Please Excuse Me, I Never Meant to Break Your Heart

For our final "UK Thursdays" installment (in case you haven't visited in a while, we've had some lesser known U.S. songs, but big hits in the UK playing every Thursday for the months of April, May, and June), The Excellent 80's is bringing you a double shot of the English band Marillion. Interestingly enough Marillion has appeared in The Excellent 80's already, because I was a big fan of the song "Kayleigh" when it came out in 1985. I remember even recording it off the radio onto a blank cassette I had so that I could listen to it whenever I wanted because it wasn't a big hit stateside by any means. The song barely cracked the top 100, but was a #2 hit in the UK, so first up is a song I still love to this day. Here is Fish and the boys known as Marillion with "Kayleigh"...




Lyrics | Marillion lyrics - Kayleigh lyrics

"Kayleigh"
Single by Marillion
from the album Misplaced Childhood
B-side "Lady Nina" [1]
Released 7 May 1985 (1985-05-07)
Format 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl [1]
Recorded Hansa Ton Studios, Berlin, March — May 1985
Genre Neo-progressive rock
Soft rock
Pop
Length 3:33 (7" version) [1]
Label EMI
Writer(s) music: Mark Kelly, Ian Mosley, Steve Rothery, Pete Trewavas
lyrics: Fish
Producer Chris Kimsey

UK peak: #2
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #74


In our second video from Marillion, lead singer Fish is rocking the kilt. Do you think he looks back at these videos and thinks to himself: "look at my hideous hair"? Dude was fighting baldness big time and no matter how long those bangs grew, those circle drives weren't going anywhere. Anyway, here is another top 10 effort in the UK off of the same album. It's a song called "Lavender"...




Lyrics | Marillion lyrics - Lavender lyrics

"Lavender"
Single by Marillion
from the album Misplaced Childhood
B-side "Freaks"
Released 1985 (UK)
Format Vinyl record (7" and 12")
Recorded Hansa Ton Studios, Berlin, March–May 1985
Genre Neo-progressive rock
Soft rock
Pop
Length 3:40 (7")
Label EMI
Producer Chris Kimsey/Wonderknob

UK peak: #5