Dexy's Midnight Runners "Come On Eileen"
This music video was directed by Julien Temple, who also directed the Sex Pistols’ “The Great Rock N Roll Swindle” and they have a similar vibe.
The first part of the video seems to tell a story about the singer’s parents and him and Eileen, but it’s kind of lost on me. His parents liked Johnny Ray and his mom sang the songs? Who the fuck knows.
From what I can tell, this video is about Dexy (the lead singer…is his name Dexy? Doubt it) who has unrequited feelings for Eileen. He and his friends spend their days playing instruments on the corner wearing overalls with no shirts underneath. He is a hunter and his prey is the beautiful and spiky-haired Eileen.
Bad news though, Eileen is NOT INTO IT. He corners her and she struggles to free herself. He and his gang of urban farmers follow her down the street and he literally PICKS HER UP.
Why do men think getting a bunch of friends to harmonize while chasing a woman is a turn on? I see it in SO MANY music videos.
More importantly, Dexy is SUPER confident in his deodorant. His arms are up almost the entire video. I marvel at this kind of pure freedom. WHAT DOES IT SMELL LIKE?
I almost imagine the band telling him to put his arms down and then Christopher Walken’s “Bruce Dickinson” comes out and says, “Fellas, you’re gonna want that armpit. Give me more armpit.”
(It’s a SNL sketch reference. Get with it)
Possibly the best SNL skit ever!