Shaddap You Face
| "Shaddap You Face" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Joe Dolce Music Theatre | ||||
| B-side | "Ain't in No Hurry" | |||
| Released | 1980 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Recorded | 1980 | |||
| Genre | Pop, comedy | |||
| Label |
Full Moon Records Epic Records (UK)[1] | |||
| Writer(s) | Joe Dolce[1] | |||
| Producer(s) | Joe Dolce and Ian McKenzie[1] | |||
| Joe Dolce Music Theatre singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Shaddap You Face" is a song written and performed by Joe Dolce (known at the time as the Joe Dolce Music Theatre) in 1980 about a fictitious rebellious Italian boy. It has set a number of sales and longevity records.
Sales and chart positions
It went to Number 1 on the Australian pop charts in 1980. It reached Number 1 in the UK Singles Chart on 21 February 1981 and stayed there for three weeks until 14 March 1981; keeping Ultravox's single Vienna off the top spot for all the three weeks it was there.[2]
"Shaddap You Face" was also Number 1 in 11 other countries. There have been over 50 different foreign language cover versions, and hundreds more published informally on YouTube with new versions being recorded and uploaded every year. The original release sold over 6 million copies and has remained the most successful Australian-produced single in Australian music history for 33 years straight, with sales of over 450,000+ copies. It was Australia's first triple platinum recording by the old count of 100,000 units equaling platinum status, which has since changed to 75,000 units, then 50,000, and finally 70,000 units. In 2002, "Shaddap You Face" also overtook Slim Dusty's 22-year longevity record for "A Pub with No Beer", which went to Number 1 in 1957, and was Australia's first gold record and only gold 78rpm record.
In the US, the song peaked at No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, it was regularly played on the Dr. Demento show to the point of being No. 6 on the year end Funny 25 that year.
Lou Monte released a cover of the song in 1981.[3] Other notable cover versions have been done by KRS-One (hip-hop),[4] EMF (band) (British),[5] Andrew Sachs (Manuel, of Fawlty Towers), Werner Böhm, alias: Gottlieb Wendehals (German, title: Mensch, ärger dich nicht),[6] Sheila (französische Sängerin) (French, titled: Et Ne La Ramène Pas),[7] Dingetje (Dutch, titled: Houtochdiekop),[8] De Strangers (muziekgroep (Dutch, titled: Agget Mor Fret),[9] 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),[10] an Aboriginal language version by Gnarnyarrhe Waitairie, a Papua New Guinean version by The Breeze Band (title:'Pasim Pes Bilong Yu'- pidgin version),[11] and even a spoken word interpretation by Samuel L. Jackson.[12]
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.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 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.
- ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 390–1. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑ Lou Monte, "Shaddap You Face," YouTube
- ↑ KRS One, "Shaddap You Face," YouTube
- ↑ EMF, "Shaddap your face," YouTube
- ↑ Gottlieb Wendehals, "Mensch, ärger dich nicht," YouTube
- ↑ SHEILA, "Et ne la ramene pas," YouTube
- ↑ Dingetje, "Houtochdiekop," YouTube
- ↑ De Strangers, "Agget mor fret," YouTube
- ↑ Franco e Ciccio, "Alì Alì Alè," YouTube
- ↑ Papua New Guinea Breeze Band, "Pasim Pes Bilong Yu," YouTube
- ↑ Samuel L. Jackson, "Shaddap You Face," YouTube
External links
| Preceded by "Woman in Love" by Barbra Streisand |
Australian Kent Music Report number-one single 24 November 1980 – 12 January 1981 |
Succeeded by "(Just Like) Starting Over" by John Lennon |
| Preceded by "Woman" by John Lennon |
UK number one single 21 February 1981 – 7 March 1981 |
Succeeded by "Jealous Guy" by Roxy Music |