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In the song "Come On Eileen," what do the lyrics "Toora Loora Toora Loo-Rye-Aye" mean?

Question #123508. Asked by star_gazer.
Last updated May 13 2021.

Related Trivia Topics: Music   Vocabulary  
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CmdrK star
Answer has 1 vote
CmdrK star
Moderator
16 year member
280 replies avatar

Answer has 1 vote.
Something along the lines of "I'll be seeing you."


Response last updated by Terry on May 13 2021.
Sep 13 2011, 3:01 PM
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tweedle2 star
Answer has 5 votes
Currently Best Answer
tweedle2 star
13 year member
117 replies avatar

Answer has 5 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
An old Irish lullaby meaning "Goodbye for now. I'll be seein you"


Response last updated by Terry on May 13 2021.
Sep 13 2011, 3:09 PM
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mehaul star
Answer has 2 votes
mehaul star
15 year member
477 replies avatar

Answer has 2 votes.
The song is by the band 'Dexys Midnight Runners' off the album "Too-Rye-Ay" (implying the line in the question is off a little at the end). Too-rye-ay means Counting in the Kitchen(from cha cha:) The phrase "too-rye-ay" has no meaning, but is part of an Irish folk song called "Countin' In the Kitchen" originally.

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_On_Eileen

The Irish lullaby of similar wording is "Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral"
link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toora_Loora

Cha Cha could not come up with what that phrase means.

Twice in the first half of the song, I hear them sing 'Toora Loora Toora Loora Toora Loo-Rye-Ay' and toward the end of the song, when the beat has really slowed, I hear the background refrain as 'Eileen Too-Rye-Ay'. So it might just by an affectionate nickname lile da-da-darling and then just darling. or swee swee sweetheart. (All speculation since Cha cha gives no direct translation to either refrain. Who's the gaelic speaker around here? Lady Cat?
Interesting note is the reference to Johnnie Ray, a popular singer/songwriter of the fifties that this song singer pays tribute to as a source of warmth to his parents. His song list is impressive and one of them may also be behind the Dexy song ("I'll Make You Mine"?)

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnnie_Ray

Response last updated by Terry on May 13 2021.
Sep 13 2011, 8:18 PM
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star_gazer star
Answer has 1 vote
star_gazer star
22 year member
5236 replies avatar

Answer has 1 vote.

Sep 14 2011, 1:02 AM
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