Come On Eileen
Dexys Midnight Runners
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Come on, Eileen Come on, Eileen Poor old Johnny Ray Sounded sad upon the radio But he moved a million hearts in mono Our mothers cried, sang along, who'd blame them You're grown (so grown up) So grown (so grown up) Now I must say more than ever (Come on, Eileen) Too ra loo ra too ra loo rye aye And we can sing just like our fathers Come on, Eileen, oh I swear (what he means) At this moment, you mean everything You in that dress, my thoughts I confess Verge on dirty Ah, come on, Eileen Come on, Eileen These people 'round here Wear beat down eyes sunk in smoke dried faces They're resigned to what their fate is But not us (no, never), no, not us (no, never) We are far to young and clever (Remember) Too ra loo ra too ra loo rye aye And you'll hum this tune forever Come on, Eileen, oh, I swear (what he means) Ah, come on let's take off everything That pretty red dress, Eileen (tell him yes) Ah, come on let's, ah, come on, Eileen That pretty red dress, Eileen (tell him yes) Ah come on let's, ah, come on, Eileen, please Come on, Eileen, too rye aye Come on, Eileen, too rye aye Now you're full grown Now you have shown Oh, Eileen Said, come on, Eileen These things they are real and I know How you feel Now I must say more than ever Things 'round here have changed I say, too ra loo ra, too raloo rye aye Come on, Eileen Oh, I swear (what he means) At this moment, you mean everything You in that dress, my thoughts I confess Verge on dirty Ah, come on, Eileen Oh, come on, Eileen Oh, I swear (what he means) At this moment, you mean everything In that dress, oh, my thoughts I confess Well, they're dirty Come on, Eileen Come on, Eileen
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Written by: James Paterson, Kevin Rowland, Kevin Adams
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
12 facts about this song
Chart Success"Come On Eileen" was a major hit for Dexys Midnight Runners, topping the charts in both the UK and the US in 1982.
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Genre BlendThe song integrates elements from folk music and pop, with an infectious blend of fiddle and saxophone taking center stage.
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InspirationKevin Rowland, the band's lead vocalist, disclosed that the lyrics were inspired by a childhood friend named Eileen.
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Grammy NominationIn 1983, "Come On Eileen" received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
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One Hit WonderDespite the immense success of "Come On Eileen", Dexys Midnight Runners is perceived as a one-hit-wonder band in the United States, as none of their other songs achieved similar recognition.
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Famous Opening PhraseThe song starts with an iconic line in the form of a gripe: "Poor old Johnny Ray." Ray was a popular singer in the 1950s, known for his raw, emotional delivery.
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Music VideoThe accompanying music video for "Come On Eileen" is notable for its depiction of the band members in raggedy, old-fashioned clothing, which became a trademark look for the group.
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Cover VersionsSince its release, "Come On Eileen" has been covered by a number of artists in different genres, including ska punk band Save Ferris and country singer Thomas Rhett.
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Pop Culture IconThe song has been featured in numerous films, TV shows, and advertisements, most notably in the film "The Perks of Being a Wallflower."
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Q Best British SongIn 2005, "Come On Eileen" was voted as the Best British Song by the readers of Q magazine, beating out contenders such as "Imagine" by John Lennon and "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen.
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Indecipherable LyricsMuch of the song's lyrics have been debated due to the singing style of Kevin Rowland, which made some of the words difficult to comprehend.
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Triple TributeThe song pays tribute to three pop icons - Johnnie Ray, Lee Marvin, and Van Morrison, mentioned explicitly in the lyrics.
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Citation
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"Come On Eileen Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 10 Feb. 2025. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/35831487/Dexys+Midnight+Runners/Come+On+Eileen>.
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