Holly Beth Vincent was born in Chicago but grew up in Los Angeles. It was there she formed Holly and The Italians with drummer Steve Young in 1978. After movie to London they were discovered. While in London Holly began a romantic relationship with Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. The relationship didn’t end well except that Knopfler wrote Romeo and Juliet are about their failed romance.
They added guitarist Colin White, and in November released this song as their debut single which landed them a deal with Virgin Records in 1980. The song didn’t chart but a few years later Transvision Vamp’s 1988 version of this song did get in the UK’s charts. Their album The Right to Be Italian recorded at Electric Ladyland was released in 1981. It didn’t chart but did get some MTV play. The album was panned at the time…but recently the album as been acclaimed as a pop punk masterpiece by critics.
The album was reissued in 2002 in the US by Wounded Bird Records with bonus tracks. The album peaked at #177 on the Billboard Album Charts.
By the end of 1981 the band broke up but Holly recorded a solo album called Holly and the Italians was released and it didn’t chart.
Holly started to write music for movies in the 80s and in 2003 returned to releasing solo albums.
Tell That Girl To Shut Up
Well you got that girl and she lives with you
And she does just want you want her to
And when I call you on the phone, she says you’re not there
But I know you’re home
You better tell that girl to shut up
Tell that girl I’m gonna beat her up
You better tell that girl, tell that girl, tell that girl
Well we used to be the best of friends
Now all that’s gonna have to end
But there’s just one thing that I can’t see
That’s she’s got got you hanging up on me yeah
You better tell that girl to shut up
Tell that girl I’m gonna beat her up
You better tell that girl, tell that girl, tell that girl
Well I’m better tonight and I’m awfully kind
It takes a lot for me to loose my mind
Don’t you know that I don’t care?
Maybe if I hit her, maybe if I pulled her hair
Oh oh yeah yeah yeah
Well, she likes to seem intellectual
And to be a musician she goes to school
And the way she acts is so uncool
I just can’t stand her
You better tell that girl to shut up
Tell that girl I’m gonna beat her up
You better tell that girl tell that girl, tell that girl
Ooh you better tell (you better tell that girl to shut up)
(Yeah you better) tell that girl I’m gonna beat her up
You better tell that girl tell that girl, tell that girl
Girl, girl, girl, girl, girl, girl
You better tell that girl
You better tell that girl to shut up
Tell that girl I’m gonna beat her up
You better tell that girl tell that girl, tell that girl
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I like the song, and love the story! The girl that Romeo and Juliet was about, wow! I never even thought to wonder if there was a real romance behind that song. I’ll hear it differently from now on.
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That was an unexpected twist I must admit.
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Of course I had to go listen to Romeo and Juliet. It’s even more powerful and heartbreaking now.
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It is an energetic song and your post was very interesting Max.
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never heard of her/them but cool story. She will go down in the music books forever for inspiring that Dire Straits song I guess!
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Yes she probably will! That album though now is considered a classic…a cult classic but a classic all the same.
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Good post. Never heard of Holly either, but this song has a catchy hook. I hope she got some anger management counseling. Lol. And like others, I had to go listen to Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits. I actually watched the video which I don’t have any recollection of, but found it pretty interesting and not too dated at all.
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LOL…yea she may have needed that.
Romeo and Juliet alone was worth the relationship lol.
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Her sound is like a punkier style of the Go-Gos.
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I never thought of it that way but they do.
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