So what "one hit wonder" do you think deserves more respect? What other songs should be in the New British Canon? Trash Theory playlists - Spotify: tinyurl.com/yxp32pjf Deezer: tinyurl.com/y2mdp8h2 Also if you want to help out, here's my patreon link: patreon.com/trashtheory
Love me do by a 4 piece from Liverpool don’t know whatever happened to them but the Beatles deserved more than to be remembered as a copy of the legendary Rutles 😉
I've never really understood why people seemingly put down "One Hit Wonder" bands. I mean, think how many bands never had any hits. To have even only one hit is an accomplishment that so many others will never realize.
IIRC, the ELO album "A New World Record" was named thus because they set a record for the band to hit the top 10 the most times WITHOUT A #1 HIT. It's like they were the polar opposite of a 'one-hit-wonder' band; they became internationally famous for decades without once topping the charts.
Well, especially for the US audience, there are some one hit wonders who are legitimate bands who just didn't break through (blur, the verve) and others that are just awful. So it can be interesting to see which ones are which.
I think that might have been the last decade of experimentation and actual art, and i blame the exact industry that sells the music with its downfall, from movies to video games artistry and evolution of ideas ,hell ideas in general Entertainment is dead ,and the consumer killed it
Funny....any time a modern band does the same thing people shit all over it and call it derivative and unoriginal. It's almost like most people have a nostalgia, and over glorified nostalgia at that, for the music of their youth. Most of that genre blending and experimentation sounded like dog shit back then and still does today, but a group of 20 somethings these days that grew up listening to rap and country form a country rap project and all you hear is, "this is fucking terrible. What the fuck is this garbage?!"
I LOVED this song. I had just graduated high school with absolutely NO idea what I was doing OR going to do with my life. So I settled for the small town life: Got married, had kids, was completely miserable. This song came out just before my 1st child was born (yeah, I was REALLY young) and just feeling happy. Through the years that followed my family grew and my very toxic marriage died. But that damn song! Every one of my children remembers dancing around our small apartment singing this song. Watching the kids keep up with Kevin and the rest dancing is some of my best memories!
My name is Eileen named after a friend of my mother. I have an Irish mother and an Italian father. I have been to Ireland 7 times (includes one trip to Northern Ireland) and this is the first I knew about this video (the story of Come on Eileen) and it has been one of my all time favorite songs ever since. It was such a huge dance song on the radio all the time. Took me a long time to get all the lyrics. I love the clothes esp. the Bib Jeans (in the US they're called overalls) but I've also heard them referred to as Farmer Jeans. I will forever love Kevin Roland for this song.
I used to stand at a bus stop in Aston in the early 80s and hear Dexys rehersing in a lock up over the road - thanks for the video and the trip back down memory lane
@@STRANGERINMOSCOW1 The verse in the second chorus makes it even more clear - "Come on Eileen, oh I swear (what he means). Ah come on let's, take off everything. Pretty red dress, Eileen, tell him yes. Ah come on let's, ah, come on Eileen"
I lived in Brixton in south London, and I saw Dexy's filming this music video and heard the song before it appeared on TV or on the radio. They were using 16mm film cameras with a boom box with a cassette player. It only took them one hour to do this gig, but I remember it clearly to this day. I am now 67 years old.
This clip has been recorded in Kennington, I lived exactly where the film was made. 89, Brook Drive. I'm brazilian but i was living in London in 82. Now I am 66 yo. I used to do shopping in that small market. Unfortunately I was in Kent at that day.
Whenever I'm walking over at the Elephant & Castle I have to detour to the street and play that song. The shop has now been converted to a residential property and I saw someone come out and I spoke to them about the song and video. They were from Poland and had no idea what I was talking about.
This may seem like a strange analogy - but it's akin to being an athletic and making it to the Olympics. It doesn't matter if you get Bronze, Silver, or Gold AT ALL. You made it the F'ING Olympics. And that, in itself, is a feat. Kudos for this short and very informative documentary.
In the US, as The Simpsons bit implies, they came out of nowhere, hit #1 with a super-catchy song and went back to nowhere. The only “facts” we knew about them was that the drummer had quit before the video shooting ended, and the band was named after a stimulant drug. Probably only because of “Pop-Up Videos”.
@@josephprolizo701 Yes, two Number ones, but four Top 10, eight Top 20. Also they got three Top 10 Albums and all of their five regular studio albums released from 1980 to 2016 made it into the Top 25. I think it depends on your definition of a hit.
My neighbour is the guy on the cover of that album died last year RIP Tony. He was being burnt out of his home in north Belfast at the beginning of the troubles.
@@oOBeagleOo I was trying to joke back. I interpreted it as if you was refering to your self as the superior one. Easy to missunderatand in text though.
I remember Dexys playing the free trade hall in Manchester after they had had the "Come on Eileen" hit to a massive crowd of maybe 50 people. It always stuck in my mind how a band with such a big hit couldn't draw a crowd.
They played 'Twist'. So I did the twist! They played 'Shuffle'. So I did the shuffle! They played 'Boogie'. So of course, I did the boogie! They played 'Come On Eileen'. ... I got kicked out for doing that one😔
I've watched every one of your video essays multiple times. For some reason this one hit me like a ton of bricks. My brother and I love Dexys and have such a hard time getting our other American friends to take them seriously. Thanks for this.
I used to take care of a woman who was 94 years old named Eileen. In the morning when I woke her up I would sing the song to her, well some of the chorus. Every time I hear this song now I think of Sweet Eileen God bless her soul she's not with us anymore.
When they performed this song on Top Of The Pops the set designers mistakingly put a large photograph of British darts player Jocky Wilson behind them as a visual prop.
@@irrepressibleme6846 actually it was a joke that Dexy's did and TOTP went along with. Sadly TOTP got slated for "being so stupid" from viewers and the press. TOTP never asked Dexy's back on the show again.
I really enjoyed “Come on Eileen” when it came out in the mid eighties, even now, enough to view this post. I’m intrigued now that I read some of the lyrics. “You in that dress, oh my thoughts I confess. Verge on dirty.” Awesome flow of words with the melody of the song. It’s a beautiful song.
This was a really fantastic video! Thank you so much for posting it. I can’t believe Celtic Soul Brothers wasn’t a hit, that’s my second favorite Dexys song.
Fantastic breakdown of a song that everyone of a certain age remembers, and I’m sure many born after are also aware of. I have a love hate relationship with it, I remember watching MTV in 1983 waiting for this song to come on, it was just so different and catchy. Then I got sick of it. Then, as the years went by, I feared hearing it on the radio for fear it would be stuck in my head for 18 hours. Every time I heard that opening cello on the radio, (or whatever it is), I would turn it to another station. Now I hear it and smile.
A lot of great songs are ruined by oversaturation. The slang term is, "fucked out". I barely listen to many, many Beatles songs, because I wore out the grooves on 3 albums when I was a kid. Eagles come to mind, too. This vid opened my eyes to Kevin Rowland. Serious artist, frustrated by what most people consider 'success'.
I was an early teen when this song was on the radio. I loved it then and I love it today. No matter how many times I hear it, it never gets old. For me there are only a few songs ever written that have that
I really appreciate bands who use tempo changes in their songs. Honestly it's mostly jam bands and experimental music because I guess it's too revolutionary for regular people I guess?? Anyways it's a great way of controlling the emotion. That final tempo change at the end of Come On Eileen just gets people crazy and moving around.
"too revolutionary"?? most people, most of the time just like music that has a consistent beat. it's not that complicated, no need to be pretentious about it
Or imagine, in 1860, hearing Strauss's 'Acceleration Waltz'...while sitting or waltzing in layers of stuffy clothing...and yearning to really cut loose... LOL.
The breakdown with that single banjo line. What a magical piece of pop music. But Kevin Rowland. What a nightmare. Talented to the max, but what a friggin' nightmare of a human being.
He reminds me of what I hear Captain Beefheart was like as far as his bands. Very original and eclectic. He also used earlier bands as influences, but did not just copy them and leave it at that.
@Jurg Schupbach - Then the guy needed to hire side musicians and release material under the name Kevin Rowland (or whatever). Don't form a band and expect to dictate everything. Others are passionate about what they do as well. I'd have told him to go fuck himself inside the first 20 minutes of rehearsal!
I have seen him in and around brighton over the years. Not long ago he sold some of his clothes to a vintage shop round the corner from where I live in Hove.
Do a study of the band "Talk Talk". They opened for Elvis Costello and the Attractions back in the day and I thought they were really underrated. They grew as a band and continued to improve until their leader Mark Hollis died.
I loved how MTV put the band name, song name, and album name, and for Talk Talk, all three were the same, and the same word twice... so it was "Talk Talk Talk Talk Talk Talk". That's a lot of talk. :-)
I couldnt stand this song when I was a teenager growing up, listening to it being overplayed at every birthday party or wedding do etc etc. It became a cheesy joke. I'm older now and I smile every time I hear it for the memory's it gives me of those days .
@@steveblease I hate the song and the band but it makes me smile when I hear it . I want every generation to feel the pain of this song played to them over and over again for years to come. Just so they can feel our pain
I’m late to this one, but I’ve only recently gone through their entire catalog and they were (and remain) a stellar band. Rowland is just simply a great songwriter and there’s no way around it. I don’t think there’s a bad song in any of their albums. I was very pleased to see the recent Too Rye Aye remaster get such a warm response. It’s a great album start to finish and sounds fantastic. It’s rare that a one hit wonder has a body of work that creatively overshadows their one hit, but that’s Dexy’s.
@DeeKat I read a reader's digest story once about 4 siblings. Peter, Paul, Ann, Mary. Poor Ann doesn't even get a proper name she's just a replacement for the word and. 😂
Interesting video!!! I never realized that Dexy's Midnight Runners had a successful career, in their home country, & I never really sat down & thought about how much of an original & creative style that they had! I can totally relate to the lyrics about desperately wanting out of your hometown, as I've always wanted out of the part of Texas, that I live in. A place I like to refer to Asse County, home of the false American dream.
I remember back in 92 93 (I was a teen) im with a friend and COE starts playing on the radio I go "great tune, i always forget the name of this band" she says "Dexys midnight runners" and im like oh right (whatever) and i specifically said "one hit wonder band" lol i still remember the look on her face she goes no they are not (this girl's father was from the UK) she lets me borrow both the Young Soul Rebels and Too Rye ay albums, that was the night that i was truly introduced to this band. Both were great great albums, i was like WTF, it truly surprised me (years later I picked Dont stand me down on CD and was also very pleased) .
@@TimmyTickle It was at Kevin's request as it was a band in joke. He then kept quiet about it for several years while people laughed about how the production team had cocked up, What a japester!
Bought Searching for the young soul rebels as an 18-year old in 1992 and it's been my all-time favourite album ever since. Plus it's the album that got me listening to soul music, so I really have a lot to thank Dexys for.
I just watched a One Hit Wonderland video on Dexy’s and was surprised to see them listed in that category. I guess they only had the one hit in the US but I thought they would have had been more popular.
I'm a yank and I only now learned that Dexy's had a career outside COE. It's rather sad but retro soul did not make a dent in the US at all (The Commitments could never have been made in the US). We were too busy listening to bad pop music like Christopher Cross.
There are several great British groups with sustained chart success in Europe who nevertheless are considered "one hit wonders" in America: T Rex, Nazareth, Shocking Blue, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Soft Cell, Talk Talk, Madness, T'Pau, Dead or Alive.... arguably, you could also throw in The Smiths, whose only radio hit in America was the song "How Soon is Now?"
Rusty Petterson as an American, yes, that’s the only Madness song that most of us know. For Softcell, it’s Tainted Love, for Talk Talk it’s It’s My Life (probably because No Doubt covered it. Americans know Shocking Blue for Venus and Love Buzz, because Bananarama covered the first, and Nirvana covered the second. I’m not sure what the T. Rex one is, and the interesting thing about The Smiths is that they’re probably more popular in America NOW than they were when they were an active band. Their “popular” songs here also include This Charming Man and Girlfriend in a Coma.
Another excellent, super well-crafted video. Clearly you’re passionate about whatever topic you choose, and that rubs off on the viewer. I look forward to the next one! As for which “one-hit wonder” you should cover next, I nominate Adam Ant, Bow Wow Wow, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, or Spandau Ballet, all of which had, as far I know, just one hit single here in the USA.
I dunno if I'd include Frankie. It's true that they only had one real hit ("Relax", #10). But "Two Tribes" barely missed the cut at #43, and was even more popular on MTV than "Relax". And while "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" only hit #48, it's remained super popular with the synthpop crowd. Plus, Frankie were media darlings for a while - getting mentioned on sitcoms, The Tonight Show, etc.
phrayzar, true, however, one is invited at the end of the video to choose a “one-hit wonder” to be paid homage to. Dexys had more than one hit in the UK, whereas over here it was just one. Note, it’s mentioned at the video’s start that Dexys, “would be one the first bands to come to most US minds.” Note further, the acts I chose are British.
I had no idea there was so much depth to a song I couldn't stand at the time. This is an excellent mini music documentary I didn't know I needed. Well done.
I remember the debut of Come On Eileen, great times! Another great 80's one hit wonder - Eddy Grant, Electric Avenue! And then we'll take it higher... Or, Amadeus by Falco!
"Romancing The Stone" and "Vienna Calling" were Eddy and Falco's respective means of dodging one-hit wonder status, at least technically. Both those songs charted in the US Top 40.
Geno - one of the most evocative tunes of the very early 80s. That sax intro has a mood that takes me back there in an instant. I like Come on Eileen as a song that lifted everyone. But Geno is flowing, feisty jazz tribute genius.
When I hear "Come on Eileen", I can only think of two things 1.) That live performance where Rowland's voice cracked twice right at the start of his singing 2.) Bugs Bunny playing the Xylophone
Didn't like “Come On Eileen” one bit when it came out but heard "Geno" years later and love it to this day. Tho the lyrics are so conflicted, I liked it much better when I had no idea what Rowland was singing.
Very interesting and well done video. You've really nailed a song of my youth and life. Thank you. Everything But the Girl, so much more than MIssing. Please?
The problem with the One Hit Wonders is not the artist, it is the audience. One Hit Wonder means, that the wide audience wasn'tt aware of this artist and got overrun by the hit. The wide audience is not used to the wide range of music of his artist. The result is, they want a copy of the Hit, what they can of course in most cases not deeliver and with that the audieence have to be disappointed. So the One Hit Wonder is in many cases not the fault of the arists, it is the narrow expectation of he audience.
People used to buy albums based on the strength of a hit song, and when you find you bought an album full of music that isn't what you were at all expecting, it's understandable that people would be disillusioned. That's not really the listener's fault. Yes, the audience should keep an open mind, but the artist should have the awareness to see how that will be perceived by the people who buy their music. Furthermore, you have to consider what made the song a hit in the first place, and a lot of times the rest of the artist's catalogue doesn't deliver in those regards. They may make music that's great, but it's not necessarily hit material.
Don't you hate going to a concert and the people being passive AF until finally the hit song comes and suddenly the public is awake? I hate that. I understand the frustration in opening for bowie. If I were in that position I would do the hit song and then go on with other stuff.
I first saw Dexy’s on a tape of The Young Ones when I was little and still hold “Jackie Wilson Said” very close to my heart. This was a really good video
The sad thing is, here in the states, we weren’t as aware of the history Rowland had in his head where the perception was they were a novelty act - come on Aileen was for many of us their first and only exposure (other than that Young Ones episode that we didn’t get until the late 80’s)... I think it would have been a fresh start for them to continue their thing aggressively here...
I was living in the Elephant and Castle in the 1980's, South London was packed with raw musical talent at that time, but as Punk Rock had predicted the music companies had sold out on the real musicians with original work, for corporate boardroom contrived tripe pop bands. I remember walking round the corner one day ( I was with a very talented rock singer, James Vane, of a notorious local band, The New Apes, and the guitarist songwriter, Alex Weir) and there were DMR shooting the video for Come On Eileen outside a corner store on Albert Street S.E.17. It was one of those "beam me up Scotty" moments, pathetic and embarrassingly bad. We cringed and walked away.
Absolutely delighted that you've made a vid on Dexys, especially today as I'd been having a downer.......one thing though, 'Geno' was number 1 for 2 weeks on the UK singles chart. Otherwise great video, with some very rare footage and interesting insights into Rowland's influences with the comparisons side by side. Obviously, there was far more to appreciate about them than just 'Come On Eileen'. Good job mate, thanks. I've cheered up a bit now!
I remember seeing a live Dexy's show and being surprised how much more substance there was to the band, especially the longer pieces. Being a prog-rock fan, I actually appreciated those longer, more exploratory tunes, and virtually no one was doing much interesting musically at the time (at least not in the pop world). I wish they would have kept on going as eventually you had Talk Talk and a bunch of other bands getting more adventurous, they could have been part of a larger movement musically.
Back in junior high I thought this song was about a guy whose girlfriend really needed a bath. All I heard was: come on Eileen I swear I'm not mean, but you're dirty, awe come on Eileen.🤣
Being born in June of 1982 in the USA, I was first introduced to this song by the movie Tommy Boy. But after watching this video, I'd like to listen the follow up album that has the high acclaim and beautiful harmonies. Well done on the video!
I’ve been a Dexys fan for years and last year on my own podcast I did a five part series looking specifically at their five studio albums. What this video left out is that Kevin Rowland reformed the band in the 2000s and released two more albums: One Day I’m Going to Soar in 2012 and Let The Record Show Dexys Do Irish Country and Soul in 2016.
Fell in love with Searching for the young soul rebels. Thought it was so new. Got laughed at but didn't care and went to see the gig with the Specials. But I was always a "clever" girl.
As a mobile DJ, I regularly had requests for this song, even into the 2000s. If I played it without a request, it would fill the floor, allowing me to continue into that era's dance music. Also, I found out there were quite a few Eileen's on the dancefloor over the years. What fun! 😉
Maybe only two number 1 hits, but so many other great songs. I listen to my Young Soul Rebels and Too Rye Ay LP's quite often, I think the music still stands up very well. Not many people over here in Australia and New Zealand have heard anything apart from that one song, so playing/suggesting those albums to people is something I do regularly, and it never disappoints! Wow, you must have played some memorable gigs touring Too Rye Ay, few bands would have been more popular at that time. Well played man.
Kev Adams the fact we're talking bout and listening to dexys 40 years later proves the fact that the music was beyond its time and still gets a crowd dancing instantly!
Very good! I never really liked Dexy's, nor understood why they became such a hit. I viewed them as a threat bringing old farts back to the music scene like The Stray Cats. I was all into the electro-punk-industrial scene, and Dexy's sound to me was just a cacophony of instruments that shouldn't be together. But I've since come to respect them, and this little bio pic makes me want to investigate them further. Thanks! :)
I love how their music went from dull to brilliant when they went Celtic, Kevin's a friggin genius for that, but it may be hard to tell if you don't know the whole story.
I watched a documentary about them and Kevin Rowlands said that for each album he wanted to redefine the band, from their sound to their look, such as how the album that Geno is on, they had brass in the band and what he called their "On The Waterfront" look, then for the next album he wanted to change the sound and look and so on and so forth for each album afterwards. He figured that way the band would never stagnate. Personally I like the Geno (On The Waterfront) version the best, although COE is a great song I just think that overall that early version of the band was the best.
"from dull to brilliant when they went Celtic" Bitch what? Their first album was pure brilliance and love, it was powerful and still with a pinch of punk spirit in it. Everything after that was just plastic pop. Eileen boring and predictible af, and for a pre-teen audience. A manufactured hit by a band that was fighting for survival.
@@orcaflotta7867 Yes the first album was brilliant , but I don't think you've got a clue about the rest of it. Eileen was hardly aimed at a pre-teen audience if you listen to the lyrics. And how was it "manufactured"? If anything it's success was a surprise to everyone,not least Kevin. Too Rye Ay and Don't Stand Me Down certainly aren't "plastic pop"
You pretty much skipped over "The Celtic Soul Brothers" which is an amazing song and featured in the 1983 movie Breathless starring Richard Gere, which is a great cult film too.
I always love this song. In the last couple years I started researching Kevin and his newer works oh, and I found myself sitting comfortably peacefully enjoying everything he's done up till today
@@mikeluke9404 Pauly Fuemana died following a protracted battle with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, ultimately succumbing to respiratory failure.
So what "one hit wonder" do you think deserves more respect? What other songs should be in the New British Canon?
Trash Theory playlists - Spotify: tinyurl.com/yxp32pjf Deezer: tinyurl.com/y2mdp8h2
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Zager and Evans - In the Year 2525.
Bloody love that song.
Baker Street, Temptation.
I'd really like to see some Killing Joke!
Are you only looking for British acts? Because otherwise I’d say Josie Cotton.
Love me do by a 4 piece from Liverpool don’t know whatever happened to them but the Beatles deserved more than to be remembered as a copy of the legendary Rutles 😉
I've never really understood why people seemingly put down "One Hit Wonder" bands. I mean, think how many bands never had any hits. To have even only one hit is an accomplishment that so many others will never realize.
I AGREE WITH YOU
IIRC, the ELO album "A New World Record" was named thus because they set a record for the band to hit the top 10 the most times WITHOUT A #1 HIT. It's like they were the polar opposite of a 'one-hit-wonder' band; they became internationally famous for decades without once topping the charts.
Well, especially for the US audience, there are some one hit wonders who are legitimate bands who just didn't break through (blur, the verve) and others that are just awful. So it can be interesting to see which ones are which.
Yup!
Not a one hit wonder band... do your homework....
Music in the eighties was such a wonderful buffet of various genres.
I think that might have been the last decade of experimentation and actual art, and i blame the exact industry that sells the music with its downfall, from movies to video games artistry and evolution of ideas ,hell ideas in general
Entertainment is dead ,and the consumer killed it
Funny....any time a modern band does the same thing people shit all over it and call it derivative and unoriginal. It's almost like most people have a nostalgia, and over glorified nostalgia at that, for the music of their youth. Most of that genre blending and experimentation sounded like dog shit back then and still does today, but a group of 20 somethings these days that grew up listening to rap and country form a country rap project and all you hear is, "this is fucking terrible. What the fuck is this garbage?!"
I LOVED this song. I had just graduated high school with absolutely NO idea what I was doing OR going to do with my life. So I settled for the small town life: Got married, had kids, was completely miserable. This song came out just before my 1st child was born (yeah, I was REALLY young) and just feeling happy. Through the years that followed my family grew and my very toxic marriage died. But that damn song! Every one of my children remembers dancing around our small apartment singing this song. Watching the kids keep up with Kevin and the rest dancing is some of my best memories!
Worthless fact: The girl taking the part of Eileen in the video is Maire Fahey, The sister of Siobhan Fahey of Bananrama.
TheWacoKid1963 that’s not a worthless fact. It’s a fun entertaining fact. Those little worthless facts are the one that stick with you. Thanks.
Awesome fact!
I see the similarities now that you said that. I can never unsee it. Thanks for that. Great trivia.
That's where they got the overalls from.
Well that’s interesting
My name is Eileen named after a friend of my mother. I have an Irish mother and an Italian father. I have been to Ireland 7 times (includes one trip to Northern Ireland) and this is the first I knew about this video (the story of Come on Eileen) and it has been one of my all time favorite songs ever since. It was such a huge dance song on the radio all the time. Took me a long time to get all the lyrics. I love the clothes esp. the Bib Jeans (in the US they're called overalls) but I've also heard them referred to as Farmer Jeans. I will forever love Kevin Roland for this song.
"I swear, you'll hum that tune forever."
Hell yeah
I used to stand at a bus stop in Aston in the early 80s and hear Dexys rehersing in a lock up over the road - thanks for the video and the trip back down memory lane
Great comment. Love the thought of those memories.
That is so cool
Where I'm from a "lockup" is a prison. You must mean something else.
@@jamesmcinnis208 I'm on about a storage unit ie a "lock Up" - a Brummieism I guess 😅
@@ThePonkster Makes sense. My first Brummieism!
"Come on Eileen", The music world's greatest example of missing a much needed Comma.
😁
Think about it, the comma is left out on purpose... he said in the song "verge on dirty". Try reading it as an invitation.
That's funny
@@STRANGERINMOSCOW1 The verse in the second chorus makes it even more clear - "Come on Eileen, oh I swear (what he means). Ah come on let's, take off everything. Pretty red dress, Eileen, tell him yes. Ah come on let's, ah, come on Eileen"
@@tiadaid yes, he definitely wasn't after a game of cards lol
I lived in Brixton in south London, and I saw Dexy's filming this music video and heard the song before it appeared on TV or on the radio. They were using 16mm film cameras with a boom box with a cassette player. It only took them one hour to do this gig, but I remember it clearly to this day. I am now 67 years old.
That's a great memory :)
This clip has been recorded in Kennington, I lived exactly where the film was made. 89, Brook Drive. I'm brazilian but i was living in London in 82. Now I am 66 yo. I used to do shopping in that small market. Unfortunately I was in Kent at that day.
Whenever I'm walking over at the Elephant & Castle I have to detour to the street and play that song. The shop has now been converted to a residential property and I saw someone come out and I spoke to them about the song and video. They were from Poland and had no idea what I was talking about.
This may seem like a strange analogy - but it's akin to being an athletic and making it to the Olympics. It doesn't matter if you get Bronze, Silver, or Gold AT ALL. You made it the F'ING Olympics. And that, in itself, is a feat.
Kudos for this short and very informative documentary.
So you think music is all about getting number one? That’s very sad
@@dondamon4669 if that's what you took from that, that's sad. That wasn't the point at all.
I think he was saying the exact oposite...
@@dondamon4669 the record companies do
That's a GREAT insight.
Omg they had so many hits, no way are they a one hit wonder band
yes they had two, much more than one
In the US, as The Simpsons bit implies, they came out of nowhere, hit #1 with a super-catchy song and went back to nowhere. The only “facts” we knew about them was that the drummer had quit before the video shooting ended, and the band was named after a stimulant drug. Probably only because of “Pop-Up Videos”.
@@josephprolizo701 100% more, that beats 50% free anytime!
@@josephprolizo701 Yes, two Number ones, but four Top 10, eight Top 20.
Also they got three Top 10 Albums and all of their five regular studio albums released from 1980 to 2016 made it into the Top 25.
I think it depends on your definition of a hit.
fun fact: this song's producer (alan winstanley) is my neighbour, he has great stories about morrissey
Awesome
Pls share
Sir, you can't just drop that here and walk away. Please dish. And don't be stingy with the character count, please. Cheers.
All dirt I bet.
IS Morrisey a racist? Or does he just court the controversy that goes with it?
When I was in college when it came out we sang it, "washing machine, oh get my clothes clean, they are dirty", and "I'm doin' laundry!".
🤣🤣🤣👍
My neighbour is the guy on the cover of that album died last year RIP Tony. He was being burnt out of his home in north Belfast at the beginning of the troubles.
my mom was a one-hit-wonder, I'm an only child.
😄
My mum was also a one-hit-wonder however I am not an only child
@@oOBeagleOo if you try really hard, maby one day you could live up to your sibling. I believe in you.
@@meanberryy was the joke
@@oOBeagleOo I was trying to joke back. I interpreted it as if you was refering to your self as the superior one.
Easy to missunderatand in text though.
We will all sing that Eileen tune forever. Thanks for the background information of the vision of the innovative musicians it came from!
as a young black man i can say, dexys plays through my head phones everyday. Geno is top notch
As a young black man,....is the most pathetic opening I have ever seen. Please, just stop with that garbage.
@@timruth8767 Agreed
@@timruth8767 no need to be so harsh
Eh? Not sure what relevance the colour of your skin is 🤔 but as an old white man I listen to Dexys often
As a young handsome man, I play dexys midnight runners one a month.
I remember Dexys playing the free trade hall in Manchester after they had had the "Come on Eileen" hit to a massive crowd of maybe 50 people. It always stuck in my mind how a band with such a big hit couldn't draw a crowd.
They played 'Twist'.
So I did the twist!
They played 'Shuffle'.
So I did the shuffle!
They played 'Boogie'.
So of course, I did the boogie!
They played 'Come On Eileen'.
... I got kicked out for doing that one😔
Lmao
🤣🤣🤣
She loved it!🤣
Very good😂!
I was 5 in 1982. I love this song brings back good memories
I've watched every one of your video essays multiple times. For some reason this one hit me like a ton of bricks. My brother and I love Dexys and have such a hard time getting our other American friends to take them seriously. Thanks for this.
I used to take care of a woman who was 94 years old named Eileen. In the morning when I woke her up I would sing the song to her, well some of the chorus. Every time I hear this song now I think of Sweet Eileen God bless her soul she's not with us anymore.
I met Kevin last year, and what a great bloke he is. To create this song is phenomenal, what he went through to follow his dreams and passion
Brilliant song, great explanation. How I wish to go back to the classic 80's. Music was pure and true. Toora loora, toora loo rye ay Eileen....
I always thought their cover of Van Morisson's "Jackie Wilson Said" was actually quite wonderful.
When they performed this song on Top Of The Pops the set designers mistakingly put a large photograph of British darts player Jocky Wilson behind them as a visual prop.
@@irrepressibleme6846 Gold.
@@irrepressibleme6846 actually it was a joke that Dexy's did and TOTP went along with. Sadly TOTP got slated for "being so stupid" from viewers and the press. TOTP never asked Dexy's back on the show again.
I love that too,I still remember them doing that on the Young Ones
You are not alone! "Thankfully living in Yorkshire" it doesn't apply is not bad either to say he least.
How about the story of King Harvest who did "Dancing in the Moonlight?"
I just saw the story and I'm shocked. So sad. It makes me appreciate the song even more. WOW.
Yeah, that's songs heavy as a black hole
Love that Song
@@graciehernandez1364 I thought it was Kate Bush who did wow by the way any relation to patrick
I really enjoyed “Come on Eileen” when it came out in the mid eighties, even now, enough to view this post.
I’m intrigued now that I read some of the lyrics. “You in that dress, oh my thoughts I confess. Verge on dirty.”
Awesome flow of words with the melody of the song. It’s a beautiful song.
Cringe lyrics eh
It's only today today that I've learned half the lyrics to that song! I could never make out what was being said 😂
Despite the lyrics, I couldn't believe there was finally a song with my name in it when I was at uni.
1982 not exactly 'mid eighties.'
Make the most of it when you are in the band
This was a really fantastic video! Thank you so much for posting it. I can’t believe Celtic Soul Brothers wasn’t a hit, that’s my second favorite Dexys song.
Fantastic breakdown of a song that everyone of a certain age remembers, and I’m sure many born after are also aware of. I have a love hate relationship with it, I remember watching MTV in 1983 waiting for this song to come on, it was just so different and catchy. Then I got sick of it. Then, as the years went by, I feared hearing it on the radio for fear it would be stuck in my head for 18 hours. Every time I heard that opening cello on the radio, (or whatever it is), I would turn it to another station. Now I hear it and smile.
A lot of great songs are ruined by oversaturation. The slang term is, "fucked out". I barely listen to many, many Beatles songs, because I wore out the grooves on 3 albums when I was a kid. Eagles come to mind, too. This vid opened my eyes to Kevin Rowland. Serious artist, frustrated by what most people consider 'success'.
I was an early teen when this song was on the radio. I loved it then and I love it today. No matter how many times I hear it, it never gets old. For me there are only a few songs ever written that have that
I really appreciate bands who use tempo changes in their songs. Honestly it's mostly jam bands and experimental music because I guess it's too revolutionary for regular people I guess?? Anyways it's a great way of controlling the emotion. That final tempo change at the end of Come On Eileen just gets people crazy and moving around.
I love it
"too revolutionary"?? most people, most of the time just like music that has a consistent beat. it's not that complicated, no need to be pretentious about it
@@methyod yeah I guess that was pretty pretentious
Or every ccr song
Or imagine, in 1860, hearing Strauss's 'Acceleration Waltz'...while sitting or waltzing in layers of stuffy clothing...and yearning to really cut loose... LOL.
What a thoughtful and insightful breakdown of a song and group that I remember fondly as a very young lad.
The breakdown with that single banjo line. What a magical piece of pop music. But Kevin Rowland. What a nightmare. Talented to the max, but what a friggin' nightmare of a human being.
That's my mate in real life playing the banjo !
He reminds me of what I hear Captain Beefheart was like as far as his bands. Very original and eclectic. He also used earlier bands as influences, but did not just copy them and leave it at that.
Typical flawed Genius..
.Brian Wilson
Joe Meek
Phil Spector
Probably others I can't remember
Not a patch on Lee Mavers though, in fairness.
@Jurg Schupbach - Then the guy needed to hire side musicians and release material under the name Kevin Rowland (or whatever). Don't form a band and expect to dictate everything. Others are passionate about what they do as well. I'd have told him to go fuck himself inside the first 20 minutes of rehearsal!
I miss the 80’s so hard right now 😞
Me too. I was young and I had hope and dreams. Now I'm old and have neither. Still got the same husband though and love so that's something.
@@jbos5107 that’s everything!
I don’t . Lousy music like mall the bands with different haircuts that sounded the same with synthetisizers. Dexy’s is an exception .
As an American, all I can say is "Thank you". This channel is becoming something I'm so very grateful for.
My favorite Dexys song is "Tell me when my light turns green" They weren't a one hit wonder in their region in the UK.
Geno is just summertime on a stick for me 🌞.
I have seen him in and around brighton over the years. Not long ago he sold some of his clothes to a vintage shop round the corner from where I live in Hove.
Mine is Burn it Down (album version of Dance Stance)
If thats your only criteria, then no band is a one hit wonder. Someone needs to explain to you what a "hit" means in the music world.
That's a great song. I much prefer their first album to the follow up.
Do a study of the band "Talk Talk". They opened for Elvis Costello and the Attractions back in the day and I thought they were really underrated. They grew as a band and continued to improve until their leader Mark Hollis died.
I loved how MTV put the band name, song name, and album name, and for Talk Talk, all three were the same, and the same word twice... so it was "Talk Talk Talk Talk Talk Talk". That's a lot of talk. :-)
Brilliant music and a very unique voice. RIP Mark.
They were superb back in the day remember it's my life.. still rock's hard today..... great reply mate absolutely.....
@@clazza65 It's a shame he went so early.
@@colinyoung3685 I couldn't agree more Sir.
I couldnt stand this song when I was a teenager growing up, listening to it being overplayed at every birthday party or wedding do etc etc. It became a cheesy joke. I'm older now and I smile every time I hear it for the memory's it gives me of those days .
I totally agree. But I would stare at the video numb like waiting for it to end waiting to see if Van Halen was next lol.
Nope, still hate the song and the band.... That can never change for me.
@@steveblease I am a lesbian
@@steveblease I hate the song and the band but it makes me smile when I hear it . I want every generation to feel the pain of this song played to them over and over again for years to come. Just so they can feel our pain
@DeeKat Why? Don't knock it, until you have tried it. You might actually enjoy doing it.
A deservedly great documentary about what we now see in retrospect as a truly great band. Well done for putting this together.
Eileen is without a doubt a great tune and a great recording. Very unique with it's tempo changes and all. Lots of fun too. Very playful sounding.
I’m late to this one, but I’ve only recently gone through their entire catalog and they were (and remain) a stellar band. Rowland is just simply a great songwriter and there’s no way around it. I don’t think there’s a bad song in any of their albums. I was very pleased to see the recent Too Rye Aye remaster get such a warm response. It’s a great album start to finish and sounds fantastic.
It’s rare that a one hit wonder has a body of work that creatively overshadows their one hit, but that’s Dexy’s.
I remember the jokes making life hell for girls named Eileen when I was in high school.
So the one-legger jokes were OK then? 🤪
Come on Eileen if your knickers are clean!
How do you think I felt when Van Halen came out with Jamie's cryin? 😂😂😂😂😂
I remember the classic addition of; "Come on Eileen...'s FACE!"
@DeeKat I read a reader's digest story once about 4 siblings. Peter, Paul, Ann, Mary. Poor Ann doesn't even get a proper name she's just a replacement for the word and. 😂
What a great piece! Totally nails the aspects of Kevin Rowland that make him such a great artist - to this very day.
"Geno" is one of my favourite songs of all time, probably along with "Golden Brown" by The Stranglers.
I wonder if golden browns cancelled now, the rolling stones have dropped brown sugar, seems anything with a colour I’m it is going to be cancelled 🤔
@@annemcniell6956 The Stones didn't stop playing it due to the song's title, instead the story behind the lyrics.
Golden brown is one of my favourites too. It’s so underrated, it’s a master piece.
@@dfar2303 And its not quite the love affair of "Perfect day" but it keeps you coming back for more.
@@annemcniell6956 Way to show you have no clue what either song is about lol
This was a fantastic breakdown. Hearing that Kevin Rowland took Dexys in a Celtic direction due to his Irish roots made them stand out IMHO.
No..Rowland admitted that he stole the sound and image from former Dexys Kevin Archer....but to his credit he did hand over royalties.
Ya that fiddle is a stand out, much like the Waterboys.
Listen to Dance Stance
Interesting video!!! I never realized that Dexy's Midnight Runners had a successful career, in their home country, & I never really sat down & thought about how much of an original & creative style that they had! I can totally relate to the lyrics about desperately wanting out of your hometown, as I've always wanted out of the part of Texas, that I live in. A place I like to refer to Asse County, home of the false American dream.
I remember back in 92 93 (I was a teen) im with a friend and COE starts playing on the radio I go "great tune, i always forget the name of this band" she says "Dexys midnight runners" and im like oh right (whatever) and i specifically said "one hit wonder band" lol i still remember the look on her face she goes no they are not (this girl's father was from the UK) she lets me borrow both the Young Soul Rebels and Too Rye ay albums, that was the night that i was truly introduced to this band. Both were great great albums, i was like WTF, it truly surprised me (years later I picked Dont stand me down on CD and was also very pleased) .
Can imagine that look from the British girl!
Glad to see the infamous picture of Jocky Wilson rather than Jackie Wilson on Top of The Pops !!
That has always made me chuckle 😂
So did Kevin do it on purpose as a joke, or did the production team screw up and, Kevin being Kevin, decided to twist it to suit his agenda?
@@TimmyTickle It was at Kevin's request as it was a band in joke. He then kept quiet about it for several years while people laughed about how the production team had cocked up, What a japester!
I REMEMBER BEING IN THE PUB LATE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT THIS RECORD GETTING PLAYED, AND THE PUB TOTALLY ERUPTING GREAT DAYS.
Bought Searching for the young soul rebels as an 18-year old in 1992 and it's been my all-time favourite album ever since. Plus it's the album that got me listening to soul music, so I really have a lot to thank Dexys for.
Bought it when it came out and it’s still my all time favourite record. Simply astonishing then and now.
I just watched a One Hit Wonderland video on Dexy’s and was surprised to see them listed in that category. I guess they only had the one hit in the US but I thought they would have had been more popular.
I'm a yank and I only now learned that Dexy's had a career outside COE. It's rather sad but retro soul did not make a dent in the US at all (The Commitments could never have been made in the US). We were too busy listening to bad pop music like Christopher Cross.
There are several great British groups with sustained chart success in Europe who nevertheless are considered "one hit wonders" in America: T Rex, Nazareth, Shocking Blue, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Soft Cell, Talk Talk, Madness, T'Pau, Dead or Alive.... arguably, you could also throw in The Smiths, whose only radio hit in America was the song "How Soon is Now?"
@@AbbeyRoadkill1 I can't imagine which Madness hit would be the one... One Step Beyond? Baggy Trousers? Our House? House of Fun?
@@mudri4938 Our House seems to be the one (according to Wikipedia, it got to number 7 in the US). I had no idea.
Rusty Petterson as an American, yes, that’s the only Madness song that most of us know. For Softcell, it’s Tainted Love, for Talk Talk it’s It’s My Life (probably because No Doubt covered it. Americans know Shocking Blue for Venus and Love Buzz, because Bananarama covered the first, and Nirvana covered the second. I’m not sure what the T. Rex one is, and the interesting thing about The Smiths is that they’re probably more popular in America NOW than they were when they were an active band. Their “popular” songs here also include This Charming Man and Girlfriend in a Coma.
Another excellent, super well-crafted video. Clearly you’re passionate about whatever topic you choose, and that rubs off on the viewer. I look forward to the next one! As for which “one-hit wonder” you should cover next, I nominate Adam Ant, Bow Wow Wow, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, or Spandau Ballet, all of which had, as far I know, just one hit single here in the USA.
I dunno if I'd include Frankie. It's true that they only had one real hit ("Relax", #10). But "Two Tribes" barely missed the cut at #43, and was even more popular on MTV than "Relax". And while "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" only hit #48, it's remained super popular with the synthpop crowd. Plus, Frankie were media darlings for a while - getting mentioned on sitcoms, The Tonight Show, etc.
These videos are called new British canon, not one hit wonders of USA
phrayzar, true, however, one is invited at the end of the video to choose a “one-hit wonder” to be paid homage to. Dexys had more than one hit in the UK, whereas over here it was just one. Note, it’s mentioned at the video’s start that Dexys, “would be one the first bands to come to most US minds.” Note further, the acts I chose are British.
Adam Ant had more than one hit in the U.S. Loved him!
I think of the four you mentioned, only Bow Wow Wow are actually one-hit wonders in the US.
Please do more”new wave” bands , and I would kill to see bauhaus or the damned
Yes, please...to both!
The Damned please
The Damned deserve so much more attention than they actually received! But PLEASE, DO NOT refer to them as “new wave”!!
psuedohoax right? They were in another level altogether- the soundtrack of my college years
Go to Damned site and buy a plastic 10c clock for €15.
I had no idea there was so much depth to a song I couldn't stand at the time. This is an excellent mini music documentary I didn't know I needed. Well done.
trust your original response you were correct
I remember the debut of Come On Eileen, great times! Another great 80's one hit wonder - Eddy Grant, Electric Avenue!
And then we'll take it higher...
Or, Amadeus by Falco!
"Romancing The Stone" and "Vienna Calling" were Eddy and Falco's respective means of dodging one-hit wonder status, at least technically. Both those songs charted in the US Top 40.
What about Der Kommissar by Falco? That was a pretty big hit too
Thanks for this. This came to mind as a great "one Hit Wonder" , Martha And The Muffins "Echo Beach"
Forever inscribed on my mind. They played at my uni freshers ball. So short of material they played Echo beach 3 (possibly 4?) times.
great tune
You forgot to mention their 1982 appearance on "The Young Ones."
Not forgetting their song - Because of you as the theme for the TV show Brush Strokes.
Great cover of Jackie Wilson said
15:20 my good man
Brings back 80's memories and is now stuck in my head. ... J
Wow! This was an excellent video!! Very well thought out and presented!! Cheers!
Geno - one of the most evocative tunes of the very early 80s. That sax intro has a mood that takes me back there in an instant. I like Come on Eileen as a song that lifted everyone. But Geno is flowing, feisty jazz tribute genius.
When I hear "Come on Eileen", I can only think of two things
1.) That live performance where Rowland's voice cracked twice right at the start of his singing
2.) Bugs Bunny playing the Xylophone
Didn't like “Come On Eileen” one bit when it came out but heard "Geno" years later and love it to this day. Tho the lyrics are so conflicted, I liked it much better when I had no idea what Rowland was singing.
Very interesting and well done video. You've really nailed a song of my youth and life. Thank you.
Everything But the Girl, so much more than MIssing.
Please?
Agree. I adore Ben and Tracey.
The problem with the One Hit Wonders is not the artist, it is the audience. One Hit Wonder means, that the wide audience wasn'tt aware of this artist and got overrun by the hit. The wide audience is not used to the wide range of music of his artist. The result is, they want a copy of the Hit, what they can of course in most cases not deeliver and with that the audieence have to be disappointed. So the One Hit Wonder is in many cases not the fault of the arists, it is the narrow expectation of he audience.
People used to buy albums based on the strength of a hit song, and when you find you bought an album full of music that isn't what you were at all expecting, it's understandable that people would be disillusioned. That's not really the listener's fault. Yes, the audience should keep an open mind, but the artist should have the awareness to see how that will be perceived by the people who buy their music.
Furthermore, you have to consider what made the song a hit in the first place, and a lot of times the rest of the artist's catalogue doesn't deliver in those regards. They may make music that's great, but it's not necessarily hit material.
that's just being an apologist for a band you obviously like
Don't you hate going to a concert and the people being passive AF until finally the hit song comes and suddenly the public is awake? I hate that. I understand the frustration in opening for bowie. If I were in that position I would do the hit song and then go on with other stuff.
This channel is invaluable to those of us who not only care about but understand the music that has meant everything.
I first saw Dexy’s on a tape of The Young Ones when I was little and still hold “Jackie Wilson Said” very close to my heart.
This was a really good video
It is a van Morrison song, but dexys cover is brilliant.
The sad thing is, here in the states, we weren’t as aware of the history Rowland had in his head where the perception was they were a novelty act - come on Aileen was for many of us their first and only exposure (other than that Young Ones episode that we didn’t get until the late 80’s)... I think it would have been a fresh start for them to continue their thing aggressively here...
one hit wonder idea : PASS THE DUTCHIE by MUSICAL YOUTH
Oh yes hell yesss!
That is a cover song.
Also from Birmingham like Dexys
They had other hits. They were not one hit wonders.
@@NullStaticVoid Tainted Love by Soft Cell was a cover.
Great work, throughly enjoyed this 👏🏴👏😁
I was living in the Elephant and Castle in the 1980's, South London was packed with raw musical talent at that time, but as Punk Rock had predicted the music companies had sold out on the real musicians with original work, for corporate boardroom contrived tripe pop bands. I remember walking round the corner one day ( I was with a very talented rock singer, James Vane, of a notorious local band, The New Apes, and the guitarist songwriter, Alex Weir) and there were DMR shooting the video for Come On Eileen outside a corner store on Albert Street S.E.17. It was one of those "beam me up Scotty" moments, pathetic and embarrassingly bad. We cringed and walked away.
that about hits the spot
They are a terrible band.
Come on Eileen is an awful tune....
Absolutely delighted that you've made a vid on Dexys, especially today as I'd been having a downer.......one thing though, 'Geno' was number 1 for 2 weeks on the UK singles chart. Otherwise great video, with some very rare footage and interesting insights into Rowland's influences with the comparisons side by side. Obviously, there was far more to appreciate about them than just 'Come On Eileen'. Good job mate, thanks. I've cheered up a bit now!
Dexys, without a doubt one of most underrated Groups, all three of albums are great especially their 3rd one
Don't Stand Me Down is an outstanding album.
If only Roland could handle his ego...
I amazed that the band stuck with it for so long, changing so much, living on so little.
"There There, My Dear" is one of the greatest tracks ever recorded. I defy anyone to sing along with it
It was a pop at ub40
My favourite song ever.
I love the story that between the start and the end of filming the Come On Eileen video, the Drummer had already been sacked.
I remember seeing a live Dexy's show and being surprised how much more substance there was to the band, especially the longer pieces. Being a prog-rock fan, I actually appreciated those longer, more exploratory tunes, and virtually no one was doing much interesting musically at the time (at least not in the pop world). I wish they would have kept on going as eventually you had Talk Talk and a bunch of other bands getting more adventurous, they could have been part of a larger movement musically.
Back in junior high I thought this song was about a guy whose girlfriend really needed a bath. All I heard was: come on Eileen I swear I'm not mean, but you're dirty, awe come on Eileen.🤣
HAHAHA!!!
Same....
I always sang but your dirty until the other day when I saw the lyrics 😂😂😂😂😂
My thoughts I confess , verge on dirty. I sang it wrong all these years.
@@graciehernandez1364 I'm still going to sing it my way🤣
Ever since I found out you can sing "COVID 19" instead of "Come on Eileen" I've been unable to hear it any other way. ;-)
Super thanks for that
I would rather have Covid 19 (Kung Flu) again than listen to this song.
Love All of them...SUPER!!!
I favoured The Knacks 'My Corona'
I always sing "oh, you'd best wipe her off" after the title line - it makes for a decidedly different song.
This video is one of the first that come to my mind when I think of the beginnings of MTV
Being born in June of 1982 in the USA, I was first introduced to this song by the movie Tommy Boy. But after watching this video, I'd like to listen the follow up album that has the high acclaim and beautiful harmonies. Well done on the video!
Tough growing up in the 80's with that name. It's my purgatory song
I’ve been a Dexys fan for years and last year on my own podcast I did a five part series looking specifically at their five studio albums. What this video left out is that Kevin Rowland reformed the band in the 2000s and released two more albums: One Day I’m Going to Soar in 2012 and Let The Record Show Dexys Do Irish Country and Soul in 2016.
'One day I'm going to soar' is just amazing!
what’s your podcast?? i’ll give it a listen as any fan-made dexys content is hard to come by
@@emilialev Album Cuts with J. Austin Duke. The Dexy's episodes came out around this time last year.
Fell in love with Searching for the young soul rebels.
Thought it was so new. Got laughed at but didn't care and went to see the gig with the Specials.
But I was always a "clever" girl.
My favourite part is when he sings with the pause " oh.. eilean..."
Just perfect.
As a mobile DJ, I regularly had requests for this song, even into the 2000s. If I played it without a request, it would fill the floor, allowing me to continue into that era's dance music.
Also, I found out there were quite a few Eileen's on the dancefloor over the years. What fun! 😉
I like to remind people that we were actually "two hit wonders", not entirely seriously... Looking forward to a watch later.
Maybe only two number 1 hits, but so many other great songs. I listen to my Young Soul Rebels and Too Rye Ay LP's quite often, I think the music still stands up very well. Not many people over here in Australia and New Zealand have heard anything apart from that one song, so playing/suggesting those albums to people is something I do regularly, and it never disappoints! Wow, you must have played some memorable gigs touring Too Rye Ay, few bands would have been more popular at that time. Well played man.
Thanks for the kind words. It's sad we never made it to NZ, Australia or Japan back then.
That was a fantastic time for pop music; and Dexy's were standouts.
Kev Adams
the fact we're talking bout and listening to dexys 40 years later proves the fact that the music was beyond its time and still gets a crowd dancing instantly!
Too-Rye-Ay has been my favourite album since I was 13, which confuses a lot of people because I mainly listen to hardcore punk these days!
Very good! I never really liked Dexy's, nor understood why they became such a hit. I viewed them as a threat bringing old farts back to the music scene like The Stray Cats. I was all into the electro-punk-industrial scene, and Dexy's sound to me was just a cacophony of instruments that shouldn't be together. But I've since come to respect them, and this little bio pic makes me want to investigate them further. Thanks! :)
I love how their music went from dull to brilliant when they went Celtic, Kevin's a friggin genius for that, but it may be hard to tell if you don't know the whole story.
I personally prefer their "dull" stuff
I watched a documentary about them and Kevin Rowlands said that for each album he wanted to redefine the band, from their sound to their look, such as how the album that Geno is on, they had brass in the band and what he called their "On The Waterfront" look, then for the next album he wanted to change the sound and look and so on and so forth for each album afterwards.
He figured that way the band would never stagnate.
Personally I like the Geno (On The Waterfront) version the best, although COE is a great song I just think that overall that early version of the band was the best.
"from dull to brilliant when they went Celtic"
Bitch what? Their first album was pure brilliance and love, it was powerful and still with a pinch of punk spirit in it. Everything after that was just plastic pop. Eileen boring and predictible af, and for a pre-teen audience. A manufactured hit by a band that was fighting for survival.
@@orcaflotta7867 Yes the first album was brilliant , but I don't think you've got a clue about the rest of it. Eileen was hardly aimed at a pre-teen audience if you listen to the lyrics. And how was it "manufactured"? If anything it's success was a surprise to everyone,not least Kevin. Too Rye Ay and Don't Stand Me Down certainly aren't "plastic pop"
I remember how their last album was unceremoniously mocked in the Radio Times. Very sad.
I've subscribed since this is one of youtube's informative channels about real good music.
This song is on my Spotify. I hear it all the time. I love this song. 😍
You pretty much skipped over "The Celtic Soul Brothers" which is an amazing song and featured in the 1983 movie Breathless starring Richard Gere, which is a great cult film too.
Ah, the importance of a comma... the whole meaning changes without it.
Lol, someone's been educated properly. I approve.
@@PurpleTT99 I'm sure there's a web site out there that uses the phrase as written, for the meaning it suggests. :D
“I’m In Love With A German Film Star” - The Passions
Ethereal.
Love it.
Good shout would love to know about this song!
@@joedge6142 The singer was from Dublin. Disappeared without trace?
This is my 2 and a half year old daughters favorite song and we listen to it everyday. I have never had any idea what they are saying in this song.
So I take it you're not Irish lol . Your daughter has an old head on young shoulders . Greetings from OZ 🦘🦘🦘😁
I always love this song. In the last couple years I started researching Kevin and his newer works oh, and I found myself sitting comfortably peacefully enjoying everything he's done up till today
Dexys were amazing. All three albums.
The Pogues are for life, not just for Christmas ☘️
Another one hit wonder that deserves further attention👍 ‘How Bizarre’ by OMC
I live in NZ omc is a sad tale the guy who sang drank himself to death! How bizzare.
Great hit! Picked up the CD recently and dig the other tracks on there.
@@mikeluke9404 Pauly Fuemana died following a protracted battle with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, ultimately succumbing to respiratory failure.
But the girl was fucking hot!!!!
@@paul1153 5 kids
He might have gotten his inspiration from other songs but he created a masterpiece