80

Come On Eileen
Dexy’s Midnight Runners
1982

This one is really hard to pin down. Let's start with the music video, because here we are 40+ years later and I still don't know what's going on with this thing. We got guys in overalls on a street corner, we got someone playing a violin, we got an accordion, we got someone on banjo. It's like this was the poor man's version of Dave Matthews Band before they were even a thing.

But the song, man. The song is so...unique and just a blast. It's like half Irish/Celtic jig and half pop song, but it works! Multiple chord progressions, tempo changes, harmonies, the melody. Ultimately, I love it because it's just a feel-good banger and on the short list of large crowd sing-a-longs. Who doesn't love a little too-ra-loo-rye-ay?!

Now, I will confess that even though this song slotted in at #80, I was really debating between this song and another nonsensical masterpiece, "Birdhouse In Your Soul" by They Might Be Giants. You might say, "both of those songs should've been on the Top 100." No. No they should not have been. We only had room for one of them, and this was the selection. Listen, Birdhouse In Your Soul is a perfectly fine song, and it did get bonus points for including the name "Jason" in the song, but ultimately it's too-ra-loo-rye-ay all the way in the Top 100.

Other Songs Considered:
There is no way these guys ever recorded another song in their lives. They just released Come On Eileen as every track on every album they ever released.