#252: Dexys Midnight Runners - Too-Rye-Ay (1982)

Emily: As a big fan of any and all Vh1 shows featuring the '80s, one-hit wonders, and countdowns, I am exceedingly familiar with Dexys Midnight Runners in the context of their one and only American hit, Come On Eileen. Their impossibly catchy song and ridiculous hillbilly-farmer-meets-the-city-and-plays-the-fiddle video have popped up on I Love the '80s, the 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders, the 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s, the Greatest '80s One-Hit Wonders, and I Love the One-Hit Wonders of the '80s (okay, I made that last one up, but you can't argue that it doesn't fit perfectly with the others). This one song has brought the band so much recognition even to this day, but why didn't they take off more than that? Honestly, after listening to Too-Rye-Ay, I really don't know. Dexys Midnight Runners make great pop music; here, it's infused with a bit of country-rock fiddling and a bit of new-wavey vibes. Sounds weird, but it totally works. Come On Eileen is certainly the best song on the album, but a few others could have been singles. I guess America just wasn't ready for Dexy in 1982 - or not until Vh1 started making '80s nostalgia shows.

Favorite Tracks: Come On Eileen; All in All (This One Last Wild Waltz); Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)

Zack: The jury is still out on why, exactly, Dexys Midnight Runners have three albums on the list when only one of said albums contains Come on Eileen. But this is the one with Come on Eileen and it is a lot better than expected. On a scale of 1 to 10, I put my interest in this album at a 3 before listening. But I was proven wrong, because Too-Rye-Ay is sort of a masterpiece of pop music that blended a lot of styles into a really cohesive album. It sort of reminded me of Madness, but a lot better (not to be interpreted as a knock on Madness). Obviously, the big takeaway is the best single and final song on the album, Come on Eileen. But there were one or two other songs that I had no clue were by DMR as well as a few songs that I hadn’t heard before but really enjoyed anyway. Too-Rye-Ay was a really great album by a band that should probably be known for more than just one song.

Favorite Tracks: Come On Eileen; The Celtic Soul Brothers; Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile