Always been a big Marillion fan. Loved this song but had an idea it was about Kay Lee. To hear the back story properly is fantastic. Good Times. Great to see Fish. 👍 Thanks.
I have always been fond of this song, even now it is a super song. but now that I know this, the story behind this song, Wowww Now I know why that always hit my hard. I still play it often, together with Don Henley - The Boys Of Summer 1984
I couldn’t write this any better. This is exactly the way I feel about this song, and this video. I’ve always loved loved loved this song, so heartfelt, so raw, so relatable.
Best 6 minutes and 4 seconds ive had in ages. I used to always sing this on Karaoke and to hear how the song came about is wonderful. I never knew the background to it. Remarkable, heartbreaking and so sad, yet heartwarming for Fish to get closure somehow, and to know that Kay got so much pleasure from knowing it was herself in the song. Thank you for the upload. Happy new year.
Absolutely agree, met him once at Hammersmith Odeon sound check back stage. He is a complete legend in mine and many peoples eyes. In my opinion Marillion died when he left.
@@blueblood3108 My daughter's nickname is "Mimi" ((screaming mimi)), and I'm the only one who calls her by it, and she insists that her friends call her by her complete, and proper name :)
I've lived in and around Aylesbury for most of my 65 years and as I recall I first saw Fish perform in a pub somewhere - I really can't remember exactly where. I've seen Fish perform more than any other artist, a truly great showman. I still watch old videos of the band but only stumbled on this video this morning - what a story. Fish did a market square session in Aylesbury a few years ago, if I was ever lucky enough to bump into him then a packet of lettuce seeds and a glass of scrumpy are yours sir - a small token of my appreciation for the years of great music you have given.
When I was a soldier in a Scottish Regiment this song was played and played over and over in the barracks. Thing is nobody ever got sick of it like you normally would when a song is on constant replay. Listened to it alone one evening on my tank in Canada as the sun went down over the prairie, some moments stick with you forever BECAUSE of a song. Well done big man! Thank you! And for Sugar Mice too!
This was the first song of Marillion I've ever listened to. Knew just a small part of the story behind it. So now I know the whole story and got to know a little bit more of the Fish of the present day. Have no words for it, other than "thanks!". This has been part of my life as well for so long now and Ivalue it more each day (along with !ots of other Marillion songs).
My brother bought Misplaced Childhood when it first came out & I fell in love with the band. Script is my favourite album, although Grendel is the best song. I've not been as keen since Fish left. He was an amazing poet & Marillion are lost without him imo.
I would agree, but I don't under rate them. Childhood is an amazing album, but I prefer Script and Fugazi. Grendel is the most amazing song Angela!! I love it.
Nick Horton. Lyrics must have been at least. My friend’s mum surprised him by singing it to him, word for word back when it charted. She was Irish and told him she knew it from when she was a girl. Maybe a trad song after all. I was really surprised to hear that too.
I love this song so much! This was a huge hit in Chile, where I’m from. To this day, they play this song on the radio there. It’s considered an 80’s Classic. What a Beautiful story told by the man himself. I didn’t expect such a sad ending 😢
"Kayleigh" is just one of those songs that stands for a moment in time, and when it comes back you go right to the source of those days as if it was yesterday.
One of the most beautiful, yet bittersweet songs i've ever loved. So great to see 'Fish' here, and hear him commenting on this incredible song. Thank you!
Great guy great musician brilliant album loved it then,still love it, I am Turkish and I bumped into Fish a d his mates in a pub near Carnaby street at my first trip abroad, was able to explain to him they were huge in Turkey, still have his autograph from that day.
Ironic that this came up in my feed after hearing of the passing of Neil Peart (RIP) Saw Marillion in 1985 as the opening band for Rush which was the first concert I ever attended. They played the Misplaced Childhood album start to finish which I wasn’t familiar with but knew “Kayleigh” from MTV. It was a great performance and I became a fan. Rush wasn’t bad either😉
Same here only MSG opened for Rush when I saw them but I do remember this song from MTV from Marillion Kayleigh so strange how time speeds and now we are looking back so to speak...
I recently came across the hit song Kayleigh and I completely adored it from first listen, then i came across this video of Fish explaining the backstory of the song Kayleigh and now i appreciate it more and more. Tears came from my eyes, when he explained his love for Kayleigh and her unfortunate death. RIP Kayleigh
I named my daughter after this song...spelled the exact same way too. I fell in love with the song and the name right away. This was a great album too!!
Jeez, one of the most awesome tunes ever even more awesome now we know the story behind it, it will change the way I listen to it now, songs are just not written and performed with the same passion now, great clip and story Derek, looking healthy, great to see you are doing well.
Part of my growing up, Marillion with Fish were the very best, sublime lyrics, great musicianship and this just finishes it off, the story of heartbreaks, so sad.
I love the album, love the song, but every time I hear it, I miss Lavender attached to the back of it. Because that is the love song he tried to write for her.
MrGunboat78 Jeez ...you made me fill up then friend. You posting those lyrics took me back to an old wound, and old time. I heard the song in my mind. The strange comfort of melancholy Marillion.
That whole album is amazing! Love it! I got to see Marillion when they were touring for Misplaced Childhood, and they played it live beginning to end! Loved it!
I always felt there was so much passion in the song it had to have a strong backstory. As a teenage boy at the time I was more aware of the angst than anything else. To hear the story in full, including how Kay sadly died, is heartbreaking and very moving. Lovely how she got to identify with the song in the end. RIP Kay.
I discovered this song just a few years ago and since then I listen frequently, cause this song is captivating, beautiful & simply one of my favourites. Thank you for this background story . This song gets under my skin EVERY time. God bless Marillion.
It was 1987 when I saw Marillion at a concert in Poznan in Poland, ten days earlier my daughter was born. This concert tour was not ordinary, Marillion came to the country behind the iron curtain. I will never forget the "forgotten sons" performed by Fish.
Named my daughter after this song in 85, never knew that the girl was real and called Kay Lee , ironically my wife was a Lee, Fish was a gardener so am i, and we were born 4 days apart.
That's beautiful. I have not been blessed with children, but I always said that if I had a daughter I would name her Kayleigh. If I had a second one, I'd name her "Naima" after the John Coltrane tune (which was named after his first wife).
I heard this piece first time in the Radio. I felt in love with this piece and there are so many memories with it. This is a song for the people who where born between 65 and 70. A lot of younger people hear this song- it's wonderful but in combination with this decade in the 80's it's unforgettable. Thanks Fish, thank you so much for your work.
That album affected me SO deeply. I was 18, almost 19 (I'm 54 now), had my heart really broken for the first time. And SOOOOOOO much of fall and winter of 1985 was spent listening to this album under headphones in the middle of the night, drunk and/or stoned, crying myself to sleep. Will never be able to listen to any of those tunes without being transported right back to that time and that shitty apartment on Westland Avenue in Boston. So my eternal thanks to Marillion, and to Fish.
Saw Marillion in Belfast at Maysfield, when this was in the charts what a night it was. The lyrics and energy, Fish he had the audience in his hands. The encore was a long wait indeed a third of the crowd had left before Marillion took to the stage again, there was a rush back. He song forgotten sons the place went ballistic we all couldn't believe that Marillion had come to Belfast and played the song about Belfast.
Love this great song ,I was 15 at the time I’m 49 at mo & I have to say 1985 was best year for me & this record is up there with all the best from the 80’s ,lavender girl too 😘
Wow, that is such a moving story. I hope Fish takes comfort in knowing that he wrote one of the greatest modern love songs in tribute to his late girlfriend. 'Kayleigh' lives forever, and so a part of her lives forever too ❤️
@Tim Webb You're right, man...what I should have said is they will never release a cure to the masses. I've believed for a LONG time there was a cure for it but it will never get out to us. There's a handful of doctors I've read about who've been very good at finding cures for certain illnesses who've either turned up dead or are in prison. It's disgusting. I've seen first hand this cash machine called cancer-my brother was diagnosed 3 1/2 years ago with stage 4 lung cancer. They're buying him time to bleed him dry but that is all. The X rays he's had are crazy. When it comes back it's goig to be with a vengeance and that's when they'll tell him the bullshit "We've done all we can do...get your affairs in order". He's had no quality of life since treatment began even tho he's in remission.
Omg what a story. A classic beautiful song but I had no idea it was about his ex, and Tamara on the video. Yet consumed with heartbreak. I'll never listen to this song again in the same way. To be cherished forever.
After that story, what was a beautiful and nostalgic song from my childhood is now the greatest love song I have ever heard. So tragic, heart breaks at a love lost for them both.
Always loved this song. Thought the girl in the video was stunning. Funny she’s his 1st ex-wife. Good he got closure, but what a sad ending for Kayleigh. Great they connected in the end and that she got to listen to the album and know what she meant to him.
One of those songs that's when it was big got over played but now almost 40 years later you hear it and remember just how good it and the album is. I'm old enough to have seen Marillion numerous times in the Fish years, and the Thieving Magpie album is a fixture on my working on my bikes in the shed playlist.
His regret over Kay Lee was also expressed on the title track of script for a jesters tear. Outstanding lyricist and songwriter. Glad they met up again and became friends to the end.
Listening to this is just like the first time all those years ago, takes me back to a golden decade of music. God I miss the eighties. What a tragic ending to this tale though.
I've been a Marillion/Fish fan for many years, Fish is a lyrical genius. Misplaced Childhood is a fantastic album but such a sad story. I will think of this sad story every time I play this album. RIP Kayliegh.
This is the most heartfelt song I know, it always gets me very emotional, but hearing the backstory told made me outright tear up. Great song, real emotions, love it.
This is hands down the best vdo you guy's made or at least seems the most compelling and amazing story to me. I thoroughly enjoy your vdo's and think they belong to this special corner of the Internet that reminds you how awesome the Internet can be. Thanks again and Keep it up 🤗
I think he had gone as far as he could in a band, his solo career is criminally underrated with some astounding albums.... Internal and Raingods spring to mind.
Post Fish Marillion is amazing. Steve Hogarth had such a difficult job replacing Fish but he did it incredibly well and Marillion are still going strong.
Steve Hogarth is different but equally fantastic. Try watching the live performances of Neverland, Easter and The Great Escape and come back and say that Hogarth's vocals haven't made an incredible contribution to the band.
Always loved the music. I was working in a Radio Shack in Springfield, MA, USA about 1990. I helped a man with a distinctly Scottish Brogue. I asked him if he was Scottish, and he said, "Aye," and asked how I could tell. I said, "Well, l listen to a band, and I don't know about the rest of them, but the lead singer for most of their albums was Scottish. But he is no longer with them." He asked, "What band is that?" I said, "They're called Marillion." And he said to me, "Aah. 'twas a sahd dee when Fish left the bahnd." I had never seen Fish without the makeup, but thinking back, he sure sounded like that guy. Now I'm wondering if it was him.
I worked with a pharmacist who told me this story, first hand so to speak. I was never sure if it was true or I had been strung along. Glad to know it’s every bit as true as my boss told me.
My ex, her daughter name is Kayleigh. After all those years i realised that her mother is the Kay in my life. Maybe i should pick up that phone. Thanks for sharing this story.
I’ve always loved this song very very much. There always was a sense of something lived, something real. And to hear and see the real story behind it, a slice of their lives. His dilemma, her disappointment probably, their estrangement. And then meeting again after a number of years. Her getting cancer. Them being there for one another in difficult times. Then she being so touched by the whole album, realizing after all these years what she’d meant to him. And then passing away. Life can be like that. Novels and literature are, fundamentally, based on human experience, isn’t it?
Hands down one of my top 5 albums of all time it was just genius..I didn't play it for 10 years but still knew every word when I replayed it..masterpiece !