“Come On Eileen” : Stuck-in-traffic Song of the Week

January 23^rd – January 30^th

Song of the week will be featured in a new format. Instead of two long paragraphs from Zach and I about the song, we will present the song in a conversation between the two of us that ends with a brief conclusion.

Song: Come On Eileen

Artist: Dexy’s Midnight Runners

Keith: So, “Come On Eileen”, fun tune or pathetic music making?

Zach: I say fun tune, it’s a high energy song, always gets a solid reaction at a party or a bar

Keith: Maybe that’s because the bar and/ or party is pathetic: this song is only a hit in the 80s.

Zach: That could be the case, my friends are lame, yeah, it may make some people nostalgic or whatever but so do lots of songs, it’s definitely a sugary pop type song, I don’t want all songs to be that way but this one serves a good purpose

Keith: I could maybe give it some credit, but that all goes out the window when you look at that music video

Zach : You are not wrong about this, maybe I’m missing something but that video was not what I was expecting listening to the song

Keith : Honestly, I wasn’t completely convinced it was a man singing the song, then I saw the video and it is not only a man, but one of the ugliest I have ever seen: It’s a good thing they run at midnight, those are faces that should never be allowed to see the light of day

Zach : Yes, no one from this band will be modeling for the gap in their spare time, this band probably wouldn’t get the chance to shine big time today because they don’t have a ‘cool’ look, but that doesn’t stop this song from being a top-notch pop song…the video is still rediculous though

Keith: I don’t care what era you live in, those overalls don’t cut it: I think people only really know the chorus of this song, the rest is gibberish. I looked up the lyrics and became more confused by this track, what the hell are they talking about?

Zach : I’m with you on that one, it’s puzzling, the lyrics are definitely darker than the mood of the song, which happens from time to time, but I’m not sure what is going on here

Keith : The lyrics aren’t nearly as dark as the lead singers body hair, these guys look like they pick up women by bashing them on the head with a giant club.

Zach : According to wikipedia, the director made the band not shave or shower to look gruff (why I don’t know) the drummer quit because of it.

Keith : Directing isn’t for everyone, nor is showering for that matter (see my freshman year roommate who smelled worse than Lance Armstrong’s jock post- Tour de France)

Zach : I admire the drummer, you get in a rock band to get laid, not scare the tail off

Keith: Some chicks love the grunge look, but: these guys have more of a hepatitis look.

Zach : Yeah, a couple missed showers shouldn’t look like your address is on Skid Row

Keith : It’s sad that the down fall of Dexy’s Midnight Runners may have been because they demanded cleanliness, and who the hell names their child “Dexy” isn’t that a diet pill?

Zach : Yeah, the story is they based it on dexatrine…naming a band after a drug in the Reagan years, maybe not the most sound strategy.

Keith’s Conclusion:

The thought of being stuck in traffic listening to this song scares me. The ear piercing violins and incoherent ramblings of the cave man singer would have me pleading to be picked off by a freeway shooter. I don’t know where “Dexy” ran to at midnight, but based on there body of work, I would say they are still jogging the endless marathon of pop flops.

Zach’s Conclusion:

Bottom line, this is a solid pop song. While I still don’t know what they are talking about, I wouldn’t be mad if this song came on the radio while stuck in traffic. I also don’t mind hearing out at the bar or at a party, the white girls seem to like it. The video looks like a bread line from the depression broke out into song and dance but it’s still a catchy song.

Learn more about Keith @ www.thekeithshow.com