Background
Shortly before recording this album, Dexys' bandleader Kevin Rowland had decided to add a violin section to the band's existing horn section, which had contributed strings (viola and cello) to the band's previous single, "Liars A to E". However, after violinists Helen O'Hara and Steve Brennan joined the band, the three members of the horn section, including Dexys' co-leader and album co-composer "Big" Jim Paterson, decided to leave Dexys and become an independent horn band (ultimately known as The TKO Horns). Rowland convinced them to stay with the band long enough to record the album and to perform in a kick-off concert debuting the album on BBC Radio One in June 1982. All the songs on the album were rearranged to add strings, which caused Dexys to re-record the 1981 singles "Plan B", "Liars A to E", and "Soon". During the rearrangement process, "Soon" was revised into the opening section of "Plan B"; since both songs were written by Rowland and Paterson, the merged songs are credited on the album simply as "Plan B".Release
The album's " Come On Eileen" became a number one hit in both the UK and the US. Dexys Midnight Runners are best known as a one-hit wonder in the US ("Come On Eileen" was also the first US single release by Dexys), but in the UK, " Geno" had previously reached number one, and " Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" and " The Celtic Soul Brothers" were also UK hits. Before "Come On Eileen", Dexys' only North American single was the Northern Soul classic "Seven Days Too Long", which Dexys' previous label EMI America had released only in Canada (with "Geno" as the B-side). However, on the strength of "Come On Eileen", ''Too-Rye-Ay'' reached number 14 in the US. Dexys' success in US was not maintained; the best performer of the band's follow-up singles in the US was "The Celtic Soul Brothers", which peaked at number 86. Different releases of ''Too-Rye-Ay'' featured different versions of "Come On Eileen". Certain editions of the album featured a version beginning with a solo fiddle playing the first line of theTrack listing
Release notes
*There are several unlisted tracks on the album— "Old" includes a reprise of "Let's Make This Precious" at the end. The beginning of "Plan B" is actually the song "Soon", a version of which is the B-side to the "Show Me" single. "Come On Eileen" ends with an acapella rendition of an excerpt from " Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms", which is excised on the original US vinyl release. *Original US pressings have "Come On Eileen" at the beginning of side two. Also, "Plan B" and "I'll Show You" are presented as a single track. *The 2002 US CD reissue features the single version of "Come On Eileen" instead of the album version (which removes the fiddle intro).Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
Personnel
;The players * Seb Shelton – drums * Giorgio Kilkenny – bass, backing vocals * Kevin "Billy" Adams – banjo, guitar, backing vocals * Mickey Billingham – organ, piano, accordion, keyboards, backing vocals * "Big" Jim Paterson – trombone * Paul Speare – flute, saxophone, tin whistle * Brian Maurice – saxophone * Kevin Rowland – bass, guitar, piano, director, vocals; digital remastering (reissue) * Steve Wynne – bass (not credited on some releases) ;"The Emerald Express" * Helen O'Hara – violin * Steve Brennan – violin ;Guest musicians ;"The Sisters of Scarlet" * Carol Kenyon – vocals * Katie Kissoon – vocals * Sam Brown – vocals ;Directed by * Clive Langer – director * Alan Winstanley – director * Martin Rushent – engineering and direction (uncredited) * Peter Barrett – cover design * Kim Knott – photography * Andrew Ratcliffe – artwork, paintings * Tim Chacksfield – project coordinator (reissue) * ID – Enhanced CD design (reissue) * Philip Lloyd-Smee – CD package design (reissue) * Richard Smith – liner notes (1996 reissue)References
{{Authority control Dexys Midnight Runners albums 1982 albums Albums produced by Alan Winstanley Albums produced by Clive Langer Mercury Records albums