Cliff Richard and The Shads. Summer Holiday. Yeah, I know. But this is a guilty pleasure. Besides, Summer Holiday is a great singalong and also happens to be one of the most politically subversive artefacts produced in the late twentieth century. See below.
We're all going on a summer holiday.Most of the audience for the 1962 British film Summer Holiday -- starring Cliff Richard and The Shadows -- had probably never heard of Jack Kerouac nor read On the Road, Kerouac's paean to freedom written in the late 1940s, completed in 1951 but only published in 1957.
No more working for a week or two.
Fun and laughter on a summer holiday.
No more worries for me and you.
For a week or two.
We're going where the sun shines brightly.
We're going where the sea is blue.
We've seen it in the movies.
Now let's see if it's true.
Everybody has a summer holiday
Doing things they always wanted to.
So we're going on a summer holiday
To make our dreams come true
For me and you.
Yet by the time the audience walked out of the cinema after the end of Summer Holiday (and the playing of the National Anthem), many had fallen for the charms of a story and visual fiesta which was just as culturally and politically subversive as Kerouac's: screw work; hit the road; explore the unknown; turn your dreams into reality; destination sun, sex and other assorted fun.
Have a great weekend!
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