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. 

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. 

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. 

Personnel

10cc
 Eric Stewart – electric piano, organ, cabaza, vocals
 Graham Gouldman – bass, maracas, vocals
 Rick Fenn – guitar, backing vocals, organ
 Paul Burgess – cowbell, congas, marimba, triangle, agogô, timbales
 Stuart Tosh – drums, backing vocals, tambourine
 Duncan Mackay –  Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer

Usage in media
 In 2000, Guy Ritchie's movie Snatch contained the song. 
 In 2002, Intenso Project sampled the track in their hit "Luv Da Sunshine". 
 The song is known for its usage in the flash game The Skullkid. 
 In 2010, David Fincher's movie The Social Network contained the song being mixed by a college DJ. 
 The song has been used as the theme music for cricket programming in the UK on Sky Sports. 
 The song appears in 2016 video game Watch Dogs 2. 
 The song has been used in " Shot on iPhone XS -- Our Game -- Apple " YouTube video by Apple India. 
 The song was used in the 2019 Christmas Special of Gavin and Stacey. 

Charts
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 #2 in Ireland and Australia.  In Austria the song became 10cc single entry in the charts peaking at #18. 

The song peaked at #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. 

References

External links
 

Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:1978 singles
Category:10cc songs
Category:Reggae songs
Category:Songs written by Graham Gouldman
Category:Songs written by Eric Stewart
Category:1978 songs
Category:Songs about Jamaica
Category:Songs about music
Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand