Come On Eileen Explained

Come On Eileen
Cover:DexysMidnightRunnerComeOnEileen7InchSingleCover.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express
Album:Too-Rye-Ay
Released:June 25, 1982 (UK)
January 1983 (US)
Length:4:12 (single version)
4:07 (without fiddle intro)
4:47 (with a cappella coda)
3:48 (video version)
3:28 (special DJ edit)
Label:Mercury
Chronology:Dexys Midnight Runners
Prev Title:The Celtic Soul Brothers
Prev Year:1982
Next Title:Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)
Next Year:1982

"Come On Eileen" is a song by the English group Dexys Midnight Runners (credited to Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express), released in the United Kingdom in June 1982[1] as a single from their second studio album Too-Rye-Ay. It reached number one in the United States and was their second number one hit in the UK, following 1980's "Geno". The song was produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley and was initially claimed to be written by Kevin Rowland, Jim Paterson and Billy Adams, although Rowland later stated that the essence of the tune should be attributed to Kevin Archer.[2]

"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 single in a poll for ITV.[3] It was ranked number eighteen on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the '80s" and was Britain's best-selling single of 1982.[4]

Composition

According to Kevin Rowland, there was actually no real Eileen: "In fact she was composite, to make a point about Catholic repression."[5]

Music video

The 1982 music video was directed by Julien Temple and filmed in the inner south London suburb of Kennington in the vicinity of the corner of Brook Drive and Hayles Street, then Austral Street and Holyoak Road. The character of "Eileen" in the music video, as well as on the single cover, is played by Máire Fahey, sister of Siobhan Fahey from Bananarama.[6]

Archival footage of Johnnie Ray arriving at London Heathrow Airport in 1954 was featured in the video.[7]

Chart success

In a 2000 poll by Channel 4, the song was placed at number 38 in the 100 greatest number one singles of all time.[8] Similar polls by the music channel VH1 placed the song at number three in their "100 Greatest One Hit Wonders" of all time,[9] number 18 in their "100 Greatest Songs of the '80s"[10] and number one in their "100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the '80s".[11] (While the group had a previous number one single in the UK with "Geno" in 1980, "Come On Eileen" was their only US hit.) As of June 2013, "Come On Eileen" had sold 1.33 million copies in the UK.[12]

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 seven weeks, while "Beat It" was the number one song the ensuing three.

Weekly charts

Chart (1982–1983)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] 1
France (IFOP)[14] 5
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[15] 1
Spain (AFYVE)[16] 17
US Billboard Adult Contemporary31
US Billboard Hot 100[17] 1
US Billboard Top Tracks6
US Cash Box[18] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1982)Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)[19] [20] 12
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[21] 8
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[22] 32
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[23] 28
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 34
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[25] 5
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[26] 1
Chart (1983)Rank
US Billboard Hot 100[27] 13
US Cash Box[28] 12

"Come On England" version

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.[29]

See also

Notes and References

  1. New Musical Express . 19 June 1982 . . London, England . 34.
  2. News: Jojo . Moyes . Rock star admits stealing song . . 21 January 1997 . 15 June 2020 .
  3. News: Caroline . Westbrook . The Nation's Favourite 80s Number One: 12 more classic 80s chart-toppers which didn't make the cut . . 25 July 2015 . 27 July 2015 .
  4. Web site: Rob . Copsey . The Official Top 50 best-selling songs of 1982 . Official Charts Company . 12 March 2021 . 14 March 2021 .
  5. News: Dave . Simpson . 'We were always hard workers': Kevin Rowland and Big Jim Paterson on their favourite Dexys songs . . 2014-10-16 . 2015-07-09 . live . From rehearsals in a warehouse to battles with record companies, lineup changes, and an attempt to write the new Bohemian Rhapsody, the singer and his long-serving trombonist share the stories behind the hits . https://web.archive.org/web/20231018032923/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/16/-sp-kevin-rowland-and-big-jim-paterson-favourite-dexys-songs . 2023-10-18.
  6. Web site: 5 Things You Didn't Know: "Come On Eileen" By Dexys Midnight Runners . . 29 March 2013 . 3 June 2017 .
  7. Book: Mann, Brent . 2003 . 99 Red Balloons: And 100 Other All Time Great One-Hit Wonders . Kensington Publishing Corporation . 185 . 0-806-52516-9.
  8. Web site: Channel 4 - 100 Greatest Number One Singles in the UK . Classic Whitney . 21 July 2013 .
  9. Web site: Lists :: Best :: VH1 - 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders . Dave Tompkins . 11 July 2014.
  10. VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the '80s" Preaches to the Choir with Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" Taking the Top Spot . . . 24 October 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070626160517/http://www.vh1.com/press/press_releases/2006_release/100greatestsongs80s_10302006.jhtml . 26 June 2007.
  11. Web site: Rahsheeda . Ali . 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the '80s . . 2 May 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150712025400/http://www.vh1.com/music/tuner/2013-05-02/100-greatest-one-hit-wonders-of-the-80s/101/ . 12 July 2015.
  12. Web site: Rob . Copsey . The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed . . 19 September 2017 . 1 May 2018.
  13. Web site: Australia No. 1 hits -- 1980s . World Charts . 9 June 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170109053925/http://www.worldcharts.co.uk/chartfeatures/aus/aus80.htm . 9 January 2017.
  14. Web site: Le Détail par Artiste . InfoDisc . Select "Dexy's Midnight Runners" from the artist drop-down menu . 14 May 2016 . fr.
  15. Web site: South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (D) . Rock.co.za . 28 July 2013.
  16. Book: Salaverri, Fernando . Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 . September 2005 . 1st . Fundación Autor-SGAE . Spain . 84-8048-639-2 . es.
  17. Web site: Too-Rye-Ay – Awards . . 1 June 2013.
  18. Web site: CashBox Top 100 Singles-April 23, 1983. 4. May 28, 2024.
  19. Web site: National Top 100 Singles for 1982 . . . 445 . January 3, 1983 . January 22, 2023 .
  20. Web site: Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s . Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien . 11 July 2014.
  21. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1982 . Ultratop. Hung Medien . 11 July 2014 . nl.
  22. The Top Singles of 1983 . 39 . 17 . 24 December 1983 . . . 7 July 2019 .
  23. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1982 . . 11 July 2014 . nl .
  24. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 1982 . Single Top 100. Hung Medien . 11 July 2014 . nl.
  25. Web site: End of Year Charts 1982 . Recorded Music New Zealand . 16 May 2016 .
  26. Web site: Dan . Lane . The biggest selling singles of every year revealed! (1952-2011) . Official Charts Company . 18 November 2012 . 11 July 2014 . 13 March 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130313142131/http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-biggest-selling-singles-of-every-year-revealed-1952-2011-1720/.
  27. Web site: Top 100 Hits for 1983 . The Longbored Surfer . 11 July 2014 .
  28. Web site: Top 100 Singles. CashBox. May 28, 2024.
  29. Web site: Come on England – 2004 . Hamptons.org.uk . https://web.archive.org/web/20131015014043/http://www.hamptons.org.uk/england.html . 15 October 2013.