Howzat (song)

"Howzat" is a song by Australian band Sherbet, released in 1976.[1] The song reached number 1 in Australia on the Kent Music Report[2] and it also reached number 1 in New Zealand on the Recorded Music NZ. It was released from Sherbet's album of the same name, Howzat. The song was written by band members Garth Porter and Tony Mitchell. The title track was also a number one hit and remains the group's biggest hit, especially outside of Australia, reaching the top 4 of the UK charts and also entering the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.[3]

"Howzat"
Side A of the Australian single
Single by Sherbet
from the album Howzat
B-side"Motor of Love"
Released1976
GenreRock
Length3:43
LabelFestival (Infinity imprint), Epic
Songwriter(s)Garth Porter, Tony Mitchell
Producer(s)Richard Lush, Sherbet
Sherbet singles chronology
"Child's Play"
(1976)
"Howzat"
(1976)
"Gimme Love"
(1976)
Music video
"Howzat" on YouTube

At the Australian 1976 King of Pop Awards the song won Most Popular Australian Single.[4]

In January 2018, as part of Triple M's "Ozzest 100", the 'most Australian' songs of all time, "Howzat" was ranked number 42.[5]

Title track

It is often used as a cricket anthem and is sometimes loudly played by ground organisers at limited-overs matches. Howzat is a cry used by cricketers when appealing to the umpire for a wicket.

Song origin

In 1976, someone suggested to Tony Mitchell and keyboardist Garth Porter that Howzat might make a good title for a song because some of the members of Sherbet loved cricket. Despite Mitchell not being a good cricketer, he sat down with Garth Porter at Porter's Rose Bay home to work on the idea. Mitchell soon came up with the "doo-doo, doo-doo" bass riff, after which the first thing that came into Porter's mind was the phrase "I caught you out."[6]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Howzat"Garth Porter, Tony Mitchell3:43
2."Motor of Love"Garth Porter, Tony Mitchell, Alan Sandow3:21

Personnel

  • Daryl Braithwaite – lead vocals, tambourine
  • Harvey James – guitar, vocals
  • Tony Mitchell – bass, vocals
  • Alan Sandow – drums
  • Garth Porter – keyboards, vocals

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1976) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[8] 1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[9] 1
UK Singles Chart[10] 4
US Billboard Hot 100[11] 61
Thailand Thailand Top 100[12] 2
Israel Music Chart[13] 1
Netherlands Dutch Top 40[14] 6
Norway VG-lista[15] 8

Year-end charts

Chart (1976) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[16] 4

References

  1. Sherbet - Howzat at 45cat
  2. Sherbet - Howzat at Australian Music Database
  3. Sherbet - Howzat at Music Vf
  4. "Australian Music Awards". Ron Jeff. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  5. "Here Are The Songs That Made Triple M's 'Ozzest 100'". Musicfeeds. 27 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  6. "I write the songs". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2003-01-28. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  7. Kent, David (1976). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives: Australian Chart Book. p. 205. ISBN 0-646-11917-6..
  8. "Charts.nz – Sherbet – Howzat". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  9. "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  10. Official Charts - Sherbet - Howzat
  11. Sherbet - Howzat at Music vf
  12. Sherbert Howzat charts
  13. It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing
  14. Dutch Charts - Sherbet - Howzat
  15. Norwegian Charts - Sherbet - Howzat
  16. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 428. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.



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