Dexys Midnight Runners

Released: March 15, 1980

Songwriter: Kevin Rowland Kevin Archer

Producer: Pete Wingfield

Geno! Geno! Geno! Geno! Geno! ...

Back in '68 in a sweaty club
Oh, Geno
Before Jimmy's Machine and The Rocksteady Rub
Oh, Geno

On a night when flowers didn't suit my shoes
After a week of flunkin' and bunkin' school
With the lowest head in the crowd that night
Just practicin' steps and keepin' outta the fights

Academic inspiration, you gave me none
But you were Michael the lover, the fighter that won
But now just look at me as I'm looking down at you
No, I'm not bein' flash, it's what I'm built to do

That man took the stage, his towel was swingin' high
Oh, Geno
This man was my bombers, my Dexy's, my high
Oh, Geno

The crowd they all hailed you and chanted your name
But they never knew like we knew me and you were the same
And now you're all over, your song is so tame, brrrrr
You fed me, you bred me, I'll remember your name

Academic inspiration, you gave me none
But you were Michael the lover, the fighter that won
But now just look at me as I'm looking down at you
No, I'm not bein' flash, it's what I'm built to do

Oh Geno, woah Geno
Oh Geno, woah Geno

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

Searching for the Young Soul Rebels

From the albums

Searching for the Young Soul Rebels (1980)
Capital Gold ’80s Legends (2004)
Pure 80s (2007)
Nowhere Is Home (2014)

Dexys Midnight Runners popular songs

GenoDexys Midnight Runners

Dexys Midnight Runners

Searching for the Young Soul Rebels