Italian-American born-cum Australian poet and songwriter Joe Dolce releases a cliche-ridden tune about Italian lingo and mannerisms.
Inspired by his Italian grandparents who used phrases like “What’s the matter, you?” and “Eh, shaddap”, Dolce wrote Shaddap You Face about the life and times of an restless Italian boy living in Australia.
The song charted quickly, sitting at Number 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report for eight weeks, including having international success a year later.
The simple four beat structure song cemented itself into popular culture, including an amusing live performance on the ABC music show Countdown, a sketch with comedian Shaun Micallef translating the Italian lingo to clear colloquialism, and Samuel L. Jackson performing spoken word.
For more on what Joe Dolce is up to, check out his site.
