"Do Anything You Want To" is a song by the Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy. It was the second single released from their 1979 album Black Rose: A Rock Legend. It was recorded at Pathe Marconi EMI Studios in Paris, France.[2]
Composition
The song opens with an African-style drum beat by Brian Downey--which gives way to a twin-guitar melody characteristic of Thin Lizzy's harmonics.[3] The lyrics employ rhyme and alliteration-- such as in the first three lines which include the words: 'investigate', 'insinuate', 'intimidate', 'complicate', 'wait', 'hesitate', 'state', 'fate' and 'awaits.'[4] The song fades out with lead singer Phil Lynott impersonating Elvis Presley. Guitarist Scott Gorham suggested: "I think he just wanted to use his American accent there."[2]
Chart performance and video
The single reached No. 14 in the British charts and remained in the charts for nine weeks.[5] It reached No. 25 in Ireland-- charting for two weeks.[6] An accompanying video was filmed at Molineir Studios, directed by David Mallet. Mallet said that the video cost £12–15,000 to film adding: "Most of the shoots I did with Lizzy back then only lasted a day-- maybe eight or ten hours worth of footage."[7] The video was the band's first attempt at a short film rather than a simple video of a band performance.[7] The video featured Hot Gossip dancers Perri Lister, Dominique Wood and Carole Fletcher.[citation needed]
"Just the Two of Us," (the single's B-side) is a Lynott/Gorham composition that was not included on the Black Rose album. It was only available as part of the single until the release of Vagabonds Kings Warriors Angels.
