Dexys Midnight Runners "Come On Eileen"
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Topic: Dexys Midnight Runners "Come On Eileen"
Posted By: paisanojac
Subject: Dexys Midnight Runners "Come On Eileen"
Date Posted: September 12 2018 at 15:39
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I remember this big pop song when I was in high school and while MTV was still a new phenomenon. This was 1982 and I was just barely starting my transition form pop/rock top-40, to the sublime genre of Prog (thanks to a friend of mine). The song was "Come On Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners. It was a big hit, so it couldn't possibly be Prog, right? Well......I've thought for quite a while that this song is a Prog song. I just heard it on the radio in my workplace break room, which would usually be an immediate indicator that what I'm listening to is NOT Prog. I swear this song seems very Proggy to me, and I'd just like the opinions of you all to verify that my suspicions are correct and I'm not imagining this OR to have you affirm to me, that yes indeed, I am crazy, ha. What do you think? Thanks.
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Replies:
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: September 12 2018 at 16:00
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You're crazy. It is the very definition of 80s pop: bouncy, sickeningly sweet, mindless & incomprehensible lyrics, squeaky vocals, no guitar, heavy bass, and under five minutes. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: September 12 2018 at 16:15
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I love Dexys Midnight Runners but sorry, man. Not prog. It is really catchy pop rock with Celtic folk that got lumped into the new wave tag. That's a kick ass song but can't imagine how you would get prog out of it! Remember that experimental doesn't mean prog ;) -------------  https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: September 12 2018 at 16:41
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hahahha... yeah man... you are f**king nuts... but in a good way. If one can throw sh*t at teh wall and call it art. .then damnit man.. one can throw Dexy and that godforsaken song against the wall and call it prog. We need to introduce you to Pedro. We do have our forum loons here and we do love them. They add spice and character in contrast to the sticks up their asses types that seem attracted to prog forums. ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: September 12 2018 at 16:46
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^ Agreed. Just because you're crazy doesn't mean you're not welcome. In fact all the better. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Boojieboy
Date Posted: September 12 2018 at 16:53
| That song is awful! It's not only pop, but really lame and goofy pop. Pure MTV trash. |
Posted By: DamoXt7942
Date Posted: September 12 2018 at 17:00
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Kevin Rowland of DML is kinda crazy excellent pop artist indeed. ... And this thread moved to "General Music Discussions". ------------- http://www.facebook.com/damoxt7942" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: paisanojac
Date Posted: September 12 2018 at 17:52
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Ha, OK.....I am officially crazy, and thanks for the friendly comments. I wonder if I had the Proggy sensation for this song because of these things below: When you hear that song, do you hear: Counter-melody ? Tempo changes ? Key changes ? Tone change ? Yeah, those things don't necessarily make it Prog, just like a song being 20 minutes long or having meaningful lyrics doesn't make it Prog. Violin too. Thanks for the responses!
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Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: September 12 2018 at 18:12
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I just listened to the first two Dexys Midnight Runners albums recently. Quite brilliant gypsy folk pop. This video is hilarious. Presented for those who haven't a friggin clue what this thread is about  ------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: September 12 2018 at 19:35
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Overalls with no shirt was pretty progressive in the 1980s. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: September 12 2018 at 23:38
Punkish new wave-northern soul&ska with strings, shouted choruses and rather complex arrangements was a real sub-genre (that time has forgot) of sorts in the early 80's. Some fun and interesting things, and also slightly annoying (some of these guys in the link underneath later had a success with their dance theatre performance pieces: Stomp) - the bandname itself Pookiesnackenburger irritated me even before I had listened to their music. But but its certainly way beyond three chords and the truth: ------------- 
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paisanojac wrote:Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: September 12 2018 at 23:49
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It remeinds me of the efforts done my Men at Work, only fusing gypsy style rather than reagge style into new wave. Sort of inspired by 10cc "Dreadlock Holyday" My favoueite artist to manage this is Kik Kershaw by fusing 80s with tigh-ass instrumentation -------------  
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Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: September 13 2018 at 02:30
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My days have been troubled recently. I can hardly stand to be reminded of this awful piece of 80's crap and even less when someone throws in the suggestion that it has something to do with prog. What's more: I am quite flabbergasted by this sudden act of trolling by an account which has been in slumber for almost a dozen years (except for some 5 weeks in 2016).
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Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: September 13 2018 at 02:39
| This song brings me bad memories from the eighties, although it really isn´t even near the worst songs of that decade. Anyway heard it so many times in the eighties that don´t want to hear it again (God the eighties was back here in Finland last year and also they played this on the radio). |
Posted By: Chaser
Date Posted: September 13 2018 at 03:34
Arrrrggghh! I come on this site to get away from this sort of crap not have it thrust in my face. I feel abused  ------------- Songs cast a light on you |
Posted By: Braka
Date Posted: September 13 2018 at 04:55
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I thank you for reminding me of that song, because as soon as my mental jukebox started playing it I realised the chorus riff is pinched from 'I Can't Help Myself' by The Four Tops, which I then had an excuse to listen to for the first time in ages!
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Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: September 13 2018 at 05:27
| It's not prog just because it changes tempo. This song just brings back memories of naff parties in the 80s and it's just another "Hi Ho Silver Lining"-type handbag dancing song. |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: September 13 2018 at 05:28
Another crap song.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: September 13 2018 at 05:34
| it's been played to death everywhere, I don't mind it, but I don't wanna hear it anytime soon. :) |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: September 13 2018 at 08:27
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Quite the negative views of this song here. I have to admit that the song never bothered me either. It wasn't until i checked out the first two Dexys Midnite Runners albums in their entirety that i was hooked on their style. Of course even though i'm a hardened progger and extreme metalhead, i still love pop music a lot when it's done right. There is nothing wrong with melodic catchy hooks. This band did a great job at really standing out. They are somewhat alternative for their day but got caught up in the new wave world because of that video on MTV. ------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: NutterAlert
Date Posted: September 13 2018 at 09:01
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The late and great Vincent Crane had a spell with Dexys Totalshyte Runners Sadly even his skills could not raise them above total shyte
------------- Proud to be an un-banned member since 2005 |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: September 13 2018 at 14:49
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UK6v74hQjvA" rel="nofollow - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UK6v74hQjvA -------------
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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 02:36
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Posted By: Chaser
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 02:49
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I can agree that, as a pop song, it's very catchy and so very successful. In fact, after reading this post I couldn't get the damned thing out of my head for the rest of the day - tu ri lu ri lu ri yay! But it ain't prog, which was the posters original assertion, and so it doesn't deserve attention on a prog forum. ------------- Songs cast a light on you |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 03:28
That's what the op wrote and I can easily hear why. -------------
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Posted By: Chaser
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 03:56
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If "Come on Eileen" is prog then we may as well go the whole hog and include Aga Do and The Birdie Song as well ------------- Songs cast a light on you |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 03:58
Intellectually, I hate the song. But psychically I love it. How's that for crazy! 
------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 04:25
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Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 04:53
| I always thought Come On Eileen was a porn film. |
Posted By: Chaser
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 05:57
I'm not "aggressively hostile" towards it. In fact I think I've danced to it a few times after one too many glasses of pop, so I agree it's a good catchy pop song. I'm just hostile to any suggestion that it might be prog ------------- Songs cast a light on you |
Posted By: Chaser
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 06:14
Is that the one where he has a big chopper? ------------- Songs cast a light on you |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 07:29
-------------
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Posted By: Argo2112
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 11:00
Ya had to go there , Chopper!
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Posted By: Argo2112
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 11:07
| I think it's a fun goofy little song. I would personally list it as a guilty pleasure, but not prog. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 12:23
I don't think anyone was suggesting the band be included, just talked about and made fun of. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Chaser
Date Posted: September 14 2018 at 12:35
Ok I guess I can live with that  ------------- Songs cast a light on you |
Posted By: paisanojac
Date Posted: September 16 2018 at 19:44
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Thanks for all the replies. The consensus is that it is not Prog. I wasn't asking about the band or the video, but just this song. I actually don't even know any of DMR's other songs. When it came out I was kind of against it just for being a pop hit. It wasn't until after really getting into Prog and many years had gone by, that I gave it some attention and heard some of the aspects of the song that would be described as having counter-melody, tempo changes, key/tone changes, which gave it some Prog qualities to my ears. Another aspect noted in the video of the link for "One hit wonderland" is that this was not like anything else coming out at the time. Somebody here suggested I'm a "troll". Well, no, my question was sincere and I do hear those aspects that I mentioned in the song. I've been a member of this forum for a long time and check it quite often, mostly for reviews, not for forum commentary, which is why you haven't seen me on here often. Thanks again for the discussion. |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: September 17 2018 at 00:07
| I have to say for you that this song is not typical eighties pop song IMO. Most eighties pop songs have 4/4 beat whole through. But is it prog or not, I am just so bored about the whole question is something prog or not. I am interesting is something great music or not and I think this is not, mostly the reason I heard it too much in the eighties. Now if I hear it I just become irritated. Anyway I can understand this song could have been gateway to prog to somebody. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: September 17 2018 at 04:11
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Next up: "Take On Me" by A-ha! Prog or Jazz Fusion? ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: September 17 2018 at 05:01
| Of course Jazz Fusion! |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: September 17 2018 at 05:47
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The forrunners of a-hs, Bridges is in PA -------------
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: September 17 2018 at 10:36
only people that only know this song by A-ha laugh at this band. Those who have listened more do not laugh anymore.
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Posted By: AZF
Date Posted: September 17 2018 at 10:39
| At least in the instrumental "Come on Eileen... Come on Eileen..." you could always sing "It's not Prog though! It's not Prog though!" so there is at least that. |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: September 18 2018 at 17:35
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That song couldn't be farther away from sounding proggy than it is. Also, quite frankly, it sickens me. Now that I've stated the obvious, I'd like to respectively suggest that you monitor this site with a little more genuine curiosity in order to secure from others more knowledgeable than me what it is that actually sounds like prog. ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: September 18 2018 at 18:31
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This thread has surprisingly gotten more mileage than i ever could've imagined ------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: September 18 2018 at 22:23
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yeah.. exactly what I thought when I just saw it... that thread? Still alive.. it does remind me though that I still need to approach the hey nonny nonnies about getting Willie Nelson added to the site. ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: September 19 2018 at 00:50
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^ I'm still performing magic rituals so that Barry Manilow will finally find a home here too ------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: September 19 2018 at 09:17
Well said. "Memorial Beach" is a good album. And I like "Take On Me" anyway, so there.
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Posted By: micky
Date Posted: September 19 2018 at 18:01
only AFTER Gino Valenti finally is added to the site.. which won't happen till someone puts M@X out of his money grubbing misery and prog fans take this site back over. Which of course will be me... day 3 he gets aded.. then we can talk about how prog Rhinestone Cowboy is haha. Day 4 though.. the Allman Brothers.. the greatest jazz fusion band that ever lived.. and Willie.. the most progressive folk artist that ever lived.. both get added. ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: M27Barney
Date Posted: September 20 2018 at 04:30
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Possibly the last song in the known universe to be placed into the prog box.... ------------- Play me my song.....Here it comes again....... |
Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: September 23 2018 at 04:21
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Eileen prog? Great idea. Goes well with the Searching For The Young Soul Rebels concept album. If Yes and Asia can Kill the Radio Star with Video by the Buggles (the former sucked all the fun from the Buggles, but no Drama, and the latter put it back) then a spot of a fun little folk tune can go down well. Otherwise we might all be sticks in the mud. Right, back to Roy Harper and his Unknown Soldier album which is nearly as good.
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Posted By: micky
Date Posted: September 23 2018 at 06:09
hahaha.. ummm.. no... ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: September 23 2018 at 06:18
| ^ yeah, but RHCP are far more creative and competent than Dexy's... ever were. |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: September 23 2018 at 06:40
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^ what of it... I'll ace them with Madonna who was light years more creative and competent.. prog is not the sole domain of the competent and creative ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: September 23 2018 at 06:52
I've never said prog is the sole domain of creativity or being competent. As for Madonna being creative and competent, I don't know about that, to put it politely. She was creative with her image, the way she presented herself to the world, her videos. Other than that not so much. |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: September 24 2018 at 02:21
| RHCP has never been my biggest favourites, but liked it quite much in the nineties, saw them three times and still like a lot their 8 first albums. Creative, well maybe not, but they just made good music. Nowdays they have become really boring. |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: September 24 2018 at 05:26
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My pants smell like formaldehyde. ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: September 24 2018 at 06:58
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My formaldehyde smells like pants! ------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: September 24 2018 at 09:24
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Nik Kershaw is my favourite 80s musician. -------------
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Posted By: Jeffro
Date Posted: September 24 2018 at 11:15
Agreed. I hated that song with a passion when it came out and still do.
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: September 24 2018 at 15:03
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Nope not prog but a very fun tune that I remember fondly. This was a big hit around 1983 and I think "sunday bloody sunday" by U2 was the only other radio song at the time to feature a violin. Interestingly though not too long ago I was researching this song and DMR in general and the album it's from is rated rather well on wikipedia. I listened to one or two other songs out of curiosity and they sounded pretty good as well. Anyway, I'll be patiently waiting for the thread title that says "Men at Work- Down under is it prog?" Of course because a song has a flute solo in it(or violin for that matter)people will think it's possible it could be prog. |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: September 25 2018 at 06:40
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^ Agreed, but it was a pretty cool use of flute in pop music (at least at that time). On a side note, Men at Work bassist John Rees was formerly in the Aussie prog band Chetarca. ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: September 25 2018 at 06:43
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Are Chetarka in the archives -------------
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Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: September 25 2018 at 06:48
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Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: September 25 2018 at 06:53
No, they aren't. They were rejected by symphonic and crossover. I believe I posed the question about eclectic, but I was chastised for that comment because if it can't make it past symphonic and crossover, no other team apparently would look at it. I would have liked to have replied to that, but someone closed the thread. So I just shrugged my shoulders and moved on. There are a couple videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkyTZjFKKIs" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkyTZjFKKIs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3l8S89uBlA" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3l8S89uBlA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL22qwJKhEo" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL22qwJKhEo ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: September 25 2018 at 14:30
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One of those songs I hated and still don't like it. Wolverhampton has produced some great things (well Bob Plant mainly) but Dexy's is not one of them! |
Posted By: M27Barney
Date Posted: September 27 2018 at 06:22
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A horrible party song. Always gets played at every party I go to a smashy and nicey poptastic heap of steaming Scottish wildcat poo! ------------- Play me my song.....Here it comes again....... |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: September 29 2018 at 20:16
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It's prog like a big dog!! (Another line SteveG can use in his signature) -------------   
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Posted By: AreYouHuman
Date Posted: September 30 2018 at 21:16
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On one of the rare occasions in the 1980s when I watched “American Bandstand,” Come on Eileen was featured on Rate-a-Record, where two audience members were asked to do the rating. This one kid gave it a low rating because he thought it sounded too much like ELO, apparently solely because of the violin part. I knew right off that that was way off base, since it otherwise sounded nothing like ELO, either before or after their music had become crapola.
I didn’t hate the song, though, and still don’t, though I wouldn’t class it as prog either. ------------- Caption: We tend to take ourselves a little too seriously. Silly human race! Yes is for everybody! |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: October 01 2018 at 01:07
Maybe, but this is rather common when some time has passed since the embalming .By the way, who's your mummy? -------------
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Posted By: miamiscot
Date Posted: October 01 2018 at 13:56
| There were, most certainly, many "pop" and "new wave" bands from that era which fit the "prog" bill - XTC, Wire, Ultravox, Devo, Pere Ubu, Tears For Fears, OMD, Talk Talk. Don't know if Dexy's were very progressive. Hell even Haircut 100 was more Prog than DMR's. That said, "Come On Eileen" was a great song. |