Too Rye Ay
Dexys Midnight Runners
1982
Album Summary
Too-Rye-Ay is the second studio album by English pop band Dexys Midnight Runners, released in July 1982 by Mercury Records. The album is best known for the hit single "Come On Eileen", which included the refrain that inspired the album's title. It was the band's most successful album, debuting at number two on the UK Albums Chart.
WikipediaWow. What to say. I was going through some really bleak times in 1982. Both my older sisters had killed themselves in a suicide pact. I sought solace in the music of Dexys Midnight Runners and boy did it change my outlook on everything. 40 years on and I still have a bittersweet feeling stuck in my throat about it. To this day you can find me both dancing and crying to Come On Eileen. It did ruin my cousin's wedding, but she's a complete slut.
Deserves a 5 just for managing to make dungarees cool. Top effort. If it was a footballer it would be sarong wearing trendsetter David Beckham.
Not bad, not bad at all. "Come On Eileen" is a classic, and the rest (for the most part) blended together - but into an enjoyable mash. Would revisit.
This was actually fantastic. Ahead of its time in ways, rooted in old school folk idioms in others. Nearly every song full of emotion. I'm doing it, I'm giving it a 5.
So much more than just Come On Eileen. Great horns all over the album. Not that far from Housemartins at certain tracks.
The only decent thing to come out of the 80’s was me. I used to like Michael Jackson during the 80’s but turns out he has a thing for staring at bum holes.
fucking insufferable. the guy nobody really wanted at the party, waiting for a high five, hand in the air, for over an hour.
Absolutely glorious - all coming together in one of the ultimate pop singles, which is even better at the end of this album that as a stand-alone song. Yes!
Absolutely amazing. I definitely knew Come on Eileen, but I have never listened to this entire album. Definitely one of the best so far, in my opinion.
10/10 didn’t know acoustic 80s pop like that would sound so cool it’s got so many cool songs, it sucks that it’s all over shadowed by Come on Eileen
I love “Come On Eileen.” One of my all-time favorites. But for reasons unknown I have never listened to this album. I’m glad I did. This is a hell of a lot of fun and I really enjoy this album. Kevin Rolland’s vocals have a Freddie Mercury-like drama to them that I am surprised to have never noticed before. Songs like “Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In Heaven When You Smile)” exude joy and make this album is a real pick-me-up. The strings and horns are exciting. The lyrics are often serious and even dark and contrast with the music, as in the peppy song’s “I’ll Show You” exploration of school boys change into ‘alcoholics, child molesters, nervous wrecks and prima donnas, jilted lovers, office clerks, petty thieves, hard drug pursuers’ all to the happy horns. This makes TOO RYE AYE a fun listen that exposes more depth than you might expect as you become more familiar with the songs. “Plan B,” “Liars A to E” and “Until I Believe In My Soul” were other standout tracks to me on the first few listens. Even “Come On Eileen” had a little surprise at the end. I also enjoyed the bonus tracks a lot as well. Great album!
A very fun listen. An upbeat album with multiple tracks that are absolutely welcome into my playlists.
Adorei o álbum! Achei as músicas alegres, animadas e divertidas. Verdade que não prestei atenção nas letras, mas adorei. Me animou pra fazer um bolo, que é uma tarefa que me faz feliz. Acho que volto a ouvir com mais atenção depois. :)
This album is dated in a good way. It's all greens and yellows, with cringy falsettos, silly performative singing, trompettes, church organs, and cough, cough, cough.
Such a unique voice the lead singer has, and it carries the album along with some great instrumentals. 'Come on Eileen' is obviously the standout hit, but this album is just such a joyous romp from start to finish. Listen to it on a bad day and your mood is sure to improve! The album would have been 4 stars if not for the fantastic 'stick-the-landing' ending that is 'Come on Eileen,' which bumps it up to a 5.
a real ringer on this list for me, just love it. Unique, incredible tunes, a medley to rival Abbey Road and one of the biggest hits of the '80s tossed on at the end. What's not to love?
More glorious sounds from Dexy’s including the imperious ‘Come on Eileen’, probably the weirdest floor filler there’s ever been. The energy on the track as the piano and fiddle dance along is infectious. Across the rest of the album, keep those horns blowing. I don’t pretend to understand Kevin Rowland but I do appreciate his artistic flair and commitment to playing whatever the hell he likes. This is an absolutely classic album from the best British band of the eighties.
Great, fun album. It reminds me of the Irish comic,Sean Hughes, who was a big fan of ‘Come on Eileen’.
Una especie de The Cure animado y trompetero. Opino lo mismo que con el otro disco: les compro el vinilo, va.
Surprisingly good album. Not just a one-hit wonder. The Van cover is good, and Until I Believe is great, too.
Have a couple of listens. More to it than a one hit wonder. His voice sounds like a fun version of the cure. Interesting back story with all of the line up changes and affected image the main dude seems a bit of a control freak. And Dexy is a drug? Cool.
I never really thought of them as a British band (having only ever heard Come on Eileen before), but they have a fun and consistent sound that occasionally reminded me of XTC.
Fun! I should've listened to more of their songs after I loved Come On Eileen. That's still my favorite, but the rest has a similar fun vibe, fiddle part, and that great English singing voice.
A lot better than I thought it would be. And actually quite like Come on Eileen now, whereas before it annoyed me.
A very good find, those strings do really belong there, even if the record drags a little it is outstanding
I was listening to this album thinking I knew that voice, and that the music was good but nothing special until I heard it, this album is heavily carried by Come On Eileen, if it wasn't for that song the score would be lower, although I did appreciated how varied the instrumentation and the melodies were
I thought they were one hit wonders but the rest of the album is very strong. Loved the strings and horns
"First let's hear somebody sing me a record That cries pure and true No not those guitars, they're too noisy and crude The kind that convinces, refuses to leave" (Let's make this precious) "And you'll hum this tune forever" (Come on Eileen) HostiA QUÉ SORPRESA ESTE DISCO.
Cool, fun album. Like the different strings and Celtic sounds. Pretty good Van Morrison cover in there - Jackie Wilson
Completely unique sound, utilizing big band, banjo, some strings, it honestly feels like a nightmare to play live. But the studio album? Perfectly campy. A show within itself. Just a ton of fun. There's even a little refrain they do of the main melody at the end of "Old" as if they're changing the stage for side b, haha. Reminds me a little bit of Supertramp's Crime of the Century in it's framing and whatnot. I think it's a very well-done album, but something will always keep me from absolutely loving this big theatrical albums. No matter how good, it always comes up a little short. Oh, and Come On Eileen is the ultimate white-people jam, so credit for that.
Absolument dingue, Robwup je vais devoir te faire taire tes critiques musicales font honte à la France
Really dug it, thought the familiar one was coming around eventually and there it was with Come on Eileen
one hit wonder with come on eileen, but the rest of the album is decent. i've always loved the guy's voice.
Enjoyed a lot more then I thought I would. I hear their influence in today alternative music
First song's instrumentals starts off strong, sets up for the rest of the album. Goddamn nice accompaniments. Smooth. Come on Eileen is a classic.
I must have worn out my original copy of this album I played it so much in the 80s. It’s a big improvement over their prior release with some real cracking tracks including 2 great cover songs. Plus it’s also got Come on Eileen which is a classic. I’d give this a solid 3.5, but round up to 4 for old times sakes.
I like the production and arrangements on this album better than their first. The horn section has a nice pop, the strings are great, especially in Celtic Soul Brothers and All in All, where the backup vocals too are amazing. I find the song-writing is on par with the first LP, but as a smash hit I’ll take Eileen over Geno any day.
I really liked this album. Maybe it is known by the one hit wonder 'Come on Eileen' but the whole album is awesome and tematically in sync with that song
I don't love how nearly half the songs on the album are not available on Spotify. That being said, I unironically love Come On Eileen and the songs I CAN listen to are upbeat, enjoyable, and moderate bangers.
It seems Dexeys are more than one hit wonders. This album has depth to it. Catchy songs throughout, in their signature style. Well sequenced with a run of quieter songs at the end before the release Come on Eileen hoedown. The only thing that lets it down is that the singer's voice gets a bit grating after a while. Overall, really, really good though. 4/5.
a lot of the horn tunes are catchy and fun, but apparently not breakout hits like Eileen... their slower songs don't have enough gravitas to carry them
Enjoyed this. Never really thought about checking them out as Come On Eileen is all anyone ever plays. I shall be returning to this.
Great album! From an era when pop music was approached with bags of integrity and charismatic songwriting! Upbeat, Northern soul influences but with a melancholy thread running through. I like it
Takes me back. Really great album. Kevin Rowland remains sadly unappreciated. Prefer the Young Soul Rebel era version of Dexy's. No matter.
The instrumental was great. The singer’s voice could be a little annoying and sometimes sounded whinny. I appreciated hearing more than just their famous song. They do have depth.
This is enjoyable… could’ve done with a little more attention on my part! I’ll revisit!
It's good but it would be better if instead of "come on eileen" it was "come on guyleen"
A couple of top quality songs on here, and would definitely listen to again. I love having some very happy music to bop along to on. I enjoyed it a lot, but it's a bit too eclectic an album for me to rate it 5/5.
On first listen, while taking a pleasant walk through the park, I thought that this album was a confused schizophrenic mess. And it is. But then, while filling out some paperwork I really didn't want to have anything to do with, I gave it another listen. I get it now - a confused mess it may be, with a frustrating track arrangement and sound bouncing all over the place, but it's one hell of a fun album. You can start in a melancholy mood, but by the time the riff of Come On Eileen kicks in you'll have left that long behind. Standouts for me were Precious, Plan B, and of course the greatest wedding disco track of all time.
We all know why this album is on here, but it was surprisingly enjoyable despite the one-hit wonder. Very energetic and fun plus can’t hate on come on Eileen. Fav songs: Jackie Wilson said, old, come on eileen
"Come on Eileen" by far the best and most popular song but it was a fun album to listen to. Lead singer almost kind of sounds like Brandon Flowers from The Killers... well, Brandon sounds like him since he came later. 7/10.
Well of course you have one of the great 80’s tunes that led to one of the raunchiest halloween costumes ive ever seen. But this album is packed with great pop sensibilities and a lot more Celtic influence than I’d been expecting. There’s almost some Queen style harmonies at the start of “Old” Fav tracks: “Come On Eileen” “Celtic Soul” “Old”
What a surprise! Of course I only knew the hitsingle "Come on Eileen" before listening to the album. I really enjoyed the whole thing. Great musical variety and entertaining artistic elements.
Honestly, their songs all sound very similar. Does that mean they are bad? No way. Enjoyed the album!
Other than Come On Eileen, I knew nothing of this album. It was good. The few tracks really appealed to me. I thought that I would really love this album. The instrumentation and vocals were excellent. Then as the album neared the end, the tracks were not as appealing and I found them difficult to listen to. The final Come On Eileen track was a rally back to my good side, but overall the album did slip to a 4 by the end.
Part of the fun novelty of "Come On Eileen" was the addition of a fiddle sound to pop music, and that is true throughout this album. What I didn't expect were the horn sections as well, plus piano, making for a very eclectic but fun sound. Kind of old timey, but definitely not old fashioned sounding. It's a shame this band is shorthand for "one hit wonder" in the US, since I think there is lots more to get to know and enjoy.
I picked this one out of all the ones I haven't listened to because I knew I'd enjoy it. Great album and 'come on eileen' is just a song that hits the fun button in my soul every time
good songs: - the celtic soul brothers - let's make this precious - jackie wilson said - old - plan b
I figured that Dexys midnight runners were kind of a one-hit-wonder band. That was until I heard this album. This is a brilliant album that mix’s Celtic musical influences with soul and R&B. It is a really pleasant album to listen to. I particularly enjoyed 'Reminisce - Part 1' for its story like qualities and 'Jackie Wilson said' with its upbeat tune that’s catchy and very memorable. I feel like it’s a sort of 3.5 range so I’ll give it the benefit of doubt and round it up…
This was a pleasant surprise from a band that I've only ever known as a one-hit-wonder. They have a great horn section on many of the tracks, and their cover of "Jackie Wilson Said" fits in well with the album. I listened to a version of an album with bonus tracks, which are great additions to the album. "Until I Believe in My Soul" could have been skipped, but I would come back to most of the tracks. If you like their one-hit "Come On Eileen" this album is worth checking out. I'm rounding up to 4 stars.
The Sax solo in Until I Believe in My Soul is a GEM! And getting Come on Eileen on a day Eileen Gu gets her thrid medal was a pretty pleasant coincidence xD
Too-Rye-Ay by Dexys Midnight Runners (1982) I’m not a fan of Britpop, but Dexys Midnight Runners add a creative flair to the genre that makes for a truly enjoyable listen. For those who, like me, thought that Dexys Midnight Runners’ first album (Young Soul Rebels [1980]) was very good, well, this one is very gooder. To the prominent trombone and other horns, they added two violins, making their pop sound even more idiosyncratically inventive. Readers might be familiar with the big hit off this album, the closing track “Come On Eileen” (successful on both sides of the Atlantic), but if that’s all you know, you’re missing a lot. Their cover of Van Morrison’s “Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile)” is even better than Morrison’s original (from his album Saint Dominic’s Preview [1972]). More splashy vocals, string backgrounds, elaborate horns, and a more open sound. The opening track “Celtic Soul Brothers” is exactly what is advertised. Scottish/Irish Celtic instrumental grounding with 60s Motown soul/R&B flavorings. It’s like The Pogues on a date with The Supremes (or, alternatively, Loreena McKennitt on a date with John Belushi—make your own suggestions! It’d be a fun party game). Now the lead vocal by Kevin Rowland is quirky (kind of a whiny David Bowie) and definitely not of high quality. But it is supremely interesting, almost as if he had a prior career as a punk rock frontman (he did—with The Killjoys in the late 70s). But Rowland and trombonist “Big” Jim Paterson are the creative geniuses behind the sound. And it’s a very good sound. With mobile bass lines, sassy horns, jazz interludes, female backing vocal ensemble, adjustable meter, along with occasional banjo, accordion, and tin whistle thrown in, the listener experiences an unexpected delight around every bend in the road. There’s a lot of good music on this album. It’s worth putting on the headphones and dancing in the living room (especially if your wife just left for two and a half weeks to visit your mother in law). 4/5
Disco ochentero BRUTAL. Algo diferente. Sólo demasiado largo, te pierdes un poco entre tanta canción
With neverending gusto, chutzpah and bravado, Too-Rye-Ay is home to Dexy's Midnight Runners' most endearing hit and several of hidden gems that does more than expected in sweeping the listener off their feet. While not their greatest hour (that would be Don't Stand Me Down), it's perhaps their most assured and finest. Favorites: Let's Make This Precious, All in All (This One Last Wild Waltz), Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile), Plan B, Until I Believe in My Soul, Come on Eileen, Reminisce (Pt. 1)
I admit I’m a bit of a sucker for bands with a horn section! Good album, upbeat and much more than a one hit wonder. Will listen again. 4
If you love "Come on Eileen" then you'll probably love the rest of this album. Exceeded expectations for me honestly.
Surprising. Come on Eileen has always been on my party list but never listened to the album
What a tremendous and soulful mashup of post-punk/new-wave Irish folk music. More accessible than Van Morrison.
Pop? New wave? What I hear is ska. And I love it! I saved a bunch of tracks from this and I listened -- really listened -- to Come on Eileen for the first time in forever. There's a lot of filler and overly fussy tweaks evident in the production, but lots of fun front to back.
This album is rooted and folk and Americana idioms but placed within a grandiose new wave format. The instrumentation combines banjo, and strings, with highly orchestrated and bombastic horns. It reminds me of a more nuanced Spector like wall of sound punctuated by new wave style drums and bass.
If Robert Smith from the Cure fronted the Waterboys....with more horns. Quite enjoyed it.
Vrolijke popmuziek. Heeft dat typische vreemde geluidje van Engelse bands voor mijn gevoel. De eerste 11 nummers zijn geweldig, maar wat daarna komt vind ik afbreuk doen aan het album. Ik neem aan dat dit bonus-nummers zijn/waren en heb daardoor toch een wat hogere score voor het album als totaal gegeven. ****
I had a lot of fun listening to this album. Come On Eileen is an iconic song that I love, but I thought the rest of this album held up to its status pretty well. There were a lot of dramatic elements in the music that sometimes gave me Queen vibes.
I really enjoyed most of this album. Come on Eileen is a classic but the rest of this album supported that song really well.
I can hear how this influenced bands I like today which is cool. Didn't know this was the Come On Eileen band. 4/5
This was a real roller coaster for me. Had honestly never heard of the band and thought it was gonna be some outlaw country. Then was like oh are they really just putting a one hit wonder on here cuz its such a big song? Then I kind of started liking it, then got annoyed by the dudes voice, then got nostalgic for back in the day getting into ska music, then come on eileen finally came on and really rounded out the whole experience. Anyway, probz would listen to this again at some point which is more than I could say of the others we've done so far.
This is a great example of music that is very eccentric but completely coherent. They really love their trumpets and violins, and know how to write simple yet effective hooks. The vocals can be a bit hit or miss, and the slower, softer songs didn't quite hit the same for me. Overall a fun listening experience.
App deleted my notes. Anyway. This is good. Looking forward to the other two given the fuss made of Kevin Rowland in the music press if this is the worst one.
Another band and an album that I wouldn't have hear about if not for this list. And that would be such a great shame! Very entertaining type of music, very fast-paced irish type music, with a lot of 'countryside' instruments and sounds on the foreground. The album starts with the most interesting song, 'The Celtic Soul Brothers'. If you have ever imagined (as I did) what would be played on the lower deck of Titanic for the common folk to dance till they can dance no more, that would be it. I was taken aback by the vocals of Kevin Rowland at first, I felt like his 'throaty' voice did not fit at all, but it quickly grew on meand by the end of the album I was completely sold. After first song the album heads the same direction - full steam ahaed to the Irish party! Few songs that are very entertaining, followed by couple slower songs, which maybe necessary, were really not to my liking. The band was at its best in a fast-flowing rhytm, where your legs dance before you can even think of it. The best example - 'Come on Eileen'. I could recognise the song in the first few seconds, but I have never known, that Dexys Midnight Runners were the first authors of it. Although not as fast-paced as rest of the album, the song is incredibly catchy, and very easy to follow along by singing and dancing. Entertaining album - I'm very happy that I found it today.
Poques vegades la barreja de tants géneres en un sol disc ha donat un resultat tan interessant i engrescador. Superant la seva primera obra, que no era gens fàcil, Rowland proporciona un dels grans hits de la primera meitat dels '80, 'Come on Eileen', i junt a ell 8 altres cançons que no baixen el pistó en cap moment. Efervescència feta música
This was a pleasant surprise. I will admit that I’ve only heard “Come On Eileen” before listening to this one. Well written and structured songs that embrace the past while adding a new wave edge to the sound.
So glad this was on the list. Never would have sought it out otherwise. So much more than Come On Eileen
This album is nothing amazing but I’ve always liked its just a very fun listen for me 7/10
Interesting to hear this subgenre but in the end all the songs were too close to each other and unremarkable
this was an ok album. has come on eileen. spotify doesn't seem to have all the songs. makes it hard to rate.
This album was better than I thought it would be. I'd put "Come on Eileen" on a 1001 best singles to listen to, but maybe not on the album list. But, hey, I didn't make the list.
Familiarity:1/10 Notes: to think this band had a huge hit. I'm still kinda amazed Real Rating: 6/10
Honestly, so many of these British rock bands from the 80s and 90s just sound the same to me. And this one has some really annoying songs where they repeat the same thing over and over again and just wear me out.
was an ok album, I've only ever heard "Come On Eileen" there were some other good songs on the album, but nothing too crazy good.
I like 'Come on Eileen' as much as the next person, in fact probably more, I think it's a class song. But really not sure why this album is one you should hear before you die? I didn't dislike it, his voice is very distinct, the horns are fun, the fiddles remind me of an 80s Arcade Fire, but a lot of the songs either sound exactly the same or are forgettable filler. There are phrases in some songs that are repeated in `Come on Eileen`. It's also too long.
Ganske interessant. Noe litt annet enn vi har hatt her tidligere. En slags Jethro Tull lite. Mistet interessen et lite stykke inn. Ble litt sånn "I get it, kom deg videre". Sangeren ble veldig irriterende rundt "Plan B". Kommer ikke til å besøke dette albumet igjen. Ikke dårlig, men virkelig ikke bra heller. Svak 3.
Well this is something I have not heard before, its not ska, its not big band. Its got that really 80's over the top theatric voice that I can never get into. But I enjoyed the listen from a new experience stand point. This might be the most interesting music made in the 80's that we have heard so far. trumpets and falsetto out of 5
Musicianship, instrumentation and production/mixing deserve a top score. The singing was irritating and the lack of catchy melodies hardly made any individual songs stand out. The length of the album and the lack of a climax makes the album drag on a bit. I would watch this live but as a listening experience, it was average as a whole.
Never heard any of this besides Come on Eileen. I liked it. Some ska vibes with the bass lines and horn section.
DMR has an interesting and characteristic sound-- I really like the use of horns and strings-- but the album does sort of drag at times. It's good, but I don't know that it made me really feel compelled to come back to anything other than 'come on eileen'
Elvis Costello, but more of a country-ska kind of vibe. A nice mishmash of sounds. Pretty radio-friendly.
I spent my youth gallivanting about town in my dungarees and red neckerchief inspired by none other than dexies midnight runners. Lock up your daughters!
Actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would, some good instrumentals. Vocals can get grating though and eileen is very overplayed
is this a good album or a good song? Most tracks have sub-1mil plays... and then there's the one with 350mil+
Come on Eileen is the best track here. They have a good sound and the tracks are unique enough but not grabby to have a bunch of good cuts from it.
I want to like it more, but not a fan of K Rowland’s vocals. But the sound sure brings me back!
This genre of music is not what I typically gravitate towards, but I can't deny the infectious fun of this album. Found a couple new songs I liked but it did feel too long and repetitive at points. Come on Eileen still slaps though.
I guess this band would fall into the category of "one hit wonder". Quite the hit though and one that has not worn on me. It's a decent LP with good flow and a good variety of instruments with the strings and horns. While the strings and horns sounded like they were all one big happy family, I read that the horn players all quit after the strings were invited on board and a fair amount of arm twisting was required to keep them around for a few concerts to promote the album. A sign of a good musician is to forget about the drama when instruments are in hand.
Amusant album met veel vrolijke nummers. Af en toe wat minder zuiver. Het laatste liedje is wel een klassiekertje
Overall I liked the album. But I didn't love it. I really liked the first and last song.
Gets a 3 on the merit of Come On Eileen alone. Only one other recognizable song, but spotify was missing a bunch of tracks. Pretty folky at times, poppy at other times.
Come On Eileen was the best track on here, and several of the others sounded really similar (probably due to the way the lead singer sings). It's... OK for me. 3 stars.
Come On Eileen is the best track on here, it's a total banger. The rest unfortunately fall flat, "Searching for the Young Soul Rebels" was a better album for me.
Our second Dexys Midnight Runners album. Seriously? I'm definitely starting to see the UK bent the list has that others have mentioned in reviews. It's not bad I guess but did I really have to hear this before I die? Strangely enough my favorite track is the last one Reminisce with all the talking.
Good fun energy. Come on Eileen is an obvious classic. All sounds a bit dorky to me though.
Well...this is fun, isn't it? A thunderbolt right up the bum. A pop triumph. If it was a footballer, it'd be Jay Jay Okocha.
Some of the tracks are really good but I don't like Kevin Rowland's voice. Also reminds me of dancing on the tables in the Cellar Bar at B'ham Uni, which I prefer to forget.
La música no es nada mala, de hecho casi le pongo la 4a estrella, el problema es que no veo la razón para tener dos discos de esta banda en la lista. Dejando eso de lado, debo decir que me gusta su instrumentación y la manera en que mezclan violines y metales y en momentos suena casi a música celta, pero con otras cosas. También la voz se me hace interesante, con un timbre muy peculiar que podría ser odioso en otro lado pero que cuadra bien con su música.
En realidad no creo que era necesario DOS discos de ellos. En mi primera reseña mencione "Musicalmente es bueno, creo que no esperaba mucho del disco pero es un postpunk muy distinto a todo lo que se hizo en su momento, con muchos pedazos tal cual de música soul casi plagiados de los 60s pero que cuadran muy decente." y creo que se aplica tal cual aquí de nuevo. Lo único que cambio es que allí mencioné como me agradaba que no se iban a que sonara demasiado a ska mientras que aquí sí lo hacen. Posiblemente si no hubieran puesto el otro disco y solo dejaran este me hubiera caido con mucha mejor cara. Obviamente el sencillo es bueno, el problema es que el resto no sobresale más allá como para justificar que les dieran tanto espacio.