Kayleigh

"Kayleigh" was a number 2 UK hit for British prog rock band Marillion in 1985. It remains the group's most successful single in terms of chart position. The single was kept from the UK Number 1 spot by charity single "You'll Never Walk Alone" by supergroup The Crowd in the summer of 1985. "Kayleigh" is also the band's sole appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, hitting #74 in 1986.

Although the lead singer and lyricist of the band, Fish, had at one point dated a woman whose forenames were Kay Lee, the song was more a compilation of several different women with whom he had had relationships [1].

Fish has said that his writing the song was 'his way of apologising to some of the women he had dated in the past.'

[edit] Rise in popularity of the name Kayleigh

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In late 2005, 96% of Kayleighs living in the United Kingdom were born after 1985. It seems likely that the song had inspired the rise in popularity of the name, and studies of girls' first names show that it was not in the top 100 most popular names in Scotland before 1975. By 1997, however, twelve years after the song's release, the name was the 30th most popular girls' name in the country. By 2001, Kayleigh had become the 75th most popular girls' name in England and Wales.

In other countries throughout the world, as well, people have named their children in tribute to this song.

[edit] Quotations

Regarding "Kayleigh", Fish has had the following to say [2]:

"I've got used to signing autographs for 13-year-old Kayleighs."

"'Kayleigh' was a way of saying sorry. I had a lot of relationships that basically I'd wrecked because I was obsessed with the career and where I wanted to go. I was very, very selfish and I just wanted to be the famous singer but I was starting to become aware of the sacrifices that I was making, and I think that Kay was one of those sacrifices. 'Kayleigh' was not just about one person; it was about three or four different people. The 'stilettos in the snow' was something that happened in Galashiels, when I can remember we were both really drunk and, you know, dancing under a street light, and 'dawn escapes from moonwashed college halls' was part of the Cambridge thing."

"There came a lot of pressure upon us. They wanted Kayleigh part II. Because Misplaced Childhood was a big album. And Clutching at Straws had not sold quite as many as Misplaced. And everybody wanted us to break America. I just feel a bit uncomfortable when I am under pressure like that."

v • d • e Marillion

Steve Rothery · Mark Kelly · Pete Trewavas · Ian Mosley · Steve Hogarth Fish · Mick Pointer · Jonathan Mover · Doug Irvine · Brian Jelliman · Diz Minitt

Studio albums	Script for a Jester's Tear · Fugazi · Misplaced Childhood · Clutching at Straws · Seasons End · Holidays in Eden · Brave · Afraid of Sunlight · This Strange Engine · Radiation · Marillion.com · Anoraknophobia · Marbles · Somewhere Else · Happiness Is the Road

Compilations	B'Sides Themselves · A Singles Collection · The Best of Both Worlds

Live albums	Real to Reel · The Thieving Magpie · Made Again

Singles	"Market Square Heroes" · "He Knows You Know" · "Kayleigh" · "See It Like a Baby" · "Thank You Whoever You Are"