27 November 2009

DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS


If you've been a follower of Dexys Midnight Runners since the early days, then you probably already have everything I'm going to post today. Most of their b-sides and things have been issued over the years on expanded versions of albums, and several best-of packages. Many of those, however, have gone out of print, and so I'm stepping in to fill the gaps.

Everybody must already be familiar with "Come On Eileen". Unless, of course, you've lived in a cave with no radio or television for the past 30 years. Those who only know them for that one massive hit will be unaware of how their sound and image changed over the course of the three studio albums they put out in the eighties.

Starting out with a northern soul sound on their debut, they scored a hit with the single "Geno" in many countries, but it wasn't until a couple years later, with the addition of three fiddlers, and a mix of Celtic and soul, that they would break through pretty much everywhere else. The sad thing about it was how few people paid attention to anything they did other then that one big song. That second album, To-Rye-Ay, has so many other equally great tracks on it.

Then came the follow up. A misunderstood album which has now become something of a lost classic. Of course, the fact that they refused to release any singles off it until it was too late didn't help the sales.

Anyway, here's a few things that, as far as I can tell, are not in print at the moment:

(files expired)

Dexys Midnight Runners - "Dance Stance" Their first single. An early version of "Burn It Down", which would later come out on the debut album.
Dexys Midnight Runners - "The Horse" B-side of "There There My Dear".
Dexys Midnight Runners - "Keep It Part Two (Inferiority Part One)" A re-recording of "Keep It" released as a single.
Dexys Midnight Runners - "One Way Love" B-side of "Keep It".

Yeah, that's not as many as I normally post, but everything else I have is currently available on one or more of the "buy" list below. If anyone has a copy of the "Because of You" single, I haven't been able to hunt those b-sides down.

Searching for the Young Soul Rebels, 1980 (buy)
Too-Rye-Ay, 1982 (buy) (buy deluxe)
Don't Stand Me Down, 1985

Let's Make This Precious, 2003 (buy) (best-of with rarities)
The Projected Passion Revue, 2007 (buy) (Too-Rye-Ay era rarities and live)


This will likely be the last regular post for a month. On Tuesday, I'll be starting the 25 (or so) days of holiday tunes.

If you're in a band, or managing one, that has a holiday-related song you want to get out to the masses, feel free to pass it along.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

A criminally underrated band. Thanks, as always. W.