Come On Eileen Lyrics
I've always known this song was about him trying to "get his leg over" his childhood friend who he has suddenly realised is a grown woman now. Teenage angst and all that crap.
Cheery song anyway.
@bluelady I'm really surprised many don't see the complex nature of this song. As with many great songs, there are multiple meanings, and not just the obvious one. It may have started about sex, but it sure didn't end up like that. This song is about promising your love to get them out of of the hell of English poverty, and make a better life for themselves.
@bluelady I'm really surprised many don't see the complex nature of this song. As with many great songs, there are multiple meanings, and not just the obvious one. It may have started about sex, but it sure didn't end up like that. This song is about promising your love to get them out of of the hell of English poverty, and make a better life for themselves.
You know this from the first verse. The reason why they used Johnny Ray, out of all the 50's singer, is because was he was known as the blue caller crooner, who was...
You know this from the first verse. The reason why they used Johnny Ray, out of all the 50's singer, is because was he was known as the blue caller crooner, who was beloved by working class English women, because of his extreme poverty to riches story. Hence the first verse, and why the song starts out like that.
Then there's the second verse, which makes it far more complex, that has nothing to with just trying to sleep with a young love. Some teenager just looking to "get a leg over" would never say this:
These people round here, wear beaten down eyes Sunk in smoke dried faces, so resigned to what their fate is But not us, no not us, we are far too young and clever (Remember) Toora Loora Toora Loo-Rye-Aye Eileen I'll hum this tune forever
In the 80's to be poor in England was miserable. This song actually ends up being more about using love to get out of poverty, than just sex. The sex part is just the hook to get you to listen and remember it.
He's pressuring the girl to have sex with him and feed his desires.
This kind of makes me want to put on over-alls and dance around in the street, know what I mean?
Actually the lead singer of Dexy's Midnight runners said it is about his child hood friend "eileen". Then things got sexual and they weren't friends anymore
I'm really surprised that the complex nature of this song is not seen by these comments.. As with many great songs, there are multiple poetic meanings, and not just the obvious one. It may have started about teenage sex, but it sure didn't end up that way. This song is about promising your love to get them out of the hell of English poverty, and make a better life for themselves.
You know this from the first verse. The reason why they used Johnny Ray, out of all the 50's singer, is because was he was known as the blue caller crooner, who was beloved by working class English women, because of his extreme poverty to riches story. Hence the first verse, and why the song starts out like that.
Then there's the second verse, which makes it far more complex, that has nothing to with just trying to sleep with a young love. Some teenager just looking to "get a leg over" would never say this:
These people round here, wear beaten down eyes Sunk in smoke dried faces, so resigned to what their fate is But not us, no not us, we are far too young and clever (Remember) Toora Loora Toora Loo-Rye-Aye Eileen I'll hum this tune forever
In the 80's to be poor in England was miserable. This song actually ends up being more about using love and a relationship to get out of poverty, than just sex. The sex part is just the hook to get you to listen and remember it.
@matt1111 Re Johnny Ray: he was the "blue-collar" crooner, which means that his appeal was to the working class (blue overalls rather than the bright white shirts/blouses of bankers and lawyers. Maybe 'caller' was a typo of yours, but it should be corrected anyway. Thanks for a good analysis!
@matt1111 Re Johnny Ray: he was the "blue-collar" crooner, which means that his appeal was to the working class (blue overalls rather than the bright white shirts/blouses of bankers and lawyers. Maybe 'caller' was a typo of yours, but it should be corrected anyway. Thanks for a good analysis!
it's happy, it makes me wanna dance... love it love it!! a good mood kind of song!!
I'd just like to add that the original version of this song is many times better than the cover by Saving Ferris.
It's about a pair of young people that don't realise that they are about to fall into exactly the same trap that their parents fell into - getting pregnant young. They think they are young and clever, but they are no younger and cleverer than all those resigned, beaten down adults were when they too were young.
Pretty soon it will be "I'm pregnant, Dexie. What are we going to do?" A hasty marriage, Eileen will lose her shape and sparkle, and he will be working 'down mill for tuppence a month for the rest of his life, just like his sad old dad.
(Compare to my comments on Bohemian Like You - another song that uses a similar irony).
@Paul364486 Because the young have ALWAYS believed that they are smarter than the previous generation
@Paul364486 Because the young have ALWAYS believed that they are smarter than the previous generation
Toura loura loural is an irish lullaby. Seeing as the group is british, it is possible that the "we can sing just like our fathers" is a reference to the singer's father singing this lullaby to him when he was a child.
This song reminds me of growing up, and feeling that you are invincible in your youth....yeah.