Dexys Midnight Runners

Songwriter: Kevin Archer Kevin Rowland

Producer: Pete Wingfield

Dear Robin
Hope you don't mind me writing
It's just there's more than one thing I need to ask you
Yes, yes, yes, yes
You're so anti-fashion, so wear flares
Instead of dressing down all the same

It's just that looking like that I can express my dissat
Robin let me explain
Though you'd never see in a million years
Keep quoting Cabaret, Berlin, Burroughs, J.G. Ballard, Duchamp, Beauvoir
Kerouac, Kierkegaard, Michael Rennie
And I don't believe you really like Frank Sinatra

Dear Robin
You're always so happy, how the hell?
You're like a dumb dumb patriot
Yes, yes, yes, yes
You're supposed to be so angry, why not fight?
Let me benefit from your right

Don't you know the only way to change things is to shoot men who arrange things?
Dear Robin I'd try and explain
But you'd never see in a million years
Well, you've made your rules, but we don't know that game
Robin, I'd listen to your records but your logic's far too lame
And I'd only waste three valuable minutes of my life with your insincerity

You see Robin
I've been searching for the young soul rebels
I've been searching everywhere
And I can't find them anywhere
Where have you hidden them?
Maybe
Maybe you should
Maybe you should welcome the new soul vision
Welcome the new soul vision
Welcome the new soul vision
Welcome the new soul vision

Don't you know the only way to change things is to shoot men who arrange things?
Dear Robin I'd try and explain
But you'd never see in a million years

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 album

Searching for the Young Soul Rebels (1980)

Dexys Midnight Runners popular songs

There There My DearDexys Midnight Runners

Dexys Midnight Runners

Searching for the Young Soul Rebels