The band was formed in 1973 by the amalgamation of two groups, Choise and The Golden Hammers. This led to an eight member band, with the unusual feature of having two vocalists, two drummers, two bassists and two guitarists. Their first single, Hey Rock 'n' Roll (written by the band), was released in April 1974. It reached number two in the UK singles chart. Showaddywaddy then went on to have a further 22 UK hits from this point until late 1982. The first few singles were all written by the band and these generally reached the top-20. However they had most of their biggest hits with pop versions of old '50s US rock 'n' roll songs, catchy tunes backed up by their colourful image, dance routines and numerous television appearances. Some of their best known covers are Three Steps To Heaven, Heartbeat, Under The Moon Of Love, You Got What It Takes, Blue Moon (based on the Marcels' interpretation), and I Wonder Why.
In total they had ten Top Ten singles, a Number One, and spent 209 weeks in the UK singles chart. At the peak of their popularity, this tally included having seven successive Top Five entries. Their biggest selling single was the aforementioned "Under The Moon Of Love", which sold 985,000 copies and gave the group its only UK Number One.
Band members
Current members
Romeo Challenger (born 19 May 1950, St John's, Antigua, West Indies) — drums (1973–present)
Rod Deas (born 13 February 1948, Scarborough) — bass (1973–present)
Ray Hatfield — guitars / vocals / (2017–present)
Rob Hewins — drums / guitars / vocals (2012–present)
Dean Loach — keyboards/ guitar / backing vocals (2012–present)
Andy Pelos — vocals / guitar (2012–present)
Billy Norman — bass guitar/ backing vocals (2018–present)
Former members
Paul Dixon — guitars / vocals / (2008–2017)
Dave Bartram (born 23 March 1952, Leicester) — vocals (1973–2011)
Trevor Oakes (born Trevor Leslie Oakes, 9 September 1946, Leicester) — guitars (1973–2008)
Al James (born Geoffrey Betts, 13 January 1946, Leicester - 16 November 2018) — bass (1973–2008)
Buddy Gask (born William George Gask, 18 December 1945, Leicester – 7 June 2011, Spain) — vocals (1973–1987)
Russ Field (born James Lewis Russell Field, 1 September 1949, Berwick-upon-Tweed) — guitars (1973–1985)
Malcolm "Duke" Allured (born 27 August 1945, Leicester) — drums (1973–1984)
Ray Martinez — guitars (1985–1995)
Danny Willson — guitars (1995–2009)
David Graham — saxophone (2009–2011)
Weekend
Showaddywaddy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crazy clothes and anything goes on the weekend
John called Ann and Jim got Sue
I made a date with a-little old you
Off we went to make a big date on the weekend
Boy it's great just a-staying out late on the weekend
Nothin'll spoil it, like it or not on the weekend
The view up there is sure a thrill
What a night for holding you tight on the weekend
There we were just sitting cool and cozy
I just had time to steal a little kiss
A police with a flashlight bright and nosey
Said "holy mackerel there what is all this"
That was all we had a big ball on the weekend
Took a chance on crashing a dance on the weekend
We were almost inside of the place
When somebody slammed the door in my face
Hey you guys you gotta wear ties on the weekend
There we were just sitting cool and cozy
I just had time to steal a little kiss
A police with a flashlight bright and nosey
Said "holy mackerel there what is all this"
No harm done just a-having some fun on the weekend
Took a chance on crashing a dance on the weekend
We were almost inside of the place
When somebody slammed the door in my face
Hey you guys you gotta wear ties on the weekend
No harm done just a-having some fun on the weekend
That was all we had a big ball on the weekend.
The song "Weekend" by Showaddywaddy is an upbeat and fun tune that celebrates the excitement and freedom of the weekend. The lyrics speak about the excitement of Friday night and the feeling of anything-goes that comes with the weekend. The song describes a group of friends making plans, going on a date, and having a great time together while being carefree and spontaneous. The chorus emphasizes the enjoyment of being out late, taking risks, and having some harmless fun.
The song captures the spirit of the 1950s and 1960s, a time of rebellion and youth culture. The lyrics reflect the idea of the weekend as a time to let loose and let go of the constraints of everyday life. The references to crazy clothes, dancing, and making a big date are indicative of the youthful energy that characterized the era.
The song enjoyed great commercial success, becoming the band's biggest hit single in the UK. It reached number two on the UK Singles Chart in 1978, just behind "Rivers of Babylon" by Boney M. The song's popularity was due in part to its catchy melody and upbeat tempo, but also to its relatable lyrics that captured the youthful spirit of the time.
Line by Line Meaning
Friday night and everything's right on the weekend
The singer is excited about Friday because it marks the start of the weekend, and they believe that everything will be perfect.
Crazy clothes and anything goes on the weekend
During the weekend, people typically wear clothes that they wouldn't wear during the week, and they do things that they wouldn't usually do, without caring what other people think.
John called Ann and Jim got Sue
Some of the singer's friends are making plans with other people for the weekend.
I made a date with a-little old you
The singer has made plans to go out with someone who they are romantically interested in.
Off we went to make a big date on the weekend
The singer and their romantic interest are going out on a big date during the weekend.
Boy it's great just a-staying out late on the weekend
The singer is enjoying staying out late during the weekend because they don't have to worry about getting up early for work or school the next morning.
Nothin'll spoil it, like it or not on the weekend
The singer is determined to enjoy their weekend, no matter what happens, and won't let anything ruin it.
Took the road to look out hill
The singer and their date went for a drive to a place where they could see a beautiful view.
The view up there is sure a thrill
The place where the singer and their date went has an amazing view that is very exciting to see.
What a night for holding you tight on the weekend
The singer is having a wonderful time with their date and wants to be close to them.
There we were just sitting cool and cozy
The singer and their date were feeling comfortable and relaxed with each other.
I just had time to steal a little kiss
The singer and their date shared a quick, romantic moment.
A police with a flashlight bright and nosey
A police officer arrived at the place where the singer and their date were parked and shone a bright flashlight on them.
Said "holy mackerel there what is all this"
The police officer was surprised and curious about what the singer and their date were doing.
That was all we had a big ball on the weekend
The singer and their date had a great time together during the weekend, even though they were interrupted by the police officer.
Took a chance on crashing a dance on the weekend
The singer and their friends decided to attend a dance without being invited or having tickets.
We were almost inside of the place
The singer and their friends were very close to getting into the dance.
When somebody slammed the door in my face
Just as the singer and their friends were about to enter the dance, someone closed the door and wouldn't let them in.
Hey you guys you gotta wear ties on the weekend
The reason that the singer and their friends weren't allowed into the dance was because they weren't dressed appropriately.
No harm done just a-having some fun on the weekend
Even though the singer and their friends weren't able to get into the dance, they still had a good time and didn't cause any harm.
That was all we had a big ball on the weekend.
Overall, the singer had a really fun weekend with their friends, romantic interest, and even some unexpected events.
Contributed by Samantha N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.