In the early 1980s, the pop charts were dominated by musicians tarted up in Day-Glo colours, who fought it out for coverage on our TV screens and magazine pages. Dexys Midnight Runners did things differently. They were surly.

They were serious. They were ambitious, but success had to come on their terms. They were a disciplined outfit, a gang with a defined purpose: to make music so pure that it couldn't fail to elicit a deep emotional response from anyone within earshot.

And they managed it. This motley crew - in woolly hats and donkey jackets for their first coming; all dungarees and copious body hair for the second - gate-crashed the charts, scoring number-one hits around the globe. But being in Dexys wasn't all sunshine and roses.

Many members came, many members went. Some returned unexpectedly as being part of this particular gang was a way of life; it was everything. Nige Tassell, author of the Penderyn Prize-shortlisted Whatever Happened to the C86 Kids? employs his skills of detection to go off in search of the dozens of members who - for however brief a period, and to whatever level of success - have been a part of Dexys Midnight Runners.

These are the people who gave the band its sound, its soul, its substance. But whatever happened to them?

To tie in with the 40th anniversary of the multi-platinum selling album, we present ‘Too-Rye-Ay, as it should have sounded’.

Kevin Rowland was never happy with the final mix of the album, despite its huge commercial success. So with Helen O’Hara, and Pete Schwier they decided to mix it again. In recent interviews Kevin has stated…

“The songs and performances are great, but I always felt the mixes could be better. It’s my most successful album, but it doesn’t sound as good as the others”

“This is the director’s cut and it’s how it should have sounded…”

The album’s cover has also been re-modelled, using the preferred image from the Come On Eileen single sleeve. 

TRACK LISTING

1LP
Side A
The Celtic Soul Brothers
Let's Make This Precious
All In All (This One Last Wild Waltz)
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
Old
Side B
Plan B
I'll Show You
Liars A To E
Until I Believe In My Soul
Come On Eileen

3CD
CD1 (The 1982 Album – ‘as It Should Have Sounded’)
The Celtic Soul Brothers
Let's Make This Precious
All In All (This One Last Wild Waltz)
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
Old
Plan B
I'll Show You
Liars A To E
Until I Believe In My Soul
Come On Eileen
CD2 (Bonus Tracks - B-Sides / Out-Takes)
Show Me (Single A-side – 1981)
Soon (B-side Of Show Me Single - 1981)
...And Yes We Must Remain The Wildhearted Outsiders (B-side Of Liars A To E Single - 1981)
Love Part 2 (B-side Of The Celtic Soul Brothers Single - 1982)
Let's Make This Precious (‘Original Version’ – From Too-Rye-Ay (2CD Deluxe))
Come On Eileen (Single Edit - 1982)
Dubious (B-side Of Come On Eileen Single - 1982)
T.S.O.P. (B-side Of Jackie Wilson Said.. 12” Single - 1982)
Let's Get This Straight From The Start (Non-album Single - 1982)
Reminisce (Part 1)(B-side Of The Celtic Soul Brothers 12" Single - 1983)
Let's Make This Precious (Out-Take - Previously Unreleased)
‘Smoke Your Own’ (AKA Liars A To E, 1981) (Out-Take - Previously Unreleased)
Until I Believe In My Soul (Out-Take - Previously Unreleased)
CD3 (Live At The Shaftesbury Theatre – October 1982)
Old
Geno
Let's Get This Straight From The Start
All In All (This One Last Wild Waltz)
Tell Me When My Light Turns Green
Plan B
Let's Make This Precious
I Couldn't Help If I Tried
Until I Believe In My Soul
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
Respect
There, There, My Dear
Come On Eileen
Seven Days Too Long
The Celtic Soul Brothers
I'm Just Looking 

4LP Super Deluxe Edition
LP1 (The 1982 Album – ‘as It Should Have Sounded’) - Side A
The Celtic Soul Brothers
Let's Make This Precious
All In All (This One Last Wild Waltz)
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
Old
LP1 (The 1982 Album – ‘as It Should Have Sounded’) - Side B
Plan B
I'll Show You
Liars A To E
Until I Believe In My Soul
Come On Eileen
LP2 (Bonus Tracks - B-Sides / Out-Takes) - Side A
Show Me (Single A-side – 1981)
Soon (B-side Of Show Me Single)
...And Yes We Must Remain The Wildhearted Outsiders (B-side Of Liars A To E Single)
Love Part 2 (B-side Of The Celtic Soul Brothers Single)
Let's Make This Precious (‘Original Version’)
Come On Eileen (Single Edit)
Dubious (B-side Of Come On Eileen Single)
T.S.O.P. (B-side Of Jackie Wilson Said.. 12” Single)
LP2 (Bonus Tracks - B-Sides / Out-Takes) - Side B
Let's Get This Straight From The Start (Single)
Reminisce (Part 1)(B-side Of The Celtic Soul Brothers 12" Single)
Let's Make This Precious (Out-Take - Previously Unreleased)
‘Smoke Your Own’ (AKA Liars A To E, 1981) (Out-Take - Previously Unreleased)
Until I Believe In My Soul (Out-Take - Previously Unreleased)
LP3 (Live At The Shaftesbury Theatre – October 1982 - Part 1) - Side A
Old
Geno
Let's Get This Straight From The Start
All In All (This One Last Wild Waltz)
Tell Me When My Light Turns Green
LP3 (Live At The Shaftesbury Theatre – October 1982 - Part 1) - Side B
Plan B
Let's Make This Precious
I Couldn't Help If I Tried
Until I Believe In My Soul
LP4 (Live At The Shaftesbury Theatre – October 1982 - Part 2) - Side A
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
Respect
There, There, My Dear
LP4 (Live At The Shaftesbury Theatre – October 1982 - Part 2) - Side B
Come On Eileen
Seven Days Too Long
The Celtic Soul Brothers
I'm Just Looking