| Dreadlock Holiday | |
| Cover: | 10cc - Dreadlock Holiday single cover.png |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | 10cc |
| Album: | Bloody Tourists |
| Released: | July 1978 |
| Recorded: | Strawberry Studios South, Dorking, Surrey, England, 1977 |
| B-Side: | Nothing Can Move Me |
| Genre: | |
| Length: | 4:28 |
| Label: | Mercury |
| Producer: | 10cc |
| Prev Title: | People in Love |
| Prev Year: | 1977 |
| Next Title: | For You and I |
| Next Year: | 1978 |
| Chronology: | 10cc |
"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.[3]
The song was based on real events Eric Stewart and Moody Blues vocalist Justin Hayward experienced in Barbados, and Graham Gouldman experienced in Jamaica. Graham Gouldman commented: "Some of the experiences that are mentioned are true, and some of them are ... fairly true!"[4] [5] 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".[6] Another lyric came from a conversation Gouldman had with a Jamaican, who when asked if he liked cricket replied, "No, I love it!".[7]
The music video for the song was directed by Storm Thorgerson.[8] The beach scene in the official video was filmed on the Dorset coast near Charmouth.
"Dreadlock Holiday" became the group's international number 1 hit topping the charts in the UK,[9] Belgium, New Zealand and The Netherlands. The single also reached number 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 was 10cc's sole entry in the charts, peaking at number 18.[10]
In North America, "Dreadlock Holiday" became a minor hit, peaking at number 45 in Canada's RPM charts and number 44 on the US Billboard Hot 100. 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.[11]
In the UK, the song was the band's third number 1 and at the same time final top 10 hit.
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] | 2 |
| Canada (RPM) Top Singles[13] | 45 |
| Chart (1978) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[14] | 27 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[15] | 15 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] | 5 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] | 15 |
| New Zealand (Top 40 Singles)[18] | 22 |
| UK | 12 |
