Ode To A Black Man

Album: Solo In Soho (1980)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In this bass-heavy rocker, Phil Lynott celebrates Black leaders and cultural icons, shouting out Martin Luther King, Muhammed Ali, Bob Marley, Robert Mugabe, Robert Johnson and Jimi Hendrix. But oddly, he throws shade on Stevie Wonder, making these snide references:

    I don't want no songs for plants
    Wonder released an album in 1979 called Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants.

    I want liberty living in the city
    A reference to Wonder's song "Living for the City."

    Wonder may not have been known for his activism at the time, but he would be soon: Less than a year after Lynott released this song, Wonder led a rally in Washington, D.C. to push Martin Luther King's birthday as a national holiday.
  • Lynott, was the son of a white Catholic single mother at a time when even mere illegitimacy was taboo. His father was from the West Indies. Phil spent time between Manchester and Dublin, moving in mostly white circles, but he identified as black, as is clear in this song.
  • This was part of Phil Lynott's first solo album, Solo In Soho. At the time, the was still active in his group Thin Lizzy, which was more popular than ever.
  • "Ode To A Black Man" was released as the B-side of a song called "King's Call," which is not a tribute to Martin Luther King, but to Elvis Presley. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England
  • That's Huey Lewis, who had recently formed Huey Lewis and the News, on harmonica.

Comments: 1

  • Alpha from Washington, DcWow! When you refer to his upbringing, "comfortable" in what way? Unless you grew up as an Afro in a Euro community I doubt seriously you can judge exactly how comfortable the brother was. Also "doing what he damn well pleased" is a far cry from the fact that he was a drug addict, which by the way is a disease. And unless you've spoken with Stevie Wonder directly you probably shouldn't claim to know what he would or wouldn't take to kindly about. The line was funny but apparently was beyond your sense of humor. This so called "song fact" is nothing but opinion with the only exception being the amount of time the song lasts. What does "inspite of the title" mean anyway?
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Mike Love of The Beach Boys

Mike Love of The Beach BoysSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist of The Beach Boys talks about coming up with the words for "Good Vibrations," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Kokomo" and other classic songs.

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse Pop

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse PopSong Writing

Songs that seem to glorify violence against women are often misinterpreted - but not always.

The Police

The PoliceFact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.