"Shut Up" is a pop

Pop music

Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...

 song written by Suggs

Suggs (singer)

Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an English singer, actor, former radio DJ, TV personality, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness.-Early life:...

 and Chris Foreman

Chris Foreman

Chris Foreman , nicknamed Chrissy Boy, is an English guitarist, best known as a member of a second wave ska band, Madness.Foreman started Madness with Mike Barson and Lee Thompson in 1976...

. It was recorded by British pop/ska band Madness

Madness (band)

In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...

, and was featured on the band's third album 7

7 (Madness album)

There were several different versions of the album released throughout the world. Some territories removed the not so tourist-friendly A Day On The Town while others replaced it with Never Ask Twice aka Aeroplane / Airplane, which was issued on the Shut Up 12" in the UK. In Belgium Never Ask Twice...

. It was released as a single on September 11, 1981, spending 10 weeks in the UK Singles Chart

UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

. It reached a high position of number 7.

The song tells a story of a criminal who, despite obvious evidence, tries to convince people he is not guilty. Even though the song is called "Shut Up", the two words do not appear in the lyrics at all. However, they were the final words of an additional verse which was part of an early version of the song.

Music video

The promotional video for the single released featured the band dressed as a group of criminals, then later as policemen, while lead singer Suggs

Suggs (singer)

Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an English singer, actor, former radio DJ, TV personality, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness.-Early life:...

 remained dressed as a villain. In one sequence, the costumed band gather round as Chris Foreman

Chris Foreman

Chris Foreman , nicknamed Chrissy Boy, is an English guitarist, best known as a member of a second wave ska band, Madness.Foreman started Madness with Mike Barson and Lee Thompson in 1976...

 (in police uniform) plays the song's guitar solo on a "Super Yob" guitar.

Appearances

In addition to its single release and appearance on the album 7, "Shut Up" also appears on the Madness collections Complete Madness

Complete Madness

Complete Madness is the first greatest hits album by ska/pop group Madness. It was released in 1982 and included Madness' biggest hits from their first three studio albums and all the stand-alone singles. Complete Madness spent 99 weeks on the UK charts peaking at number 1...

, It's... Madness Too

It's... Madness Too

It's... Madness Too is a compilation album by the British pop band Madness, released in 1991. It combines some of the band's hit singles and b-sides and is a sequel to It's.....

, The Business

The Business - the Definitive Singles Collection

The Business – the Definitive Singles Collection is a 3 disc box set by ska/pop band Madness released in 1993 . It contained all the band's singles up until that point with their respective b-sides and other bonus tracks, some rare. It also includes a 52 page booklet and snippets of interviews with...

, Divine Madness

Divine Madness (Madness album)

Divine Madness is the 1992 greatest hits album from the British ska/pop band Madness. It presents the group's single A-sides in chronological order, though sometimes in their LP rather than single versions....

(a.k.a. The Heavy Heavy Hits) and Our House. It also features on two US Madness compilations, Madness and Total Madness

Total Madness - the Very Best of Madness

Total Madness - the Very Best of Madness is a greatest hits album by a British ska/pop band Madness. It was released in 1997 in United States only.-Track listing:# "Our House"# "It Must Be Love"# "Tomorrow's "# "Shut Up"# "Grey Day"...

.

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Shut Up".

• 7" Single

1. "Shut Up" (McPherson
   Suggs (singer)
   Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an English singer, actor, former radio DJ, TV personality, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness.-Early life:...
   
   /Foreman
   Chris Foreman
   Chris Foreman , nicknamed Chrissy Boy, is an English guitarist, best known as a member of a second wave ska band, Madness.Foreman started Madness with Mike Barson and Lee Thompson in 1976...
   
   ) - 3:23
2. "A Town With No Name" (Foreman) - 2:52

• 12" Single

1. "Shut Up (full length version)" (McPherson/Foreman) - 4:05
2. "Never Ask Twice" (McPherson/Barson
   Mike Barson
   Michael "Mike" Barson is a British musician, best known as a founding member and keyboardist of the second wave ska band, Madness.-Biography:...
   
   ) - 3:03
3. "A Town With No Name" (Foreman) - 2:52