Released: June 25, 1982

Songwriter: Billy Adams Jim Paterson Kevin Rowland

Producer: Alan Winstanley Clive Langer

[Fiddle Tune]

[Intro]
Come on Eileen!
Come on Eileen!

[Verse 1]
Poor old Johnnie Ray
Sounded sad upon the radio
Moved a million hearts in mono
Our mothers cried
Sang along, who'd blame them?
You've grown (You’re 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, ay
And we can sing just like our fathers

[Chorus]
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
Oh, come on Eileen

(Come on Eileen!)

[Verse 2]
These people round here
Were beaten down, eyes sunk in smoke-dried face
They're so resigned to what their fate is
But not us (No never)
But not us (Not ever)
We are far too young and clever
(Remember)
Too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye, ay
Eileen, I'll hum this tune forever, oh

[Chorus]
Come on Eileen
Oh, I swear (What he means)
Aah, come on let's
Take off everything
That pretty red dress
Eileen (Tell him yes)
Aah, come on let's
Aah, come on Eileen
That pretty red dress
Eileen (Tell him yes)
Aah, come on let's
Aah, come on Eileen
Please

[Bridge]
(Come on Eileen, tah-loo-rye-ay)
(Come on Eileen, tah-loo-rye-ay)
(Tooh rah, tooh ra, tah roo rah)
Now you are grown
Now you have shown
Oh, Eileen
(Come on Eileen, tah-loo-rye-ay)
(Come on Eileen, tah-loo-rye-ay)
(Tooh rah, tooh ra, tah roo rah)
Say, come on Eileen (You’ve grown)
These things they are real and I know (So grown)
How you feel
Now I must say more than ever
Things round here have changed
(Come on Eileen, tah-loo-rye-aye)
(Come on Eileen, tah-loo-rye-aye)
(Tooh rah, tooh ra, tah roo rah)
I say, too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye-ay

[Chorus]
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
Aah, come on Eileen

[Chorus]
Aah, come on Eileen
Oh, I swear (What he means)
At this moment, you mean everything
You in that dress
Oh, my thoughts I confess
Well, they're dirty
Come on Eileen

[Chorus]
Come on Eileen (Oh)
What he means (Oh)
You mean everything (Oh)
(Come on! come on!)
In that dress
Oh

[Outro]
Oh believe me, if all those endearing young charms
That I gaze on so fondly today
Were to suddenly leave you, or fly in the night
Just like fairy gifts gone in the sky

Dexys Midnight Runners

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.