Every Moment Has A Song

Joe Dolce: “Shaddap You Face” (1980)

Joe Dolce’s “Shaddap You Face” spent Mothers’ Day on the charts in 1981 and will serve as our tribute to moms today.

Though it missed the top 40 in the US (peaking at #53) the song’s popularity elsewhere is astounding. It went to number 1 in 12 countries and was Australia’s top-selling record of all time up to that time.

Inspired by phrases Dolce heard his Italian grandparents and extended family use, the song has hundreds of cover versions in over 50 languages.

The Brits seemingly had diverging opinions about the fact that “Shaddap You Face” kept Ultravox’ “Vienna” from reaching number one, as did the members of Ultravox themselves:

‘That man and his song have plagued us around the world.’ Midge Ure, Ultravox, 1981

“It was one of those occasions when the public’s taste just decided to defy logic. I’ve never met Joe Dolce and don’t intend to. But nowadays ‘Vienna’ regularly appears in polls of the hundred greatest singles ever and I’m still around. Where is he now?” Midge Ure, Ultravox, 2009

‘That was a good song. I wish I’d written it.’ Billy Currie, keyboard player, Ultravox, 1996

It annoyed Midge Ure at the time. This is going to sound terrible, but I quite like that song, I think it’s funny.’ Ultravox bassist, Chris Cross, Mojo Magazine, 2009.

How deep did Midge Ure’s annoyance go? When he co-wrote ‘Do they Know It’s Christmas‘ with Bob Geldof, he insisted that charities had to sign the following legal declaration: “We (insert name of charity here), without let and hindrance do here forth admit that ‘Vienna‘ was a more worthy and better song than ‘Shaddap You Face‘ which is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture; but rather repugnant to the word of God”, and no charity that refused would receive a penny in aid from the project.

Then there’s this: ‘What’s sa matta you, Hey? Hell yes, I know your song – It’s kept us from the Number One spot in England and Australia.’ Sting, The Police, 1981.

And in answer to Midge Ure’s “where is he now?” I’ll submit the following from Dolce’s Wiki page:

(Partner Lin) Van Hek and Dolce co-wrote “Intimacy” for the soundtrack of the 1984 film The Terminator, now part of the US Library of Congress collection. He was a featured lead actor in the Australian film Blowing Hot and Cold (1988). He has continued to perform solo and with Van Hek as part of their music-literary cabaret Difficult Women.

In 2010, two of his photos were selected for publication in the US journal Tupelo Quarterly.

Since 2009, he has been a prolifically published poet in Australia. In 2010, he won the 25th Launceston Poetry Cup at the Tasmanian Poetry Festival His poems were selected for Best Australian Poems 2014 & 2015.He was the winner of the 2017 University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor’s Health Poetry Prize, for a choral libretto, longlisted in the same year for the University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor’s Poetry Prize and included in the Irises anthology He longlisted for the 2018 University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor’s Poetry Prize and was included in the Silence anthology. He was Highly Commended for the 2020 ACU Poetry Prize and included in the Generosity anthology. He was selected as the August 2020 City of Melbourne Poet Laureate.

…as well as this curriculum vitae from Dolce’s webpage: CV | Joe Dolce Music

Where is Midge Ure now?