Dreadlock Holiday

"Dreadlock Holiday" is a song by 10cc. It was written by Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman and was the lead single from the band's 1978 album, Bloody Tourists. Lead vocals were performed by Graham Gouldman.

The lyrics, about a white man lost in Jamaica, and being confronted by an unpleasant dreadlocked man looking for money, were based on a true event that happened to Moody Blues vocalist Justin Hayward and Eric Stewart in Barbados. This was confirmed to a Cape Argus writer on 29 May 2012, at the Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town, by Gouldman - who was touring at the time with 10cc, who were part of a 'British Invasion' tour, also featuring the Moody Blues and Procol Harum. It was a rare excursion into reggae for the act. The reference to cricket in the chorus reflects finding common ground with the antagonist. It became the act's third and final number one single in the UK, and final top 10 hit, spending a single week at the top in September 1978. The single peaked at #44 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA. The song was later covered by Boney M on their 1985 album, Eye Dance, by Top Deck (in 1987) and by Polish singer Reni Jusis (in 1999).

10cc are an English art rock band who achieved their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The band initially consisted of four musicians—Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme—who had written and recorded together for some three years, before assuming the "10cc" name in 1972.

10cc members 2011–2012:

Graham Gouldman—bass, vocals

Rick Fenn—guitar, vocals

Mike Stevens—keyboards, vocals

Paul Burgess—drums

Mick Wilson—percussion, vocals 

Dreadlock Holiday lyrics

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 through my words

 You got to show some respect

 Don't you walk through my words

 Cause you ain't heard me out yet

Well, he looked down on 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 my 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 better understand

 That you're alone (a long way from home)'

And I say, I don't like reggae, oh no, I love it

 I don't like reggae, oh no, I love it

Don't you cramp me style, don't you queer me pitch

 Don't you walk through my words

 'Cause you ain't heard me out yet

I hurried back to the swimming pool, sinkin' Pina Colada

 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 whollow 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 yeah

Don't you walk through her words

 You got to show some respect

 Don't you walk through her words

 'Cause you ain't heard me out yet

I don't like cricket, oh no, I love it

 (Dreadlock holiday)

 I don't like reggae, oh no, I love it

 (Dreadlock holiday)

 I don't like Jamaica, oh no, I love her

 (Dreadlock holiday)