Come On Eileen

"Come On Eileen"
Single by Dexys Midnight Runners
from the album Too-Rye-Ay
B-side	"Dubious" (7" & 12") "Liars A to E (New Version)" (on 12" only)
Released	25 June 1982
Format	7" 12"
Genre	New wave[1] Celtic folk[2] pop[2] blue-eyed soul[2]
Length	4:16 (US single version) 4:48 (album version) 4:02 (UK 7" single) 3:28 (Short version)
Label	Mercury
Writer(s)	Kevin Rowland Jim Paterson Billy Adams
Producer(s)	Clive Langer Alan Winstanley
Certification	Gold (CRIA) Platinum (BPI)
Dexys Midnight Runners singles chronology
"The Celtic Soul Brothers" (1982) "Come On Eileen" (1982) "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" (1982)

"Come On Eileen" is a song by English group Dexys Midnight Runners (credited to Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express), released in the UK on 25 June 1982^[3] as a single from their album Too-Rye-Ay. It was their second number one hit in the United Kingdom, following 1980's "Geno". The song was written by Kevin Rowland, Jim Paterson and Billy Adams; it was produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley.

"Come On Eileen" won Best British Single at the 1983 Brit Awards and in 2015 the song was voted by the British public as the nation's sixth favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV.^[4]

Composition

There are various versions of the song, some in addition to the main section featuring either an intro of a Celtic fiddle solo, or an a cappella coda both based on Thomas Moore's Irish folk song "Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms".

The main section begins with a Celtic-style fiddle played over a drum beat, with the bass guitar and piano providing accompaniment.

The lyrics of the song begin with the lines:

• Poor old Johnnie Ray
• Sounded sad upon the radio
• Moved a million hearts in mono
• Our mothers cried, sang along
• Who would blame them?

The phrase "Come on Eileen" is used as the chorus to the song, which was loosely inspired by the song "A Man Like Me" by the 1960s British soul group Jimmy James and the Vagabonds.^[5][6]

The bridge of "Come On Eileen" features an improvised counter-melody which begins in a slow tempo and gets faster and faster over an accelerando vocal backing. The chord sequence of the bridge is actually the same as the verses, but transposed up by a whole tone.

Throughout the song, there are numerous tempo changes and key changes:

Key changes throughout the song

Section	Introduction	Verses	Chorus and bridge
Key	F major	C major	D major

Although often believed to have been inspired by a childhood friend with whom Kevin Rowland had a romantic, and later sexual, relationship in his teens,^[7] there was actually no real Eileen; "In fact she was composite, to make a point about Catholic repression."^[8]

Single and album versions

Dexys Midnight Runners' CD compilations again omit the introduction and coda but use the unedited main section (4.06).^[9]

• The worldwide 12"^[10] and UK/US 7"^[11] singles featured the intro and the unedited main section (4.12). This version has only been released on CD on a Kevin Rowland CD single "Tonight".^[12]
• The album version features the unedited main section and the coda (4.32).^[13] An exception to this is the 2002 US only release of Too-Rye-Ay which uniquely features both introduction and coda (4.47).^[14]

Chart success

In a poll by Channel 4, a UK TV channel, the song was placed at number 38 in the 100 greatest number one singles of all time.^[15] Similar polls by the music channel VH1 placed the song at number three in the 100 Greatest One-hit Wonders of all time,^[16] number 18 in VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 1980's^[17] and number one in the 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s,^[18] despite the fact that the group had a previous number-one single in the UK, that being "Geno" in 1980. It has sold 1.33 million copies in the UK as of June 2013.^[19]

The song reached number one in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100 charts during the week ending 23 April 1983. "Come on Eileen" prevented Michael Jackson from having back-to-back number one hits in the US: "Billie Jean" was the number one single the previous week, while "Beat It" was the number one song the following week.

Weekly charts Chart (1982–83) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[20] 1 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[21] 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[22] 1 Canada (CHUM)[23] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[24] 2 France (IFOP)[25] 5 Germany (Official German Charts)[26] 6 Ireland (IRMA)[27] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[28] 4 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[29] 7 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[30] 1 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[31] 1 Spain (AFYVE)[32] 17 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[33] 1 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[34] 1 US Billboard Adult Contemporary[35] 31 US Billboard Hot 100[35] 1 US Billboard Top Tracks[35] 6 US Cash Box[36] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1982) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report)[37] 12 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[38] 8 Canada (RPM Top Singles)[39] 32 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[40] 28 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[41] 34 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[42] 5 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[43] 1 Chart (1983) Rank US Billboard Hot 100[44] 13 US Cash Box[45] 12 Certifications and sales Region Certification Certified units/Sales Canada (Music Canada)[46] Gold 50,000^^ United Kingdom (BPI)[47] Platinum 1,330,000[19] ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Other uses

In 1997, ska band Save Ferris released a cover of the song as a single.^[48]

In 2004, the band 4-4-2 was formed to cover the song as "Come On England" with altered lyrics to support the England national football team during their appearance in the 2004 European Championships.^[49]

On 7 August 2005, the song was used to wake the astronauts of Space Shuttle Discovery on the final day of STS-114 in reference to commander Eileen Collins.^[50]

The song was used in the films Tommy Boy (1995),^[51] Take Me Home Tonight (2011)^[52] and The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012).^[53]

Personnel

• Kevin Rowland – vocals
• Billy Adams – banjo and backing vocals
• Giorgio Kilkenny – bass and backing vocals
• Seb Shelton – drums and backing vocals
• Mickey Billingham – piano, accordion, and backing vocals
• Helen O'Hara – fiddle
• Steve Brennan – fiddle
• Jennifer Tobis – fiddle
• Roger MacDuff (real name Roger Huckle)^[54] – fiddle
• "Big" Jim Paterson – trombone
• Paul Speare – tenor saxophone, flute
• Brian Maurice – alto saxophone
• Andy "Stoker" Growcott – drums and backing vocals

See also

• List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1980s
• List of best-selling singles by year in the United Kingdom
• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1983
• List of Cash Box Top 100 number-one singles of 1983
• List of number-one singles of 1982 (Ireland)
• List of number-one singles from the 1980s (New Zealand)
• List of number-one singles of the 1980s (Switzerland)
• List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1980s

References

1. Mann, Brent (2003). 99 Red Balloons...and 100 Other All-Time Great One-Hit Wonders. Citadel Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-8065-2516-7. New Wave spawned some of pop music's classic one-hit wonders, artists who are vividly remembered today: Dexys Midnight Runners ("Come on Eileen"), Nena ("99 Luftballons"), and Thomas Dolby ("She Blinded Me with Science"), to name just a few.
2. Huey, Steve. "Dexys Midnight Runners – Artist Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 28 July 2013. "Come on Eileen," a distinctive fusion of '80s pop, Celtic folk, and blue-eyed soul.
3. NME. London, England. 19 June 1982. p. 34. Missing or empty |title= (help)
4. Westbrook, Caroline (25 July 2015). "The Nation's Favourite 80s Number One: 12 more classic 80s chart-toppers which didn't make the cut". Metro. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
5. Jimmy James - A Man Like Me. YouTube. 12 June 2009. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
6. Audio at the Wayback Machine (archived 1 March 2009). Dexys.co.uk.
7. "Come On Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners". Songfacts. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
8. Simpson, Dave (16 October 2014). "'We were always hard workers': Kevin Rowland and Big Jim Paterson on their favourite Dexys songs". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
9. "Dexys Midnight Runners – The Very Best Of Dexys Midnight Runners". Discogs. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
10. "Dexys Midnight Runners & Emerald Express, The – Come On Eileen". Discogs. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
11. "Dexys Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen". Discogs. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
12. "Kevin Rowland Of Dexys Midnight Runners – Tonight". Discogs. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
13. "Kevin Rowland & Dexys Midnight Runners – Too-Rye-Ay". Discogs. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
14. "Kevin Rowland & Dexys Midnight Runners – Too-Rye-Ay". Discogs. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
15. "Channel 4 - 100 Greatest Number One Singles in the UK". Classic Whitney. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
16. "Lists :: Best :: VH1 - 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders". Dave Tompkins. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
17. VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's at the Wayback Machine (archived 1 September 2015). TheCelebrityCafe.com. 26 October 2006.
18. Ali, Rahsheeda (2 May 2013). 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the '80s at the Wayback Machine (archived 12 July 2015). VH1. Viacom Media Networks.
19. Lane, Daniel (27 June 2013). "Daft Punk's Get Lucky becomes one of the UK's biggest selling singles of all-time!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
20. "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1980's". World Charts. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
21. "Austriancharts.at – Dexys Midnight Runners & The Emerald Express – Come On Eileen" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
22. "Ultratop.be – Dexys Midnight Runners & The Emerald Express – Come On Eileen" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
23. CHART NUMBER 1356 – Saturday, January 15, 1983 at the Wayback Machine (archived 7 November 2006). CHUM.
24. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6194." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
25. "Le Détail par Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "Dexy's Midnight Runners" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
26. "Offiziellecharts.de – Dexys Midnight Runners & The Emerald Express – Come On Eileen". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
27. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Come On Eileen". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
28. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Dexys Midnight Runners & The Emerald Express - Come On Eileen search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
29. "Dutchcharts.nl – Dexys Midnight Runners & The Emerald Express – Come On Eileen" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
30. "Charts.org.nz – Dexys Midnight Runners & The Emerald Express – Come On Eileen". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
31. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (D)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
32. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
33. "Swisscharts.com – Dexys Midnight Runners & The Emerald Express – Come On Eileen". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
34. "Archive Chart: 1982-08-07" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
35. "Too-Rye-Ay – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
36. CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending APRIL 23, 1983 at the Wayback Machine (archived 13 September 2012). Cash Box magazine.
37. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
38. "Jaaroverzichten 1982" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
39. "Top Singles – Volume 39, No. 17, December 24, 1983". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
40. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1982" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
41. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1982" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
42. "End of Year Charts 1982". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
43. Lane, Dan (18 November 2012). "The biggest selling singles of every year revealed! (1952-2011)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
44. "Top 100 Hits for 1983". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
45. The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1983 at the Wayback Machine (archived 25 December 2012). Cash Box magazine.
46. "Canadian single certifications – Kevin Rowland & Dexys Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen". Music Canada.
47. "British single certifications – Dexys Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Come On Eileen in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
48. Bush, John. "Save Ferris – Artist Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
49. Come on England – 2004 at the Wayback Machine (archived 15 October 2013). Hamptons.org.uk.
50. Fries, Colin, NASA History Division (15 July 2011). "Chronology of Wakeup Calls" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
51. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Original Soundtrack – Tommy Boy (Music from the Motion Picture)". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
52. Monger, James Christopher. "Original Soundtrack – Take Me Home Tonight". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
53. Berardinelli, James (19 September 2012). "Perks of Being a Wallflower, The". Reelviews.net. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
54. "Dexys Diary". Dexys.org. Retrieved 28 July 2013.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics