Kevin Rowland and his unstoppable Celtic rock/soul combo Dexys Midnight Runners were already turning heads since the early '80s - but nobody could have predicted the bouncy "Come On Eileen" would have taken the hold it did around the world. The catchy track topped the charts in both the U.S. and the U.K., becoming a defining example of early '80s pop music. Now, four decades later, Rowland is revisiting the album that featured "Eileen" in a new box set full of bonus material and, crucially, a new remix of the original album: Too Rye Ay, as it should have sounded.

The 3CD set boasts a new mix of Too Rye Ay, featuring singles like "The Celtic Soul Brothers" and a cover of Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said," alongside nearly a dozen single sides and three unreleased outtakes from the album sessions. A third disc includes a live offering culled from two sets in England, recorded for a video release at the time and included in part on some singles. A 32-page booklet offers new liner notes and rare photos, and the box also includes photo prints and a replica tour program. (The band's official store also offers the remixed album on its own on CD and vinyl - boasting a new cover based off the "Come On Eileen" single - as well as various bundle options.)

"The fact that it's a 40th anniversary of the album's initial release means absolutely nothing to me," Rowland said in a statement. "It was purely an opportunity to remix the tracks...most of the album was not mixed to the standard it should've been, and not mixed to the standard the performances and songs deserved." Rowland achieved that with the help of longtime engineer Pete Schwier, with input and assistance from band violinist Helen O'Hara. Everything heard on the new version is from the original multi-track tapes, using some alternate and unused instrumentation and rearranging brass and vocals.

Dexys planned to tour behind the release, but cancelled earlier this year to accommodate Rowland's recovery from a motorcycle accident. The group has vowed that their next tour will focus on Too Rye Ay, as it should have sounded; in the meantime, the box will be released on October 14.

Kevin Rowland & Dexys Midnight Runners, Too Rye Ay, as it should have sounded (UMC, 2022)

3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
1LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

Disc 1: Remixed album (originally released as Mercury MERS 5 (U.K.)/SRM-1-4069 (U.S.), 1982)

1. The Celtic Soul Brothers (More, Please, Thank You)
2. Let's Make This Precious
3. All in All (This One Last Wild Waltz)
4. Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)
5. Old
6. Plan B
7. I'll Show You
8. Liars A to E
9. Until I Believe in My Soul
10. Come On Eileen

Disc 2: Bonus tracks, B-sides and outtakes

1. Show Me
2. Soon
3. ...And Yes We Must Remain the Wildhearted Outsiders
4. Love Part 2
5. Let's Make This Precious (Original Version)
6. Come On Eileen (Single Edit)
7. Dubious
8. T.S.O.P.
9. Let's Get This Straight from the Start
10. Reminisce (Part 1)
11. Let's Make This Precious (Outtake)
12. Smoke Your Own (Liars A to E - Outtake)
13. Until I Believe in My Soul (Outtake)

Tracks 1-2 released as Mercury single DEXYS 6, 1981
Track 3 released on "Liars A to E" single - Mercury DEXYS 7, 1981
Track 4 released on "The Celtic Soul Brothers" single - Mercury DEXYS 8, 1982
Track 5 released on Too-Rye-Ay (Deluxe Edition) - Mercury/UMC 9800889 (U.K.), 2007
Tracks 6-7 released as Mercury single DEXYS 9, 1982
Track 8 released on "Jackie Wilson Said" 12" - Mercury DEXYS 1012, 1982
Track 9 released on Mercury single DEXYS 11, 1982
Track 10 released on "The Celtic Soul Brothers" single - Mercury DEXYS 12, 1983
Tracks 11-13 previously unreleased

Disc 3: Live at The Shaftesbury Theatre, London, England - 10/9 and 10/10/1982

1. Old
2. Geno
3. Let's Get This Straight from the Start
4. All in All (One Last Wild Waltz)
5. Tell Me When My Light Turns Green
6. Plan B
7. Let's Make This PRecious
8. I Couldn't Help If I Tried
9. Until I Believe in My Soul
10. Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)
11. Respect
12. There, There, My Dear
13. Come On Eileen
14. Seven Days Too Long
15. The Celtic Soul Brothers (More, Please, Thank You)
16. I'm Only Looking

Tracks 1 and 11 released on "Let's Get This Straight from the Start" 12" - Mercury DEXYS 1112, 1982
Video of Tracks 1, 4, 7, 9-11, 13 and 15 released on The Bridge laserdisc - PolyGram Video 790 586/1 (U.K.), 1984