Shaddap You Face#Charts

{{Infobox song

| name = Shaddap You Face

| cover = Joe Dolce_-_SYF.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Joe Dolce Music Theatre

| album =

| B-side = Ain't in No Hurry

| released = {{plainlist|

1980 (international)
April 1981 (U.S.)}}

| recorded = 1980

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

Polka{{cite book|first=Chuck|last=Eddy|title=The Accidental Evolution of Rock 'n' Roll: A Misguided Tour Through Popular Music|chapter= Refried Dreams|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N0488R7-hYUC|date=22 March 1997|publisher=Da Capo Press|isbn=0-306-80741-6|page=183}}
novelty{{cite book|title= Listening to the Music the Machines Make: Inventing Electronic Pop 1978-1983|first=Richard|last=Evans|date= August 6, 2024|chapter= 1981.1|page= 241|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-1-915841-45-2

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EID8zgEACAAJ}}

| length = 3:13

| label = {{plainlist|

Full Moon
Epic (UK)}}
MCA (US)

| writer = Joe Dolce{{cite book

| first= Jo

| last= Rice

| year= 1982

| title= The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits

| edition= 1st

| publisher= Guinness Superlatives Ltd

| location= Enfield, Middlesex

| page= 212

| isbn= 0-85112-250-7}}

| producer = Joe Dolce and Ian McKenzie

| chronology = Joe Dolce

| prev_title = Boat People

| prev_year = 1979

| year = 1980

| next_title = If You Want to Be Happy

| next_year = 1981

}}

"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.

It was released by Mike Brady's record label Full Moon Records.{{Cite web|date=2005-07-24|title=What's a matter you, hey?|url=https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/music/whats-a-matter-you-hey-20050724-ge0kgn.html|access-date=2020-08-24|website=The Age|language=en}} 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.{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1981/CB-1981-02-14.pdf|magazine=Cash Box|title=International Dateline|via=World Radio History|page=38|date=14 February 1981|access-date=4 December 2021}}

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.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-15 |title='Terry Wogan said it was the worst thing he'd ever heard!': Brian May, Sugababes and more on hitting No 1 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/nov/15/brian-may-sugababes-and-more-on-hitting-no-1-singles |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}

Sales

"Shaddap You Face" went to number one for eight weeks on the Australia Kent Music Report in 1980.{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=Illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}} 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.{{cite book

| first= David

| last= Roberts

| year= 2006

| title= British Hit Singles & Albums

| edition= 19th

| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited

| location= London

| isbn= 1-904994-10-5

| pages= 390–1}} The song became the 15th biggest hit of 1981 in the UK.{{cite web|url=http://www.uk-charts.top-source.info/top-100-1981.shtml |title=Top 100 1981 – UK Music Charts |website=Uk-charts.top-source.info |accessdate=2016-10-23}}

"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,{{cite web |url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19810627.html |title=Top 100 1981-06-27 |work=Cashbox Magazine |accessdate=2015-05-13 |archive-date=22 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022152927/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19810627.html |url-status=dead }} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0326&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=d4aa1bc4o6s09iksf4q7vfcci2 |title=Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |accessdate=2016-10-23}}

Other versions

Lou Monte released a cover of the song in 1981.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-5EjG-6r9o Lou Monte, "Shaddap You Face", YouTube] Other notable cover versions have been done by KRS-One (hip-hop),[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTtjzzeR-HY KRS One, "Shaddap You Face", YouTube] EMF (British),[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTNJP8BNlm8 EMF, "Shaddap Your Face", YouTube] Andrew Sachs (Manuel in the British television sitcom Fawlty Towers), Werner Böhm, alias: Gottlieb Wendehals (German, title: {{Lang|de|italic=no|"Mensch, ärger dich nicht"}}),[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cizOXtMNgio Gottlieb Wendehals, "Mensch, ärger dich nicht", YouTube] Sheila (French, titled: {{Lang|fr|italic=no|"Et ne la ramène pas"}}),[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLlPRfjusYc Sheila, "Et ne la ramene pas", YouTube] Dingetje (Dutch, titled: {{Lang|nl|italic=no|"Houtochdiekop"}}),[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5fbE0_YnTw Dingetje, "Houtochdiekop", YouTube] De Strangers (dialect from Antwerp, Belgium, titled: {{Lang|nl|italic=no|"Agget Mor Fret"}}),[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ1za2gXuR8 De Strangers, "Agget mor fret", YouTube] {{Lang|de|italic=no|Volker Rosin und die Lollypops}} (German, titled: {{Lang|de|italic=no|"Hörst du nicht die Kuh – Muh!"}}), Franco Franchi with the duo Franco e Ciccio (Italian, title: {{Lang|it|italic=no|"Alì Alì Alè"}}),[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LkUcas74gc Franco e Ciccio, "Alì Alì Alè", YouTube] a Yindjibarndi language version by Gnarnyarrhe Waitairie,{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFPUAhM1tIg |title=JOE DOLCE Shaddap You Face - Aboriginal Indjubundgi Style |date=2009-12-14 |last=Joe Dolce |access-date=2025-03-01 |via=YouTube}}{{Cite web |title=Gnarnayarrahe Waitairie |url=https://www.monash.edu/arts/monash-indigenous-studies/literary-commons/literary-commons-participants/gnarnayarrahe-waitairie |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=Monash Indigenous Studies Centre |language=en}} a Papua New Guinean version by the Breeze Band (title: {{Lang|tpi|italic=no|"Pasim Pes Bilong Yu"}} – Tok Pisin version),[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFeEF65QsM0 Papua New Guinea Breeze Band, "Pasim Pes Bilong Yu", YouTube] and a spoken word interpretation by Samuel L. Jackson.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsDQ93iguP8 Samuel L. Jackson, "Shaddap You Face", YouTube]

A Czech interpretation written by Zdeněk Borovec, {{Lang|cs|italic=no|"Já na bráchu blues"}}, performed by Helena Vondráčková and Jiří Korn, was a hit in Czechoslovakia in 1981.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpd0WsMOUQY Helena Vondráčková & Jiří Korn - Já na bráchu blues (oficiální video)]

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

=Weekly charts=

scope="row"\|Australia (Kent Music Report) \|1
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"\|Chart (1980–1981) !scope="col"\|Peak position
{{single chart\|Austria\|1\|artist=Joe Dolce Music Theatre\|song=Shaddap You Face\|rowheader=true\|access-date=8 June 2018}}
{{single chart\|Flanders\|1\|artist=Joe Dolce Music Theatre\|song=Shaddap You Face\|rowheader=true\|access-date=8 June 2018}}
{{single chart\|Canadatopsingles\|2\|chartid=0376\|rowheader=true\|access-date=22 August 2019}}
scope="row"\|Denmark (IFPI){{cite magazine\|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1981/BB-1981-05-09.pdf\|title=Hits of the World – Denmark\|magazine=Billboard\|volume=93\|issue=18\|page=63\|date=9 May 1981\|access-date=28 March 2021}} \|5
{{single chart\|Ireland2\|1\|song=Shaddap Your Face\|rowheader=true\|access-date=8 June 2018}}
scope="row"\|Israel (IBA){{cite magazine\|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1981/BB-1981-04-04.pdf\|title=Hits of the World – Israel\|magazine=Billboard\|volume=93\|issue=13\|page=87\|date=4 April 1981\|access-date=28 March 2021}} \|4
{{single chart\|Dutch40\|4\|year=1981\|week=14\|rowheader=true\|access-date=8 June 2018}}
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|4\|artist=Joe Dolce Music Theatre\|song=Shaddap You Face\|rowheader=true\|access-date=8 June 2018}}
{{single chart\|New Zealand\|1\|artist=Joe Dolce Music Theatre\|song=Shaddap You Face\|rowheader=true\|access-date=8 June 2018}}
{{single chart\|Norway\|2\|artist=Joe Dolce Music Theatre\|song=Shaddap You Face\|rowheader=true\|access-date=8 June 2018}}
scope="row"\|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web\|url=http://rock.co.za/files/sa_number_1s_69_89.html\|title=SA Number 1s 1965 – 1989\|website=rock.co.za\|access-date=26 May 2018}} \|1
{{single chart\|Sweden\|5\|artist=Joe Dolce Music Theatre\|song=Shaddap You Face\|rowheader=true\|access-date=22 August 2019}}
{{single chart\|Switzerland\|1\|artist=Joe Dolce Music Theatre\|song=Shaddap You Face\|rowheader=true\|access-date=22 August 2019}}
{{single chart\|UK\|1\|date=19810221\|rowheader=true\|access-date=8 June 2018}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|53\|artist=Joe Dolce Music Theatre\|rowheader=true\|access-date=8 June 2018}}
scope="row"\|US Cash Box Top 100 \|43
scope="row"\|US Record World{{cite magazine\|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Record-World/80s/81/RW-1981-07-04.pdf\|title=Record World Singles\|magazine=Record World\|page=25\|date=4 July 1981\|access-date=13 August 2020}} \|24
{{single chart\|West Germany\|1\|artist=Joe Dolce Music Theatre\|song=Shaddap You Face\|songid=720\|rowheader=true\|access-date=8 June 2018}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"\|Chart (1980) !scope="col"\|Position
scope="row"\|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web\|url=https://imgur.com/a/kTGdGUZ\|title= National Top 100 Singles for 1980\|publisher= Kent Music Report \|issue= 341 \|via= Imgur \|date= 5 January 1981 \|access-date= 17 January 2022 }} \|45

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!scope="col"|Chart (1980)

!scope="col"|Position

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|url=https://imgur.com/a/kTGdGUZ|title= National Top 100 Singles for 1980|publisher= Kent Music Report |issue= 341 |via= Imgur |date= 5 January 1981 |access-date= 17 January 2022 }}

|45

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"\|Chart (1981) !scope="col"\|Position
scope="row"\|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web\|title= National Top 100 Singles for 1981 \|publisher= Kent Music Report \|issue= 393 \|page= 7 \|via= Imgur \|date= 4 January 1982 \|access-date= 11 January 2022 \|url= https://i.imgur.com/RgsDOOc.jpg}} \|31
scope="row"\|Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40){{cite web\|url=https://austriancharts.at/year.asp?cat=s&id=1981\|title=Jahreshitparade Singles 1981\|language=de\|access-date=28 March 2021}} \|13
scope="row"\|Belgium (Ultratop){{cite web\|url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1981\|title=Jaaroverzichten 1981\|publisher=Ultratop\|language=nl\|access-date=8 June 2018}} \|19
scope="row"\|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite web\|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.4689&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.4689.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.4689\|title=Top 100 Singles of 1981\|work=RPM\|date=17 July 2013\|publisher=Library and Archives Canada\|access-date=8 June 2018}} \|20
scope="row"\|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web\|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1981\|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981\|publisher=Dutch Top 40\|access-date=19 February 2022}} \|59
scope="row"\|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web\|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1981&cat=s\|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1981\|publisher=Single Top 100\|language=nl\|access-date=13 March 2018}} \|42
scope="row"\|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web\|url=http://rock.co.za/files/sahits_1981.html\|title=Top 20 Hit Singles of 1981\|website=South African Rock Lists\|access-date=8 June 2018}} \|1
scope="row"\|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web\|url=http://swisscharts.com/charts/jahreshitparade/1981\|title=Swiss Year-End Charts 1981\|language=de\|access-date=8 June 2018}} \|6
scope="row"\|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine\|author=\|title=Chart File Top 100\|url=http://scans.chartarchive.org/UK/1981/UK%20Charts%201981%20-%20Singles%20and%20albums.pdf\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404163119/http://scans.chartarchive.org/UK/1981/UK%20Charts%201981%20-%20Singles%20and%20albums.pdf\|url-status=dead\|archive-date=4 April 2013\|magazine=Record Mirror\|location=London\|publisher=Spotlight Publications\|page=27\|date=26 December 1981\|access-date=13 June 2016}} \|8
scope="row"\|West Germany (Official German Charts){{cite web\|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1981\|title=Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1981\|publisher=GfK Entertainment\|language=de\|access-date=8 June 2018}} \|17

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!scope="col"|Chart (1981)

!scope="col"|Position

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|title= National Top 100 Singles for 1981 |publisher= Kent Music Report |issue= 393 |page= 7 |via= Imgur |date= 4 January 1982 |access-date= 11 January 2022 |url= https://i.imgur.com/RgsDOOc.jpg}}

|31

scope="row"|Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40){{cite web|url=https://austriancharts.at/year.asp?cat=s&id=1981|title=Jahreshitparade Singles 1981|language=de|access-date=28 March 2021}}

|13

scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop){{cite web|url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1981|title=Jaaroverzichten 1981|publisher=Ultratop|language=nl|access-date=8 June 2018}}

|19

scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite web|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.4689&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.4689.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.4689|title=Top 100 Singles of 1981|work=RPM|date=17 July 2013|publisher=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=8 June 2018}}

|20

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1981|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981|publisher=Dutch Top 40|access-date=19 February 2022}}

|59

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1981&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1981|publisher=Single Top 100|language=nl|access-date=13 March 2018}}

|42

scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|url=http://rock.co.za/files/sahits_1981.html|title=Top 20 Hit Singles of 1981|website=South African Rock Lists|access-date=8 June 2018}}

scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=http://swisscharts.com/charts/jahreshitparade/1981|title=Swiss Year-End Charts 1981|language=de|access-date=8 June 2018}}

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine|author=|title=Chart File Top 100|url=http://scans.chartarchive.org/UK/1981/UK%20Charts%201981%20-%20Singles%20and%20albums.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404163119/http://scans.chartarchive.org/UK/1981/UK%20Charts%201981%20-%20Singles%20and%20albums.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 April 2013|magazine=Record Mirror|location=London|publisher=Spotlight Publications|page=27|date=26 December 1981|access-date=13 June 2016}}

scope="row"|West Germany (Official German Charts){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1981|title=Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1981|publisher=GfK Entertainment|language=de|access-date=8 June 2018}}

|17

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|artist=Joe Dolce|title=Shaddap You Face|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=1981|certyear=1981|certref={{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1981/BB-1981-05-09.pdf|magazine=Billboard|title=Scoring High|via=World Radio History|page=ANZ-13|date=9 May 1981|accessdate=5 December 2021}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Joe Dolce|title=Shaddap You Face|award=Gold|id=5792-2871-1|relyear=1981|certyear=1981|accessdate=5 December 2021}}

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.[https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/singles/1981-05-08 Flavour of New Zealand, 10 May 1981]

Another parody was composed in 1991 for a McCain pizza slices television commercial in the United Kingdom, entitled "Fillap You Face" (fill up your face).{{YouTube|3bMOwe20yRE|"McCain Pizza Slices Commercial - 1991"}}