“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. It became the group’s third and final number one hit in the UK Singles Chart, and final top 10 hit, spending a single week at the top in September 1978. The single also topped the charts in New Zealand and The Netherlands, reached Number 2 in Ireland and Australia, and peaked at number 44 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
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!”.
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. Golden Cap, the iconic hill and cliff of this region known as the “Jurassic Coast”, is visible for a few seconds in the video.
Dreadlock Holiday Lyrics (1978)
I was walkin’ down the street
Concentratin’ on truckin’ right
I heard a dark voice beside of me
And I looked round in a state of fright
I saw four faces one mad
A brother from the gutter
They looked me up and down a bit
And turned to each other
I say
I don’t like cricket oh no
I love it
I don’t like cricket oh no
I love it
Don’t you walk thru my words
You got to show some respect
Don’t you walk thru my words
‘Cause you ain’t heard me out yet
Well he looked down at my silver chain
He said I’ll give you one dollar
I said you’ve got to be jokin’ man
It was a present from me Mother
He said I like it I want it
I’ll take it off your hands
And you’ll be sorry you crossed me
You’d better understand that you’re alone
A long way from home
And I say
I don’t like reggae no no
I love it
I don’t like reggae oh no
I love it
Don’t you cramp me style
Don’t you queer on me pitch
Don’t you walk thru my words
‘Cause you ain’t heard me out yet
I hurried back to the swimming pool
Sinkin’ pina coladas
I heard a dark voice beside me say
Would you like something harder
She said I’ve got it you want it
My harvest is the best
And if you try it you’ll like it
And wallow in a Dreadlock Holiday
And I say
Don’t like Jamaica oh no
I love her
Don’t like Jamaica oh no
I love her oh yea
Don’t you walk thru her words
You got to show some respect
Don’t you walk thru her words
‘Cause you ain’t heard her out yet
I don’t like cricket
I love it (Dreadlock Holiday)
I don’t like reggae
I love it (Dreadlock Holiday)
Don’t like Jamaica
I love her (Dreadlock Holiday)
I hurried back to the swimming pool
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