Epic Win: Come On Eileen
Submitted by Kevin N
I love this blurb from Wikipedia on the entry for Dexys Midnight Runners:
Dexys Midnight Runners are a British pop group with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid-1980s. They are best known for their songs “Come on Eileen” and “Geno”.
Who the heck has ever heard the song “Geno”? Dexys Midnight Runners epitomized the one-hit wonder. “Come on Eileen” is a song everyone can sing along to, yet few people can name the band. In fact, VH1 honored the song with the title of the #1 One-Hit Wonder of the ’80s.
What are your favorite one-hit wonders? (For inspiration, you can read the rest of VH1’s list.)
A solid band which oddly only turned out a single hit (at least around here). The rest of the DMR library is certainly worth the listen.
Ah, yes, the “harassing of the young mother” video! I love this song and the video still makes me laugh.
“Did you see Daddy on the TV?”
“You beat Dexy’s Midnight Runners!”
“Yeah, well, you haven’t heard the last of them!”
My favourite one-hit wonders are:
Radar Love (Golden Earring)
I Ran (Flock of Seagulls)
You Spin Me Round (Dead or Alive) <==possibly the worst video ever
Didn’t Golden Earring do “Twilight Zone”? That could be considered a second hit–I mean, it gets played on the radio.
And for the record, I hate “Come on Eileen” with a hatred that burns like a thousand hemorrhoids.
Favorite 80s one-hit wonder for me is “I Know There’s Something Going On” by Frida. Sure, she had been in Abba but that was the only major song she had solo.
Golden Earring had a few more semi-hits, but are still huge in their native Netherlands and still in the game since 1961
My fave one-hitter of the ’80s was “What I Like About You” by The Romantics, a song that belongs in the repertoire of EVERY garage band, along with Them’s “Gloria” and The Standells’ “Dirty Water”. Yes, a harmonica is required for all three. Take note.
The Romantics had other hits. “Talking in your sleep” and “One in a Million” (although you don’t here One in a Million much any more)
yeah, i know… ‘hear’
Dead or Alive had a second hit, or at least a track that got some significant air time: Brand New Lover — Best Dead or Alive Song Ever.
Really, “Geno” wasn’t a hit in America? Check it out, great song, about Geno Washington. (“Back in ‘68 in a sweaty club, oh Geno, …”)
I can’t believe nobody remembers Geno! Although I had no idea what the song was about, or the spelling of Geno, I can caterwaul quite happily along to this hit until the cows come home..
…just checked… Geno only got to 19 in the US charts, but stayed at the top of UK charts for 2 weeks in 1980.
Not One-Hit-Wonders, then..
Too-Rahh Loo-Rah Too-Rah Loo-RIIIiyaaayyy!
Love this song!!!
Despite what it sounds like, it’s a love song. I know, I know. It must sound creepy, but it is.
It’s actually quite a sweet love song. It’s the video that’s inappropriate
I work for a theatre company, and we needed a pair of bib overalls as a costume for a show. One of the actors volunteered to bring in his own pair, saying “I bought them in the 80’s during the Dexy’s Midnhight Runners craze, and I haven’t worn them since!”
The song title most in need of a comma EVER.
LOLZ!
I overheard this from a guy at a party during college:
“After I dated a girl named Eileen, this song had a completely new meaning for me.”
….which is a quote from a TV series….
Know every word…unfortunately.
“Come on Eileen, Oh I swear,….”
One Hit Wonders still have value! You just always wished they had ground out more like it.
Here’s another!
Falco 3-Rock Me Amadeus!
But Falco also had “Vienna Calling” and “Der Kommissar” (though I totally <3 Rock Me Amadeus, particularly the 9" version).
Big Country is my favorite one-hit wonder. Best known for their song… “(In a) Big Country.”
The song fails musically- but it stays a classic.
Yet it is better than the majority of stuff these days.
Hm, I never cared for this song, although it is catchy.
After seeing the video, I always called them “the armpit
band”, because it seems to me like the guy takes every
opportunity to show his armpit to the camera.
We did this at a party when I was in a covers band. We weren’t just a bad covers band, we were the worst covers band in Billericay. Anyway, we didn’t have a banjo, so I played the mandolin, and this was way before the Internet so we had to get the words from listening to the record over and over again, which didn’t really help as let’s face it – you can’t make out what they are. Because I am a very bad mandolin player, we had to put it in a key even higher than the original. Oh yes, and there was no pianist.
I can’t recall it being a success.
I’ve got the mournful solo fiddle introduction one somewhere, but it’s that dum, da-dum; dum da-dum on the bass that gets me. It’s just like the piano run at the start of Dancing Queen, or the bassline to Staying Alive – one microsecond of hearing it and you’re up and ready to go. Unless you are too cool.
Great track, although the chorus seems ever so slightly not quite right with the verses to me – as though it came from a different song. But I love it.
I want to see a video of this performance – sounds like a classic. (Worst cover band in Billericay? LMAO)
What is the deal with the overalls? Especially with the belt?? I lived through the 80s, but I don’t remember this fashion statement.
It’s just proof that the Irish are the genetic source of all rednecks. And being a quarter Irish, I would know.
The only time I ever came across my Nan drunk, she came home late, sat at the bottom of the stairs, demanded her bra, and started singin this at the top of her lungs, and slapping her leg.xD
Did she get the bra?
I think she was wearing it at the time…
Oh great…now I’m going to have this song in my head all day long!
something that usually happens but didn’t in this case is posts of spoofs, covers and the like. this ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCzWPBR30Nk ) is a great cover by Save Ferris and the only reason I ever found the original; I think it’s worth adding to the win
Are you people KIDDING ME?
This is one of my most HATED 80’s songs! I have hated it since it came out and hate it even more today!
EPIC FAIL SONG without any doubt.
I HATE THIS SONG! I hated it then and still despise it now. STOP!!! YUK! FAIL FAIL FAIL!!!!
I live near the home town of their sax player!
GOD does that song get on my nerves!
99 LUFTBALLOONS!!
Yeah, I agree that this song blows big time. However, the video amuses me because they fired the drummer midway through filming the video. VH-1 did this in “Pop Up Video”, and explained that the drummer didn’t want to put as much dirt on himself as “Dexy” wanted him to, so he got canned. Notice he’s not playing with the band at the end of the song.
Well, the Dexys had quite a few hits apart from “Eileen” (but perhaps not in the US?). I think it was a great band. They had their “brass” period and their “strings” period, mostly because leader Kevin Rowland was rather bad tempered and sent everybody packing one day, which obliged him to recruit a whole new lineup, with strings instead of the horns. They had a good cover of Van Morrison’s “Jackie Wilson said” (though it”s hard to beat the original) and another great song was “The Celtic Soul Brothers”. That’s when I learned that “celtic” is pronounced “keltic” and not “seltik”.
Maybe it’s the age thing but all I can think of is Brian Topp getting punched in the face!
Jennie 8675309
I too cant stand this song, it always anoyed me and so did the bans, but Geno and Jackie Wilson wer both hits in the UK,.The whole dungarees and bare skin thing is ridiculous in Britain and dont get me started on Hayzee Fantayzee!
I too cant stand this song, it always anoyed me and so did the band, but Geno and Jackie Wilson were both hits in the UK,.The whole dungarees and bare skin thing is ridiculous in Britain, and dont get me started on Hayzee Fantayzee!
Dexy’s were a little more than a one-hit wonder in the UK.
They were famous for appearing on “Top Of The Pops” singing
“Jackie Wilson Said” with a big picture in the background of
British darts player Jockie Wilson. There’s some doubt as to
whether it was a genuine mistake or a practical joke by the
BBC technicians.
f**king epic bet song ever
Geno was a great song. If you’ve never heard it for real then I suggest you youtube it forthwith.
I really don’t get the love for this song, just as I don’t understand what’s so good about The Safety Dance and Devo’s Whip It… All Meh to me. Give me the rest of the Top 5 on that VH1 list any day, though! Speaking of, I’m shocked Midnight Oil is on there – then again, I am Australian, and they had heaps of hits here. The lead singer is now our Federal Minister for the Environment.
I felt sorry for Eileen.
Some girls like that sort of thing.