Dexys Midnight Runners

Songwriter: LeRoy Marinell Waddy Wachtel Kevin Rowland Warren Zevon

Producer: Billy Adams Alan Winstanley Helen O’Hara Kevin Rowland

You know, recently I was thinking
I was thinking about one thing and the other
And music crossed my mind Yeah? Yeah
It occurred to me to switch on the radio
I wanted to hear some music

So I turned it on, it was Radio One
Sid Jenkins on the air
He had synthesizers and soulful guises
I think you know the type of thing - Sure
It was alright It was OK ?
I'm not lodging any complaints or anything
There was just one problem
What was that?
It all sounded the same
You mean it all sounded similar?
I mean it all sounded the same

Anyway, so I started asking around, you know
I started making a few enquiries
Just putting out a few feelers
Yeah? Yeah
I had a word with a couple of so called socialists on my way
And during the course of our conversation
I put to them a question, I said:
"How do you feel about Ireland?"
Ireland? Yeah, Ireland
That place, it's just across the sea
Oh yeah, I know the place
Well they said:
"We're for Sandinista, Cuba's militia
The PLO, M.P.L.A, Afghanistan and Babylon"
They went on and on and on and on
And I said: "Alright, Alright
But what do you think about Belfast?"
And what did they say?
Well, their replies were various
But they all had one thing m common
And what was that?

They all sounded the same
You mean they sounded alike ?
They all sounded the same

Well, that's about the size of it
What can I tell you? You tell me. I dunno
It's just one of those of things
What you mean one of 'those' things?
Yeah, one of those things

Dexys Midnight Runners (currently officially Dexys, their common nickname; sometimes styled with and sometimes without an apostrophe) are an English pop band with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid-1980s. They are best known in the UK for their songs “Come On Eileen” and “Geno”, both of which peaked at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, as well as six other top-20 singles.

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Dexys went through numerous personnel changes over the course of three albums and thirteen singles, with only singer/songwriter/co-founder Kevin Rowland remaining in the band through all of the transitions and only Rowland and “Big” Jim Paterson (trombone) appearing on all of the albums. By 1985, the band consisted only of Rowland and long-standing members Helen O'Hara (violin) and Billy Adams (guitar). The band broke up in 1987, with Rowland becoming a solo artist. After two failed restart attempts, Dexys was reformed by Rowland in 2003 with new members, as well as a few returning members from the band’s original lineup (known as Dexys Mark I). Dexys released their fourth album in 2012 and a fifth followed in 2016.

more tracks from the album

Don’t Stand Me Down

From the album

Don’t Stand Me Down (1985)

Dexys Midnight Runners popular songs

One of Those ThingsDexys Midnight Runners

Dexys Midnight Runners

Don’t Stand Me Down