Dreadlock Holiday


"Dreadlock Holiday" is a reggae song by 10cc. Written by Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman, it was the lead single from the band's 1978 album, Bloody Tourists.

Composition

The song was based on real events Eric Stewart and Moody Blues vocalist Justin Hayward experienced in Barbados. Stewart changed the location to Jamaica. Graham Gouldman commented: "Some of the experiences that are mentioned are true, and some of them are... fairly true!" Stewart recalled seeing a white guy "trying to be cool and he looked so naff" walking into a group of Afro-Caribbeans and being reprimanded, which became the lyric "Don't you walk through my words, you got to show some respect." Another lyric came from a conversation Gouldman had with a Jamaican, who when asked if he liked cricket replied, "No, I love it!".

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by Storm Thorgerson. The beach scene in the official video was filmed on the Dorset coast near Charmouth. Golden Cap, the iconic hill and cliff of this region known as the "Jurassic Coast", is visible for a few seconds in the video.

Reception

"Dreadlock Holiday" became the group's international #1 hit topping the charts in the UK, Belgium, New Zealand and The Netherlands. The single also reached #2 in Ireland and Australia, became a top 10 hit in Norway and Switzerland, and top 20 in Germany and Sweden. In Austria the song became 10cc single entry in the charts peaking at #18.
In America, "Dreadlock Holiday" became a minor hit peaked at #30 and #44 in Canada's RPM and on the US Billboard Hot 100 respectively. When asked why he thought the song didn't do better in the US, Gouldman said that reportedly some radio stations would not play reggae of any kind.
In the native UK the song was the band's third #1 and at the same time final top 10 hit.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Personnel

10cc