“Shaddap You Face” by Joe Dolce
Joe Dolce in “Shaddap You Face” introduces himself as Giuseppe, while recounting his childhood experiences.
The track begins with him reminiscing on the advice his mother gave him as an eighth grader, which was to not spend too much time with bad kids playing pool otherwise he is going to be expelled from school due to poor performance. He goes on to portray how he hated all the expectations that came with going to school and living a ‘normal life’ including adhering to rules and trying to find a job that brings income.
The mindset of the narrator becomes clearer as he explains in the subsequent verse that his dream was to become an entertainer, who gets rich and still gets to be himself without succumbing to unnecessary pressure from people.
He constantly repeats a stanza of the song which is a collection of questions and statements his mother makes whenever she sees him. It is most likely what she often said when trying to console the singer to be content in life.
“Shaddap You Face” Facts
- Principal Singer: Joe Dolce
- Writing: Dolce
- Production: Ian McKenzie and Dolce
- Release: 1980
What music genre(s) does “Shaddap You Face” belong to?
- Pop
- Comedy
Chart
- United Kingdom: 1
- United States (Hot 100): 53
Outside of the United Kingdom, “Shaddap You Face” also made it to number 1 in the following places:
- Australia
- Austria
- Germany
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- South Africa
Covers
The following are some top artists that have covered this song:
- Lou Monte (1981)
- EMF (1992)
Was “Shaddap You Face”released as a single?
Yes, the song was released as a non-album single.
