| "Dreadlock Holiday" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by 10cc | ||||
| from the album Bloody Tourists | ||||
| B-side | "Nothing Can Move Me" | |||
| Released | July 1978 | |||
| Recorded | Strawberry Studios South, Dorking, Surrey, England, 1977 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:28 | |||
| Label | Mercury | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Eric Stewart Graham Gouldman | |||
| Producer(s) | 10cc | |||
| 10cc singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"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. [9]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands (NVPI) [32] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) [33] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
10cc are a British rock band formed in Stockport in 1972. The group initially consisted of four musicians — Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme — who had written and recorded together since 1968. All four members contributed to songwriting, working together in various permutations. Godley and Creme’s songwriting has been described as being inspired by art and cinema. Every member of 10cc was a multi-instrumentalist, singer, writer and producer. Most of the band's records were recorded at their own Strawberry Studios (North) in Stockport and Strawberry Studios (South) in Dorking, with most of those engineered by Stewart.
Wax were a new wave duo based in Manchester, England, consisting of American singer-songwriter Andrew Gold and 10cc guitarist/bassist Graham Gouldman. They are best known for their European hit singles "Bridge to Your Heart" and "Right Between the Eyes". In the US, they were listed as Wax UK, while later releases were additionally credited as Andrew Gold & Graham Gouldman.
Laurence Neil "Lol" Creme is a British musician and music video director, best known for his work in 10cc. He was later one half of the duo Godley & Creme, with 10cc drummer Kevin Godley. Creme has collaborated with Trevor Horn's Band. He sings and plays guitar, bass and keyboards.
Graham Keith Gouldman is an English singer, musician and songwriter, best known as the co-lead singer and bassist of the art rock band 10cc. He has been the band's only constant member since its formation in 1972. Before 10cc, Gouldman worked as a freelance songwriter and penned many hits for major rock and pop groups, including the Yardbirds, the Hollies, Herman's Hermits and Ohio Express.
"I'm Not in Love" is a song by British group 10cc, written by band members Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman. It is known for its innovative and distinctive backing track, composed mostly of the band's multitracked vocals. Released in the UK in May 1975 as the second single from the band's third album, The Original Soundtrack, it became the second of the group's three number-one singles in the UK between 1973 and 1978, topping the UK Singles Chart for two weeks. "I'm Not in Love" became the band's breakthrough hit outside the United Kingdom, topping the charts in Canada and Ireland as well as peaking within the top 10 of the charts in several other countries, including Australia, West Germany, New Zealand, Norway and the United States.
Deceptive Bends is the fifth studio album by the British rock band 10cc, released in 1977. It was the first album released by the band after the departure of founding members Kevin Godley and Lol Creme and produced the hit single "The Things We Do for Love".
Bloody Tourists is the sixth studio album by the English rock band 10cc, released worldwide by Mercury Records and in North America by Polydor Records in September 1978. Recorded at Strawberry Studios South in Dorking, the album was produced by Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman.
Ten Out of 10 is the eighth studio album by 10cc. It was released in two different versions, with the original edition coming in November 1981 and the US version coming in June 1982 respectively.
Windows in the Jungle is the ninth studio album by British rock band 10cc, released in 1983.
"Neanderthal Man" is a song by Hotlegs, an English pop band that was later relaunched as 10cc. The song, initially created only as a studio exercise to test drum sounds on new recording equipment, sold over two million copies and reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 22 in the US. It reached No. 1 in Italy and Germany and was also a Top 20 hit in Australia, Canada, France, Ireland and Japan.
"The Wall Street Shuffle" is a single by the British pop/rock band 10cc, released in 1974 on the UK Records label, from the band's 1974 album Sheet Music. It was the most successful single to be released from the album, reaching No. 10 on the UK chart.
"Good Morning Judge" is a song by English art rock band 10cc, released as the second single from their 1977 album Deceptive Bends. The song became the group's sixth consecutive Top 10 single in the United Kingdom, reaching No. 5.
"Donna" is the first single by British art pop band 10cc. Released in 1972, it peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was written by Lol Creme and Kevin Godley.
Changing Faces – The Very Best of 10cc and Godley & Creme is a compilation album that included the hits of 10cc and Godley & Creme, the first album to include both bands.
Greatest Hits 1972–1978 is a compilation album by the English rock band 10cc
"Art for Art's Sake" is a single by 10cc released in 1975. It was taken from the How Dare You! album, and, in an edited version, reached No. 5 on the UK singles chart.
"Hip Hop Holiday" is the debut single from New Zealand hip hop group 3 The Hard Way. It reached #1 in the New Zealand singles chart and #17 in Australia. A mid-song reggae breakdown was provided by Bobbylon of the Hallelujah Picassos.
"The Things We Do for Love" is a song by British band 10cc, released as a single in 1976. It later featured on the album Deceptive Bends released in 1977 and was the group's first release after the departure of band members Kevin Godley and Lol Creme.
"Feel the Love (Oomachasaooma)" is a song by 10cc released as a second single from the album Windows in the Jungle in 1983. On several releases and editions the song is labeled as "Oomachasaooma (Feel the Love)".
"Silly Love" is a song recorded by an English rock band 10cc released as the third and final single from the album Sheet Music through UK Records in 1974.
