Singer Kevin Rowland said it was ‘tough’ when people would only talk about the band’s biggest hit, Come On Eileen, because there were other ones during their 33 year career together
Come On Eileen singer Kevin Rowland said the song became a ‘millstone’ after it ‘got bigger’ than the band itself.
After Dexys Midnight Runners released the track in 1982 it shot to No1 in the UK and US and won Best British Single at the Brit Awards. But Rowland, 71, said it was ‘tough’ when folk would only ask him about that song rather than any of the band’s other work.
In response to the question of when he felt the song ceased to be his he told the Full Disclosure podcast: “I think when around ‘83, ‘84, a year or two later, when I’d only be asked about that by people in the street, you know what I mean? It was only that one.”
Asked if that was tough for him he said: “It was, it was. Because I knew there were other ones, you know.”
When asked if Eileen became a millstone he said: “I guess. I hate to say that because I’m grateful for it now.
“But I felt that at the time. It got bigger than the band. It was so big. Oh, it’s bigger than us. It’s something else now. Isn’t it? It’s out there, isn’t it?”
The Birmingham-based band – which was together for 33 years – also topped the charts with single Geno and had a No5 with a cover of Van Morrison’s Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In Heaven When You Smile).
But Eileen became its best known song and was voted the nation’s sixth favourite 80s’ hit in an ITV poll.
It stopped Michael Jackson having back-to-back US No1s in 1983 – topping the charts between the pop king’s smashes Billie Jean and Beat It.
According to Rowland there was no real Eileen.
“She was composite to make a point about Catholic repression,” he has said.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
