Stewart and Gouldman were straight pop-song-writers, who created the band’s most accessible songs; Godley and Creme were the experimental half of 10cc, featuring an Art School sensibility and cinematic writing. All are skilled multi-instrumentalists, vocalists, writers, and producers, and each could perform convincingly as lead singers, leading to favourable comparisons with The Beatles.
The band achieved its greatest commercial success during the 1970s.
In 1976 ... Godley & Creme left, releasing records under that name before making a significant contribution to the development of the music video in the 80s.
In 1977 ... 10cc embarked on an international tour with guitarist Rick Fenn, keyboardist Tony O'Malley and additional drummer Stuart Tosh and recorded a live album in 1977, "Live And Let Live", which mixed the hits with material from the previous three albums.
Fenn, Tosh, Burgess and keyboardist Duncan Mackay were full members of the band and performed on 1978 album "Bloody Tourists", which provided the band with their third UK No.1 single, the reggae-styled "Dreadlock Holiday".
1977-1983 ... After the departure of Godley and Creme, Stewart and Gouldman opted to continue as 10cc, bringing in to the studio drummer Paul Burgess, who had up to that point been their tour backup drummer. Their first album as a three piece band was "Deceptive Bends".
1984-1992 ... Separate projects - after 1983, the band went into recess as Stewart did produce recordings for Sad Café and Gouldman produced tracks for The Ramones before teaming up with Andrew Gold to form the synth-pop group Wax.
1992-1995 ... In 1992 the original four members reunited to record "Meanwhile", an album produced by Gary Katz of Steely Dan fame. ...the album was not a "reunion" in the strict sense of the word. All the album's songs were written by Stewart and Gouldman ... Creme and Godley agreed to guest on the album to fullfil their obligation to Polydor records.
1999-2009 ... since 1999 Gouldman has toured as 10cc consisting of Rick Fenn, Paul Burgess, Mick Wilson, Mike Stevens and/or Keith Hayman, with occasional guest appearances by Kevin Godley. The band has embarked on several national tours of the UK and various dates throughout the World playing 10cc hits, plus a section of Gouldman's hits written for others. Their first gig was at Ronnie Scotts jazz club in Birmingham in 1999.
Additional info:
There is much speculation about where the name of the band comes from but the general consensus was that it is named after the average amount of ejaculate in a single male orgasm. However one will find that the average is about 3cc ...the name "10cc" in fact comes from a dream: Jonathan King, the person who signed them, dreamed of a band called 10cc topping the charts in both the UK and America - see: snopes.com/music/artists/10cc.asp
hotel
10cc Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a sky so clear and blue
Can see, cross water, to de mainland
New life for me and you
Let's buy a hotel
Let's get a yacht
We'll get a golden island
Let's buy an old car
We'll crash in a hut
We'll feed the food to the Ford
And we'll live off the coconut
Well there's a big black mama
In a tree
She's gonna cook us
She's gonna call up the rest of the tribe
And it looks like the ghost of Tarzan lied
He went over to the other side
And he rang like a bell
From tree to tree
They never ever let you go
They never ever let you go
We get American menus
With all American men
We're getting sick of things American
We ate our way through half the Pentagon
We had our share of big palookas
Yankee go home
Yankee go ho ho home
They never ever let you go
They never ever let you go
Yankee go home
Yankee go ho ho home
Let's buy a hotel
Let's get a yacht
We'll get a golden island
In the sun made of coconut
Let's buy an old car
We'll crash in a hut
We'll feed the food to the Ford
And we'll live off the coconut
Well there's a big black mama in a tree
She's gonna cook us
She's gonna call up the rest of the tribe
And it looks like the ghost of Tarzan lied
He went over to the other side
And he rang like a bell
From tree to tree
Tree to tree, tree to tree
They never ever let you go
They never ever let you go
The song "Hotel" by 10cc presents a story of escapism and the search for a new life, represented through a series of vivid images and metaphors. The lyrics depict a couple seeking refuge from their mundane and unsatisfying lives in America by travelling to a tropical island. The clear blue sky and the promise of a new beginning provoke the couple to imagine an idyllic life on a golden island made of coconut, which they plan to buy with the proceeds of their success. They envision luxurious possessions such as a yacht and a hotel, which will provide them with a comfortable lifestyle.
However, their fantasy is soon disrupted by the realization that they are not welcome on the island. They encounter a tribe of people who are suspicious of newcomers and are not willing to accept them. The couple's journey for a better life becomes more difficult as they realize that their cultural differences are a hindrance to their interaction with the islanders. The lyrics contain numerous references to American culture and the singer's sense of disillusionment, depicting the couple's unease with their own identities as outsiders.
The song's chorus is repeated several times, emphasizing the impossibility of escape from one's reality. The repetition of the phrase "They never let you go" suggests a sense of entrapment and the futile nature of escapism. In conclusion, "Hotel" is a commentary on the human desire for change and the challenges we face when seeking a new beginning.
Line by Line Meaning
On the other side of de island
The other side of the island is being referred to as a better place
There's a sky so clear and blue
The sky is clear and blue over there, suggesting a happier and more optimistic climate
Can see, cross water, to de mainland
One can easily see and cross the water or ocean to the mainland from there
New life for me and you
This is an invitation to start a new life and escape the old, mundane one
Let's buy a hotel
The desire is to purchase a hotel, indicating financial prosperity and progress
Let's get a yacht
Buying a yacht is an indication of luxurious and enjoyable life
We'll get a golden island
Their ambition is to own a wealthy, lavish island
In the sun made of coconut
The island is made of coconut, emphasizing tropical paradise vibes
Let's buy an old car
Buying an old car indicates their fixation on simplicity and less materialism
We'll crash in a hut
Living modestly in a hut is the epitome of a peaceful, slow existence
We'll feed the food to the Ford
The old car they bought (Ford) will be used to carry their basic necessities around
And we'll live off the coconut
Their aim is to exist on the island in a self-sufficient manner, growing and eating what they can locally
Well there's a big black mama
A reference to a woman or group of women, the lyrics depict the potential danger of the situation
In a tree
The woman/women is/are on a tree, implying that she/they might be hiding or stuck there
She's gonna cook us
The situation is getting more dangerous as the lyrics suggest being cooked by the woman/women
She's gonna call up the rest of the tribe
There are other people (tribe) out there that could be called up to join the woman/women in causing harm
And it looks like the ghost of Tarzan lied
Tarzan, the character known for his ability to swing through trees, has been regarded as a myth or not true
He went over to the other side
It is implied that Tarzan left the island
And he rang like a bell
Tarzan made some noise as he moved from one tree to the other
From tree to tree
Tarzan moved from one tree to the other for a brief period
They never ever let you go
The sentiment of being trapped or unable to leave prevails throughout the song
We get American menus
Upon returning to America, the artist and his friend/partner are given American menus in a restaurant, indicating a return to normalcy or dissatisfaction with everyday life
With all American men
The restaurant is full of American people, emphasizing how mundane and unexciting life can be
We're getting sick of things American
The artists are tired of the dull routine and mundane aspects of modern life
We ate our way through half the Pentagon
The lyrics suggest that the singers have a lack of direction and purpose, eating through an important government building such as the Pentagon
We had our share of big palookas
They have dealt with people and situations they may not want to deal with and are looking forward to a cleaner, simpler future
Yankee go home
This line reveals anti-American sentiment, the desire to go back to simplicity and tranquility in new surroundings
Yankee go ho ho home
This chorused line shows the collective frustration of the artists with the situation in America
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LOL CREME, KEVIN GODLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@weebolddavy
Just one of 10ccs' many songs with very clever lyrics. It's quite amazing their 'play' on words.
"Let's buy an old car
We'll crash in a hut
We'll feed the food to the Ford
And we'll live off the coconut"
@cubdukat
I think this was one of the Godley and Creme songs. They seemed to write a lot of the more humorous and/or arty songs, while Eric and Graham did the more straightforward ones. Notice how a lot of that went away when they quit, and when they tried to do this kind of song, it fell flat. True there were some good ones like "Overdraft in Overdrive" or "The Anonymous Alcoholic," but for every one of those you got a serious misfire like "Don't Send We Back." I don't think they realized that you might have been able to get away with songs like that or "Oh Offendi" in the 70's, but in the 80's that was just right out...
@MrTroybear
"Old Wild Men" and "Hotel" are just as great now as when I first listen to them back in the 70's. I LOVE 10cc!! Long live 10cc!
@jonahart777
Listening to the album on vinyl as I type this, transported back to the 70s....Thank God I kept all this stuff...
@keithjones7390
Absolutely, going back to the 70's l was like a kid in a sweetshop, buying all the wonderful albums that were being released in that phenomenal era.
@nickhalaburda8602
One of the first albums I bought when I was 12.
Proud of my good taste!
@keithjones6023
10 /10 get it? 😌
@diggerthegroundhog8799
Me too.
@teresashepherd9443
back in 1974 i would listen to this album turn the lights out record player full blast into my headphones and be transfered into their world best album best group ever
@Nancy-gh1fg
me too