vertigo (Europe and Japan)
Mercury (Canada)
Warner Bros. (US)
Producer| Philip Lynott, Kit Woolven
Philip Lynott chronology
|  | Solo in Soho
(1980)  | The Philip Lynott Album
(1982)

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|

Singles from  Solo in Soho

1. "Dear Miss Lonely Heart"
Released: March 1980
2. "King's Call"
Released: June 1980
3. "Yellow Pearl"
Released: December 1980

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal| 9/10[3]
Hot Press| (mixed)[4]
Music Week| [5]
Smash Hits| 5/10[6]

Solo in Soho is the debut solo album by Irish rock singer Philip Lynott, released while he was still in Thin Lizzy. Current and former Lizzy members guested on the album, including Scott Gorham, Brian Downey, Snowy White, and Gary Moore. Brian Robertson also contributed to the writing of one of the tracks, "Girls".

## Guest musicians

[edit]

Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler plays on the single "King's Call", a lament to Elvis Presley. Huey Lewis plays harmonica on "Tattoo (Giving It All Up for Love)" and "Ode to a Black Man". The latter track is devoted to Iconic African, or African diaspora freedom fighters of the 20th century, including Malcolm X, Rastafari, Haile Selassie, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and other socially aware or politically conscious blues\- Rhythm and blues artists from history, such as Robert Johnson and Motown singer, Stevie Wonder. Lewis later covered "Tattoo" on the 1982 Huey Lewis and the News album Picture This, titled "Giving It All Up for Love".

## Yellow Pearl

[edit]

"Yellow Pearl" was released as a single in two remixed versions; the first of these was later used as the theme tune from 1981 until 1986 for the popular BBC TV music programme Top of the Pops. This version was later included on Lynott's second solo album, The Philip Lynott Album.

## Critical reception

[edit]

Billboard gave the album a positive review, saying that Lynott's "lyrics have special appeal". He resumed: "There is nothing here even vaguely similar to the dramatic rock energy of "The Boys Are Back in Town" yet this is a bold and interesting batch of tunes aided by uncluttered arrangements and sound playing".[7]

## Track listing

[edit]

All songs by Philip Lynott, except where noted.

Side one

1. "Dear Miss Lonely Hearts" (Lynott, Jimmy Bain) – 4:11
2. "King's Call" – 3:40
3. "A Child's Lullaby" – 2:43
4. "Tattoo (Giving It All Up for Love)" – 3:21
5. "Solo in Soho" – 4:15

Side two

1.   2. "Girls" (Lynott, Bain, Brian Robertson) – 4:00
3. "Yellow Pearl" (Lynott, Midge Ure) – 4:06
4. "Ode to a Black Man" – 4:06
5. "Jamaican Rum" – 2:43
6. "Talk in 79" – 3:00

## Singles

[edit]

* "Dear Miss Lonely Hearts" / "Solo in Soho" – 7" / 12" (1980)
* "King's Call" / "Ode to a Black Man" – 7" (1980)
* "Yellow Pearl" / "Girls" – 7" / 12" (1981)

## Personnel

[edit]

* Philip Lynott – bass guitar, rhythm guitar, keyboards, Minimoog, vocoder, string machine, percussion, vocals, producer
* Scott Gorham – guitars (tracks 1, 4, 8)
* Snowy White – guitars (tracks 1, 5)
* Mark Knopfler – electric guitar (track 2)
* Gary Moore – guitar (track 9)
* Jerome Rimson – bass guitar (track 5)
* Huey Lewis – harmonica (tracks 4, 8)
* Fiachra Trench – string and brass arrangements (tracks 3, 4)
* Jimmy Bain – piano, Minimoog, string machine (track 6)
* Billy Currie – ARP synthesizer (track 7)
* Midge Ure – ARP synthesizer, Minimoog, string machine (track 7)
* Brian Downey – drums, percussion (track 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9)
* Bob Benberg – drums, percussion (track 6)
* Mark Nauseef – drums, percussion (tracks 8, 10)
* Tony Charles – steel drums (track 9)
* Andy Duncan – percussion (tracks 3 and 5)
* Julia – backing vocals (track 5)
* Lena – backing vocals (track 6, 7)
* Sophie, Margi, Silver, Christine – backing vocals (track 6)

### Production

[edit]

* Kit Woolven – producer, engineer
* Tony Visconti, "Flash" Gordon Fordyce, Will Reid-Dick – engineers
* Ian Cooper – mastering
* Chris O'Donnell – art direction
* Linda Sutton, Roger Cooper – artwork and design
* John Swannell – photography

## Charts

[edit]

Chart (1980)  | Peak
position

|

Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[8] | 22
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[9] | 6
UK Albums (OCC)[10] | 28

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Popoff, Martin (2012). We Will Be Strong: Thin Lizzy 76–81. Power Chord Press. p. 204\. ISBN 978-0-9811057-7-2.
2. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Phil Lynott - Solo in Soho". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
3. ^ Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 203\. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
4. ^ Graham, Bill (25 April 1980). "Solo in Soho". Hot Press. Vol. 3, no. 21. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
5. ^ "Review: Philip Lynott – Solo in Soho (Vertigo 9102 038)" (PDF). Music Week. Gwent: Pensord Press Ltd. 26 April 1980. p. 12\. ISSN 0265-1548. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022 - via World Radio History.
6. ^ Hepworth, David (15 May 1980). "Albums - Phil Lynott: Solo in Soho". Smash Hits. Vol. 2, no. 10\. p. 31. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
7. ^ "Review: Philip Lynott – Solo in Soho" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 92, no. 20\. New York: Billboard Publications Inc. 17 May 1980. p. 66\. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022 - via World Radio History.
8. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Philip Lynott – Solo in Soho". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
9. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Philip Lynott – Solo in Soho". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
10. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 8, 2025.

* v
* t
* e

Phil Lynott

Studio albums|

* Solo in Soho
* The Philip Lynott Album

Live albums|

* Live in Sweden 1983

Compilation albums|

* Yellow Pearl

Tribute albums|

* One Night in Dublin: A Tribute to Phil Lynott

Songs|

* Parisienne Walkways
* Yellow Pearl
* Old Town
* Out in the Fields

Related articles|

* Philomena Lynott
* Skid Row
* Thin Lizzy
* Funky Junction
* Grand Slam
* Gary Moore
* Phil Lynott (song)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

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