Shaddap You Face by Joe Dolce

Album: Shaddap You Face (1979)

Charted: 1

License This Song

lyrics

Songfacts®:

This novelty song pokes fun at Italian Americans with thick accents and exaggerated speaking gestures. Joe Dolce was born in Ohio, and his parents were Italian American. In the late '70s, he took a train from Ohio to California and wrote some poetry, including "Shaddap You Face." He moved to Australia in 1979, where he created the Joe Dolce Music Theater and created the character Giuseppe, which he used to perform the song.
This song topped the chart in over 15 countries, including Australia, Canada, France and Germany, and 18 months later, the UK, where it kept Ultravox's "Vienna" from the #1 spot. It went on to sell 6 million copies worldwide and has been recorded in over 35 different foreign-language cover versions. It is the most successful Australian-produced single in Australian music history, with sales of over 350,000 copies.
Joe Dolce wrote "Shaddap You Face" from childhood memories of hanging out in the kitchen, where everyone talked in broken English. "When I first performed it, drunken crowds shouted 'Hey!' after each line, so I put that in the song," Dolce recalled to The Guardian.
Dolce recorded "Shaddap You Face" in a studio owned by Mike Brady, who handled the Australian rules football anthems "Up There Cazaly" and "One Day in September." When Terry Wogan played the song on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast radio show, the DJ declared it the worst thing he'd ever heard." Wogan's utterance proved to be great publicity; CBS flew Dolce over to the UK to do three TV shows and the song quickly climbed the charts.

Comments: 8

Tom from Florida, UsaMy NYC-Italian boyfriend in '88 loved this song, certainly "whatsamatta you" (tho he could've also got it from Bullwinkle or that one Bugs Bunny/Taz cartoon); he always said much livelier than the song, however. :) (3/30/21)
Chicken Joe from Cairns, AustraliaI knew Joe Dulce when we grew up in the back blocks of Brunswick. His mother used to used to call out to him: "Hey Joe. Don't forget your lunch." He used to say aghhhh mum. Shaddup a ya your face! That's a true story! Guido pollo.
Mike from Boston, MaIt was rumored that this was the one song that DJ's
"hated" to play at the time. I do not know why at all.
Eugene from Minneapolis, MnThis song got as high as #53 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981 and it was his one and only appearance on that chart.
Ekristheh from Halath, United StatesAnnabelle: yes, "Shaddup-a you face" is "Shut up your face." Chico Marx popularized this corny pseudo-Italian way of speaking in the 1920s. Try going to an Old Time Radio website and listening to episodes of "Life with Luigi".
Annabelle from Eugene, OrI wonder if the title is a play on the words, "Shut Up Your Face"? Maybe some guy said "Shut Up" to someone, and that someone probably misheard the words "Shut Up" as "Shaddup".
Liquid Len from Ottawa, CanadaIf you have the 45 of this, play the flip side. It's a mindless little ditty, 'Aint in no hurry', and in the middle of it all he starts going on "hey folks, this is the big B side of the record". It's hilarious.
Pete from Nowra, Australiaa while ago it was the anniversary of that particular song here in Australia....a few of my radio announcer buddies , tried to contact Joe for an interview .... no problem but he wanted a fee.... bit rich...... it was a one hit wonder...obviously needed the cash.......

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Are You Gonna Go My WayLenny Kravitz

"Are You Gonna Go My Way" by Lenny Kravitz is from the perspective of Jesus Christ: "I am the chosen I'm the one."

Doctor My EyesJackson Browne

A problem with his eyes gave Jackson Browne the idea for "Doctor My Eyes," which became a song about a man whose mental health suffers when he sees the world for what it really is.

David Bowie's "Space Oddity" tells the story of an astronaut who cuts off communication and floats into space. The BBC used it extensively in their coverage of the 1969 moon landing - an odd choice considering the lyrics.

Nuclear Device (The Wizard of Aus)The Stranglers

"Nuclear Device (The Wizard of Aus)" by The Stranglers was written about the then Premier of Queensland, Joh Bjelke-Petersen. His political shenanigans were observed by the band during their first tour of Australia.

Wrecking BallMiley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus didn't write "Wrecking Ball" but could very much relate to it. She was having problems in her relationship with Liam Hemsworth, so the theme of giving your love only to have it wrecked really resonated with her.

...Baby One More TimeBritney Spears

Britney Spears was just 16 when her first single, "Baby One More Time," was released. She quickly became a top search term on something called The Internet.