# Come on Eileen - DMR or Save Ferris **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 26, 2011, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281 "2011-05-26T13:26:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/21 "2011-05-26T17:48:25Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [Save Ferris version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCzWPBR30Nk) > > [DMR version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc-P8oDuS0Q) Thanks. I wish the OP had posted links, for those who aren’t familiar with both versions. I wasn’t familiar with the Save Ferris version, so I had to watch the video on YouTube. I was impressed; it’s a very good cover. But I voted for the original, and if I had to give a reason, I’d say it’s because the original has a sound unlike any other pop record I know, while the cover sounds a lot like every other ska song from that particular wave of ska. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/22 "2011-05-26T17:49:45Z")
See, I like Third Wave Ska. It’s fun. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/23 "2011-05-26T18:30:43Z")
I only heard about Save Ferris and their version in this thread. As much as I like DMR Cum on Eileen, Save Ferris just blows them away. That girl can sing. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/24 "2011-05-26T18:40:59Z")
The “save Ferris” version sounds like tedious shite to me. A good voice does not a good song make. Plus Dexys Midnight Runners are named after a drug, There is a banjo in their version…always a plus, and finally, I snogged Deborah Hocking to “Geno” when I was 11, I woo-ed her with a can of top-deck shandy and a bag of Tudor prawn cocktail crisps. I know how to treat a lady. Fairly conclusive win for Dexys I reckon. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/25 "2011-05-26T18:57:38Z")
I had no idea it had been covered. I was prepared to hate it. I didn’t. But I still like DMR’s version better. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/26 "2011-05-26T19:04:37Z")
Had never heard of Save Ferris or the cover. I liked the music but the singer is annoying. She o-ver-a-nun-ci-ates. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/27 "2011-05-26T19:08:49Z")
Dexy’s Midnight Runners without a second thought. I’m trying to forget most of Third Wave ska myself (even though I was somewhat into it at the time.) The cover of “Come On Eileen” is just terrible, in my opinion. A totally generic and predictable third-wave ska cover of an 80s hit. Ugh. Every other college ska band in the early mid 90s was doing this sort of shit. I’m somewhat ashamed I used to listen to that genre (although I do have a soft spot for some of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones work.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/28 "2011-05-26T19:33:00Z")
‘Some of’ The Mighty Mighty Bosstones being the key. I just can’t get into the guy’s voice. From that era, I prefer Reel Big Fish. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/29 "2011-05-26T20:33:49Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > ‘Some of’ The Mighty Mighty Bosstones being the key. I just can’t get into the guy’s voice. From that era, I prefer Reel Big Fish. I actually prefer the more hard punk/metal-y sounding bits of their sound and the gravelly, at-times-almost-death-metal voice. They were a little different sounding than the typical third wave bands, which is why I like them. Reel Big Fish were very good, overall a more solid band than the Bosstones, but they were a little too clean Southern California sounding for my tastes. However, overall, they were certainly the better band. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/30 "2011-05-26T20:57:22Z")
It’s a good cover, but Dexys for me too. Nostalgia and gender (It’s a “shag me!” song). She has a great voice and it was nice to make out the proper lyrics, but she just doesn’t have the grubby sex appeal that worked so well when I was seventeen. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/31 "2011-05-26T21:13:38Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > they were a little too clean Southern California sounding for my tastes. I’m from Southern California. West _SOID!_ ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/32 "2011-05-26T21:21:23Z")
DMR without a question, Save Ferris just sounds like a bad ska cover version to me. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/33 "2011-05-26T22:39:35Z")
I’d never hear the Save Ferris version until today. It’s fine on its own, but I very much prefer the original, which has always been a favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/34 "2011-05-26T22:39:41Z")
I would have said DMR without hearing the cover just because it’s from my youth and it has a certain memory attached. Then I heard the cover. How could there be any doubt? The beginning sounded like the old version sped up. Like a Chipmunks version. But the woman’s voice? I had to turn it off. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/35 "2011-05-27T01:19:27Z")
Okay, now that I’ve seen the Ferris version - it’s not bad. It’s a fun song, and they have fun with it. Their version has the advantage of making the lyrics comprehensible, too. But I still like the DMR better, for it’s rougher vocals and nostalgic value. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/36 "2011-05-27T03:32:28Z")
I have always hated this song. ---
**Author:** ![nachtmusick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@nachtmusick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nachtmusick)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/37 "2011-05-27T06:24:57Z")
I liked DMR’s version well enough when it came out, but I’ve preferred the SF cover ever since I first heard it. But then maybe I’m a sucker for ska covers, because I also love the Reel Big Fish cover of Take On Me. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/38 "2011-05-27T07:14:32Z")
I have loved this song for a very long time, ever since I used to see ads for those '80s compilation CDs on TV when I was a kid. This one was always one of them and it showed a music video of this band dressed in the weirdest style. As I got older, I grew to appreciate the song more. It’s very unique sounding. What is this style? Is it English pre-war pop music or something? There’s a foxtrot beat during the bridge, I know that much. Interesting tempo/rhythm change. No, no cover can really do it justice. The original has a very unique sound. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/39 "2011-05-27T07:44:21Z")
The Save Ferris version is OK (though nothing special, IMO\*) for the first 3/4, then it falls apart at the end, which just doesn’t work at all. - Not a fan of recent ska in general…70s/80s stuff is my preference…some old school stuff. ---
**Author:** ![born\_too\_late](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba9def/32.png) [@born\_too\_late](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/born_too_late)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281/40 "2011-05-27T17:47:57Z")
> [@Dietrich\_K](#): > > The Save Ferris version is exactly as good as the Alien Ant Farm version of “Smooth Criminal”. Which is to say, not very. This. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-eileen-dmr-or-save-ferris/583281.md?page=3)