"World Shut Your Mouth" is a song by English singer-songwriter Julian Cope, released as the first single from his third album, Saint Julian (1987), on 15 September 1986. The title of the song is the same as the title of Cope's first solo album, World Shut Your Mouth, but the track does not appear on that album.

Release "World Shut Your Mouth" was released as a single from Saint Julian in September 1986. The song is Julian Cope's biggest hit, reaching number 19 in the UK and number 84 in the US, his only single to chart there. Cope said of the success he achieved with the song, "I hated [being a pop star]. I hated the assholes. And I hated the fact ... it's what Smithy [Mark E. Smith] said himself, that all the English bands act like peasants with free milk. All their belligerence went and they turned into forelock-tugging gruelheads as soon as they were around record company types".

Ned Raggett of AllMusic described the song as a "simply fantastic hit UK single".

Accolades YearPublicationCountryAccoladeRank1986NMEUnited Kingdom"Singles of the Year"272010Robert DimeryUnited States1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die*2011NMEUnited Kingdom"501 Lost Songs"*"*" denotes an unordered list.

Track listings All songs were written by Julian Cope except where noted.

UK 7-inch single (IS 290) "World Shut Your Mouth" – 3:34 "Umpteenth Unnatural Blues" – 2:58

UK 12-inch single (12 IS 290) "World Shut Your Mouth" – 3:34 "(I've Got) Levitation" (Hall, Sutherland) – 3:02 "Umpteenth Unnatural Blues" – 2:58 "Non-Alignment Pact" (Pere Ubu) – 2:48 "Transporting" (Julian Cope Group) – 3:34

UK 12-inch remix single (12 ISX 290) "World Shut Your Mouth" [Remix by Trouble Funk - Long Version] – 4:35 "(I've Got) Levitation" (Hall, Sutherland) – 3:02 "World Shut Your Mouth" [Remix by Trouble Funk - Short Version] – 3:09

UK cassette single (C IS 290) Interview – 8:00 "World Shut Your Mouth" – 3:34 "(I've Got) Levitation" (Hall, Sutherland) – 3:02 "Umpteenth Unnatural Blues" – 2:58 "Non-Alignment Pact" (Pere Ubu) – 2:48

Charts Chart (1986–1987)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)51Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)67South Africa (Springbok Radio)15US Billboard Hot 10084US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard)22 Chart (1992)Peakposition

Release history RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)United Kingdom15 September 1986IslandUnited Kingdom (re-release)27 July 1992

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