Shaddap You Face

"Shaddap You Face" is a novelty song written and performed by Joe Dolce (released under the name Joe Dolce Music Theatre) about a rebellious Italian boy. Released in late 1980, it set a number of sales and longevity records.

"Shaddap You Face"
Single by Joe Dolce Music Theatre
B-side"Ain't in No Hurry"
Released
  • 1980 (international)
  • April 1981 (U.S.)
Recorded1980
Genre
Length3:13
Label
Songwriter(s)Joe Dolce[2]
Producer(s)Joe Dolce and Ian McKenzie[2]
Joe Dolce singles chronology
"Boat People"
(1979)		 "Shaddap You Face"
(1980)		 "If You Want to Be Happy"
(1981)

It was released by Mike Brady's record label Full Moon Records.[3] By February 1981, the single had sold over 290,000 units in Australia, surpassing Brady's own "Up There Cazaly" to become Australia's best-selling single ever.[4]

Writing

Dolce, who is Italian-American, said he wrote "Shaddap You Face" based on memories of his childhood, when his family members would speak in broken English.[5]

Sales

"Shaddap You Face" went to number one for eight weeks on the Australia Kent Music Report in 1980.[6] It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart on 21 February 1981 and stayed there for three weeks until 8 March 1981, keeping Ultravox's single "Vienna" out of the top spot throughout.[7] The song became the 15th biggest hit of 1981 in the UK.[8]

"Shaddap You Face" was also number one in 11 other countries. There have been over 50 different foreign language cover versions, and hundreds more published informally on YouTube with new versions of the song being recorded and uploaded every year.

In the US, the song peaked at number 53 in 1981 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 43 on the Cash Box Top 100,[9] and number 24 on Record World. However, it was regularly played on the Dr. Demento show to the point of being number six on the year-end Funny 25 that year. In the Canadian province of Quebec, "Shaddap You Face" reached number one for twelve weeks.[10]

Other versions

Lou Monte released a cover of the song in 1981.[11] Other notable cover versions have been done by KRS-One (hip-hop),[12] EMF (British),[13] Andrew Sachs (Manuel in the British television sitcom Fawlty Towers), Werner Böhm, alias: Gottlieb Wendehals (German, title: "Mensch, ärger dich nicht"),[14] Sheila (French, titled: "Et ne la ramène pas"),[15] Dingetje (Dutch, titled: "Houtochdiekop"),[16] De Strangers (Dutch, titled: "Agget Mor Fret"),[17] Volker Rosin und die Lollypops (German, titled: "Hörst du nicht die Kuh – Muh!"), Franco Franchi with the duo Franco e Ciccio (Italian, title: "Alì Alì Alè"),[18] an Aboriginal language version by Gnarnyarrhe Waitairie, a Papua New Guinean version by the Breeze Band (title: "Pasim Pes Bilong Yu" – Tok Pisin version),[19] and a spoken word interpretation by Samuel L. Jackson.[20]

A Czech interpretation written by Zdeněk Borovec, "Já na bráchu blues", performed by Helena Vondráčková and Jiří Korn, was a hit in Czechoslovakia in 1981.[21]

The National Folk Festival in Canberra featured 'The Inspired Shaddap You Face Contest' in April 2006. Festival artists were invited to perform their interpretations of the classic song. The Cygnet Folk Festival in Tasmania featured the second 'Inspired Shaddap You Face Contest' in the following year. Joe Dolce was invited to be the MC at both events.

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[50] 3× Platinum 300,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[51] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Parodies

"Bite Your Bum", a parody of "Shaddap You Face", was made in 1981 by Australian artists Peter Plus with Bazz and Pilko (Barry Ion and Tony Pilkington). It reached No. 32 in New Zealand.[52]

Another parody was composed in 1990 for a McCain pizza slices television commercial in the United Kingdom.

References
  1. Eddy, Chuck (22 March 1997). "Refried Dreams". The Accidental Evolution of Rock 'n' Roll: A Misguided Tour Through Popular Music. Da Capo Press. p. 183. ISBN 0-306-80741-6.
  2. Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 212. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
  3. "What's a matter you, hey?". The Age. 24 July 2005. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  4. "International Dateline" (PDF). Cash Box. 14 February 1981. p. 38. Retrieved 4 December 2021 – via World Radio History.
  5. "'Terry Wogan said it was the worst thing he'd ever heard!': Brian May, Sugababes and more on hitting No 1". The Guardian. 15 November 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 390–1. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  8. "Top 100 1981 – UK Music Charts". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  9. "Top 100 1981-06-27". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  10. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  11. Lou Monte, "Shaddap You Face", YouTube
  12. KRS One, "Shaddap You Face", YouTube
  13. EMF, "Shaddap Your Face", YouTube
  14. Gottlieb Wendehals, "Mensch, ärger dich nicht", YouTube
  15. Sheila, "Et ne la ramene pas", YouTube
  16. Dingetje, "Houtochdiekop", YouTube
  17. De Strangers, "Agget mor fret", YouTube
  18. Franco e Ciccio, "Alì Alì Alè", YouTube
  19. Papua New Guinea Breeze Band, "Pasim Pes Bilong Yu", YouTube
  20. Samuel L. Jackson, "Shaddap You Face", YouTube
  21. Helena Vondráčková & Jiří Korn - Já na bráchu blues (oficiální video)
  22. "Joe Dolce Music Theatre – Shaddap You Face" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  23. "Joe Dolce Music Theatre – Shaddap You Face" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  24. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0376." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  25. "Hits of the World – Denmark" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 93, no. 18. 9 May 1981. p. 63. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  26. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Shaddap Your Face". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  27. "Hits of the World – Israel" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 93, no. 13. 4 April 1981. p. 87. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  28. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 14, 1981" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  29. "Joe Dolce Music Theatre – Shaddap You Face" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  30. "Joe Dolce Music Theatre – Shaddap You Face". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  31. "Joe Dolce Music Theatre – Shaddap You Face". VG-lista. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  32. "SA Number 1s 1965 – 1989". rock.co.za. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  33. "Joe Dolce Music Theatre – Shaddap You Face". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  34. "Joe Dolce Music Theatre – Shaddap You Face". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  35. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  36. "Joe Dolce Music Theatre Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  37. "Record World Singles" (PDF). Record World. 4 July 1981. p. 25. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  38. "Offiziellecharts.de – Joe Dolce Music Theatre – Shaddap You Face" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  39. "National Top 100 Singles for 1980". Kent Music Report. 5 January 1981. Retrieved 17 January 2022 – via Imgur.
  40. "National Top 100 Singles for 1981". Kent Music Report. 4 January 1982. p. 7. Retrieved 11 January 2022 – via Imgur.
  41. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1981" (in German). Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  42. "Jaaroverzichten 1981" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  43. "Top 100 Singles of 1981". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  44. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  45. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1981" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  46. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1981". South African Rock Lists. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  47. "Swiss Year-End Charts 1981" (in German). Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  48. "Chart File Top 100" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications. 26 December 1981. p. 27. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  49. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1981" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  50. "Scoring High" (PDF). Billboard. 9 May 1981. p. ANZ-13. Retrieved 5 December 2021 – via World Radio History.
  51. "British single certifications – Joe Dolce – Shaddap You Face". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  52. Flavour of New Zealand, 10 May 1981
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