Dexy's Midnight Runners - I couldn't help if I tried

[TheGmanII]

Kevin Rowland born 17 August 1953, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton UK. That makes him English, he might have had Irish parents but where you are born makes you who you are.

[dothedog]

He isn't Irish, he's from the West Midlands. No doubt if he was American he'd cling to his Irish roots, but he's not. He's English :)

[Salaminguana]

why British "soul" band? it's a soul band. if you didn't know you'd think it was a black guy from USA singing.

[Squishy876]

@Salaminguana haha no you wouldn't

[bitterman1963]

This is our Kev during his short lived Frank Spencer phase. I notice Kevin Archer doesn't feature, he must have just left as this point (late 1980)

[martwwa]

Fucking beautiful. I am a HUGE fan of original 60's soul . . . but Dexy's took it 1 step further & created something unique, maybe 'English Soul'. Actually, all GREAT music is unclassifiable & to label this is probably futile. Simply fucking beautiful.

[ESNAULTDD]

@martwwa Why did you tell me in french trduction "enfoncer la belle I suppose it's an expression, so please, explain !

My bad english made me fault but I can't imagine an etiquettte for Dexys.No matter if it's soul, jazz, rock and so...when I like I really do !

K. Rowlands has his own brand and worked a lot on his voice, the problem (I understand more than write is his accent for me. Spent a long time to understand the subtilities of his texts, the only one I can't is "my life in England".THKS

[victorniebling]

To hans1611, strange that you say Irishman, Kevin was born in Wolverhampton, which as far as I know has always been in the West Midlands. The "soul" band are actually callad Dexys Midnight Runners

[bigchrisoioi]

love the brass section........if i could ever be in a band..this would be it!!

[GiovaniRA]

muito muito muito bom!!!!

[ESNAULTDD]

@pantherdash I WAS ILL BADLY AND COULDN T COME CLD YOU TELL ME YR OPINION OR SEND ME PICTURES; ANYTHING.

I TRY TO FOLLOW ROWLAND S CAREER BUT FROM FRANC IT S NOT SO ASY BECAUSE THEY CAN T UNDERSTAND WHAT SPEAKS TO ME...THANK YOU

[TTLTOY1]

What an ARTIST!!!! Give me the 80's any damn day!

[ESNAULTDD]

@TTLTOY1 OK, I am french and bought the DVD of the concert in 2003 at Liverpool

and I have the CD too of the 80'S. It's incredible to hear his voice evolution and sings with Pete Williams who was a bassist years ago. It's wonderful!

I am on Facebook, my name is CATHY or CATHERINE DELLA VITE and i will try to dowload, firstable on youtube but I subscribed for a google alerts (ON amils wih links) for Dexys and others. My daughter is on too so go to the historic of my downloads

others. My daughter

[dexydonovanroger]

@ESNAULTDD where did you get the dvd from.......i was there....show the dvd on here.......

[jcabralpinto]

... this man came from another planet ...

[ESNAULTDD]

@jcabralpinto I AM FRENCH AND I DON T THINK HE COMES FROM ANOTHER PLANET, HE IS SINCER AND EXCEPTIONNALY GOOD. SORRY I HAVE NO WORDS

CATHY

ESNAULTDD

[ESNAULTDD]

@jcabralpinto sure



[rootdownfm]

brilliant - yes :: 'ska' - no :: Irish protest song - nope

[eaglebot1234]

It is truly nice to meet other people who still remembers this wonderful song and great band. Yes, they are/were underrated, and Soul Rebels is perhaps the best ska album ever -ALL the songs are just amazing. I own the LP myself - a cherished treasure.

PS. Check out the extended version of Specials Ghost Town that has just been uploaded ---- MAN, I LOVE THE MUSIC OF THAT PERIOD. PERIOD.

[realtwinlord]

great ska and fantastic soul.don't stand me down beats it though.kevin's voice hits a height on the waltz that can't be beaten.heartbreaking.

[ESNAULTDD]

@ Eaglebot1234 merci pour l'info d'où es tu, JE suis près de Marseille

cathy

[stormyphillipsmyb]

'i couldn't help it if i tried' has an effect on me that i can-not describe...the video is a bit slow to start but the track on it's own just blows me away.....i feel sorry for the world that seems to be denied this track anywhere in the public eye........

[ESNAULTDD]

@stormyphillipsmyb THE SAME FEELING, I AM FRECN AND I HAVE A SEPNT A LOT OF TIME TO UNDERSTAND...WAOOH! PETER GABRIEL MUST BE SCOTCHED! ESNAULTDD

[ESNAULTDD]

@stormyphillipsmyb i AM FRENCH, I SPENT HOURS TO TRADUCE BECAUSE IN FRANCE EVERYBODY JUST KNWO COME ON EILEEN; YOU ARE LUCKY, YOU CAN EXPRESS YOURSELF AND THIS SONG MADE ME CRY BEFORE I ALL UNDERTSOOD IT!

ESNULTDD

[Scarecrow901]

@ESNAULTDD

You gave me your ace card, I gave you my time.....

[ESNAULTDD]

@Scarecrow901 I finally traduced for my friends but I can't understand "My life in England" except this complicated women, the faces that new, This accent like man is????, I learnt to talk my cookney, I followed back the whores ! In this song, his voice is totally incredible when I compare to the first one. Please , English are super, a girl proposed me to come to see their concert in July, unfortunatly, I have a cancer so I am waiting for all news from this concert. All my friends like DMR !

[Scarecrow901]

@ESNAULTDD

metrolyricscom

[ESNAULTDD]

@Scarecrow901 MERCI BCP, J AI LA CHANCE D ETRE ASSEZ EN FORME ET J ADORE COMPARER ROWLANDS A CE MOMENT ET EN 2003. JE VAIS CHARGER LA CHANSON A BIENTOT

[spidercatful]

Not seen this before. My favourite track on Searching for the Young Soul Rebels and this is a great account. Didn't think this particular song was about the Irish in England though?

[bestbass42]

HANS1611.......What you on about????-Rowland singing about his frustrations being an Irish man in England???-he was born in Wednesfield,Wolverhampton which makes him English! He moved to Ireland with his family when he was 4,then to Scotland and down to London when he 8 then Birmingham after he left school.Hes a big Wolves fan and was an Hooligan at the UEFA CUP FINAL V Spurs in 1971.He recently wrote a song about growing up in Wolves-MY LIFE IN ENGLAND.

[ESNAULTDD]

@bestbass42 MANY THANKS FOR INFO I AM LOOKING FOR THE LYRICS OF THIS SONG BECAUSE I AM FRENCHAND I DON T UNBDERSTAND ALL WORDS.

I HEARD IT IN THE DVD "IT WAS LIKE THIS" AND HE SHEW HIS INCREDIBLE VOICE IN THIS SONG

PLEASE GIVE THEM TO ME

ESNAULTDD

[celticsoulbrother]

He is Irish, his family are all from Mayo in the west of Ireland and there were about 50-60 of his relations in the audience in Dublin when they played there in 2003, he said " It's good to be home!!", ok he was born in england but his parents are both 100% Irish, you know what they say, "just because he was born in a stable doesn't mean he is a horse!!!!!"

[bestbass42]

WOLVERHAMPTONS FAVOURITE SON!!!

[carefreecrow]

WOW brilliant post many thanks.

[VJnumber1]

I love the hand made frame they put around the intro of the clip, it adds a nice human touch to this otherwise very slick presentation. Such a beautiful song and a great use of Kevin's voice. When I filmed it live in the version I posted as a video response, the light was so dark I was fighting to see, and was embarrassed at how moving the passion of his singing was, I felt as if I was spying on a personal communion. it was spooky.

[stjoestrummer]

Thanks so much for posting. This is such a good version of a great song. Searching for the Young Soul Rebels must be one of the most criminally-underrated albums.

[supasox]

Thanks for this vid.

Searching for the young soul rebels is my all-time favourite album. The incredibly soulful sound of the brass section combined with Kev's amazing and unique voice send shivers down my spine. It's a real shame this album still lives under the radar: I never hear it as a "featured album" on any radio shows!

It's a shame that most people associate DMR with Come on Eileen etc. Not that Too-Rye-Ay wasn't a good album but this will always be the classic DMR sound for me.

[faustus999]

from one of the greatest debut albums of all time. a true classic.

[pmatthews2]

"Searching for the young soul rebels" is one of my all time favorite albums. It's up there with "The Undertones" and "Rattus Norvegicus". Pity about the change of direction afterwards

[wmdip]

I agree that this was their best and would love to have more but at the same time have to apreciate that musicians have to do what they want, not be the same for ever ¿miles davis anyone? just love this though. beauty pure and simple, as were some singles and EPs released later. by this poor misunderstood gent. fair play now.

[supasox]

I too wish there was more like this. For me this was the best incarnation of DMR. I agree with wmdip though: Kevin R is just one of those "creative types" - the type of people that we really need in this world; he has to do his thing and we either like it or we don't!

For me, Soul Rebels was DMR's best work and I just want more of it. I've been searching hard for anything similar to that sound by other artists and I just can't find anything that even comes close- doesn't that say something?

[jamessy39]

the guy is a genius, no one else was doing anything like this, shame he's not doing much at the moment

[slopesterlondon]

awesome - love those horns - bet totp were thinkin wtf??? lol

[DilLspitZen]

he cant find US

ANYWHERE

luv

robin

O

[bluesbrother37]

This is how i remember Kev and Dexys!

[RaqeliinhaWT]

love this song

[dothedog]

an Irishman? He was born in Wolverhampton.

[slopesterlondon]

lmao - class

[celticsoulbrother]

He is Irish

[jamessy39]

Searching for the Young Soul Rebels is the best Dexys album by far, this is when they were at their prime, so much passion and soul, fantastic brass section

[hans1611]

Yeah, you're quite right. Great soul, Great voice, Great passion. One of my top 3 performances. Kevin sings right into my heart

[ampr1150gs]

This should be shown to everyone who knows DMR only for Come On Eileen....

[ADAMUCHI]

Agreed !

why did they slip into that Eileen rubbish?

Kevin is an still is a visionary, by the way, Dexys are still the only " recent" tunes played at northern soul events!

[bluesbrother37]

Agreed, Dexys from 80 to 81. pure soul class and genius!

[scottlegod]

majestic

[drtwindragon]

mayday .....

[gazbluebird]

Amazing, one of my favorite songs of all time

[twoboys1dad]

this is just great, recently re discovered it

[LILYLALUE]

I believe this is the best of their songs.

impressed for many years