Dreadlock Holiday Lyrics

[Verse 1: Graham Gouldman]
I was walkin' down the street
Concentrating 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

[Chorus: Graham Gouldman & Eric Stewart]
I say
I don't like cricket, oh no
I love it
I don't like cricket, no 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


[Verse 2: Graham Gouldman]
Well he looked down at my silver chain
He said I'll give you one dollar
I said you've got to be joking 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
[Chorus: Graham Gouldman & Eric Stewart]
And I say
I don't like reggae, no no
I love it, yeah
I don't like reggae, no, no
I love it, yeah
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

[Verse 3: Graham Gouldman]
I hurried back to the swimming pool
Sinkin' piña 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 wallow in a dreadlock holiday
(Dreadlock holiday, dreadlock holiday
Dreadlock holiday, dreadlock holiday)

[Chorus: Graham Gouldman & Eric Stewart]
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 her out yet

[Outro: Group]
I don't like cricket (Oh no)
I love it (Dreadlock holiday)
I don't like reggae (Oh no)
I love it (Dreadlock holiday)
Don't like Jamaica (Hey)
I love her (Dreadlock holiday)
I don't like cricket

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About

Genius Annotation

The band have helpfully decoded this track for us:

“Dreadlock Holiday” is an interesting song because it came from 3 different sources. I had seen a white guy trying to “Truck“ down a street in Barbados, had been threatened with a knife on a raft in the middle of the ocean, and I had been asked “Have you got everything you need?” from a “Dealer“ on the beach in Barbados. Graham Gouldman had the line “I don’t like cricket, I love it” quoted to him on Jamaica, and the “Don’t you walk through my words“ came from a Radio DJ from Newcastle who was challenged when he walked through a group of black guys talking together.

Essentially, it’s an outsider trying to fit in to Jamaican culture. He pronounces “I don’t like cricket,” and, upon seeing the shock of those around him, quickly modifies it to “I love it!”

The song was a hit, reaching 44 on the US Billboard 100 and charting well in Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, all three countries where cricket is incredibly important.

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