"Sarah" is a pop song released in 1979 by Irish rock group Thin Lizzy, included on their album, '' Black Rose: A Rock Legend''. The song was written by the band's frontman

Phil Lynott Philip Parris Lynott (, ; 20 August 1949 – 4 January 1986) was an Irish singer, bassist, and songwriter. His most commercially successful group was Thin Lizzy, of which he was a founding member, the principal songwriter, lead vocalist and ba ...

and guitarist

Gary Moore Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 19526 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz ...

about Lynott's newborn daughter. The song was also issued as a single, and appeared on several compilation albums including ''Wild One: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy''. The song was never performed live by Thin Lizzy, but it was adopted as a live favourite by Lynott's post-Thin Lizzy project, Grand Slam (band), Grand Slam,Alan Byrne, "Philip Lynott: Renegade of Thin Lizzy", Mentor, 2012 and featured on ''Live in Sweden 1983'', a recording of Lynott's solo band. This song is not connected to another Thin Lizzy song entitled "Sarah", written for Lynott's grandmother, from their second album, ''Shades of a Blue Orphanage''.Mark Putterford, "Philip Lynott: The Rocker", Castle, 1994 On early US pressings of ''Black Rose'', the song was incorrectly titled "My Sarah" (pictured).

Recording

"Sarah" was recorded at Morgan Studios in Willesden, and Moore completed all the guitar work, with American Mark Nauseef playing drums. Neither of the other members of Thin Lizzy (guitarist Scott Gorham and drummer Brian Downey (drummer), Brian Downey) played on the song, implying that "Sarah" was originally intended for a Phil Lynott solo album.Alan Byrne, "Thin Lizzy: Soldiers of Fortune", Firefly, 2004 Another American musician, Huey Lewis, was featured playing distinctive harmonica parts – Lewis had been a member of Clover (band), Clover, a band that had supported Thin Lizzy on previous tours. Moore confirmed that the song was mostly composed on an acoustic guitar, mostly by him, and that a drum machine was used. "It wasn't even intended to be for Thin Lizzy... I thought it might end up on Phil's solo record," he added, and suggested that the song only appeared on ''Black Rose'' because Lynott was one track short for the album. He also praised Tony Visconti's production and the layering of guitars on the solo. Regarding the melody, he said he could not remember where he got the idea from: "I probably nicked it from Jan Hammer or someone."

Artwork and video

Three different covers for the single were produced, each featuring different members of the group, one each for Lynott (pictured), Gorham and Downey, even though neither Gorham nor Downey played on the song. Moore had already left the group when the single was released, quitting during an American tour in July 1979.Stuart Bailie, "The Ballad of the Thin Man", Boxtree, 1996. The accompanying video for the song was filmed in early October at Hewitt Studios, and directed by David Mallet (director), David Mallet. It featured Lynott singing the song to a succession of girls, before Gorham appeared on the stage towards the end and mimed the lyrics until the song ended.

Charts

The single reached no. 24 in the UK Singles Chart, and no. 26 in Ireland. The song was performed on the British BBC TV chart programme ''Top of the Pops'' in November 1979, after Moore had left the band. Downey was also absent, and was replaced for this performance by Clive Edwards, then drummer with Wild Horses (British band), Wild Horses. The full line-up was Lynott, Gorham, Edwards and new guitarist Dave Flett, meaning that only Lynott was present of the musicians who had recorded the song.

Personnel

– bass guitar, lead vocals *

– lead guitar, backing vocals *Mark Nauseef – drums (A-side only) *Huey Lewis – harmonica (A-side only) *Brian Downey (drummer), Brian Downey – drums (B-side only) *Scott Gorham – lead guitar (B-side only)

Cover versions

The song was covered by Serbian Irish folk music, Irish folk/Celtic rock band Orthodox Celts on their 2007 album ''One, Two... Five''.

References

{{Authority control Thin Lizzy songs 1979 singles Songs written by Phil Lynott Songs written by Gary Moore 1979 songs Vertigo Records singles Song recordings produced by Tony Visconti Irish pop songs Music videos directed by David Mallet (director)