Howzat (song)

Last updated
"Howzat"
Howzat (Single Cover).jpg
Side A of the Australian single
Single by Sherbet
from the album Howzat
B-side "Motor of Love"
ReleasedMay 1976
Genre Rock
Length3:43
Label Infinity (Festival sublabel), Epic, MCA
Songwriter(s) Garth Porter, Tony Mitchell
Producer(s) Richard Lush, Sherbet
Sherbet singles chronology
"Child's Play"
(1976)		"Howzat"
(1976)		"Hollywood Dreaming"/"Gimme Love"
(1976)
Music video
"Howzat" on YouTube

"Howzat" is a song by Australian band Sherbet, released in May 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 5 of the UK charts and also entering the lower end of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. [3]

Contents

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]

Reception and legacy

Cash Box magazine said "The song is refreshing, with a subdued, economical arrangement, and professional, pleasing vocals. Should be top ten in no time at all. Good use of minor chords." [7]

In November 2023, the National Film and Sound Archive added Howzat to the Sounds of Australia register for songs of "cultural, historical and aesthetic significance and relevance". [8] [9]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Howzat" Garth Porter, Tony Mitchell 3:43
2."Motor of Love"Garth Porter, Tony Mitchell, Alan Sandow 3:21

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1976)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [10] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [11] 1
South Africa (Springbok Radio) [12] 1
UK Singles Chart [13] 4
US Billboard Hot 100 [14] 61
Thailand Thailand Top 100 [15] 2
Israel Music Chart [16] 1
Netherlands Dutch Top 40 [17] 6
Norway VG-lista [18] 8

Year-end charts

Chart (1976)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [19] [20] 4

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [21] Silver250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

Sherbet was one of the most successful Australian rock bands of the 1970s. The 'classic line-up' of Daryl Braithwaite on vocals, Tony Mitchell on bass guitar, Garth Porter on keyboards, Alan Sandow on drums, and Clive Shakespeare on guitar provided their teen-oriented pop style. In 1976 Shakespeare left and was soon replaced by Harvey James. Sherbet's biggest singles were "Summer Love" (1975) and "Howzat" (1976), both reaching number one in Australia. "Howzat" was also a top 5 hit in the United Kingdom. The band was less successful in the United States, where "Howzat" peaked at No. 61. As The Sherbs they also reached No. 61 in 1981 with "I Have the Skill". The group disbanded in 1984. Subsequent re-unions have occurred since 1998.

Garth Ivan Richard Porter is a New Zealand-born Australian multi-instrumental musician, songwriter and record producer. He was a member, on keyboards and backing vocals, of the pop group, Sherbet (1970–84), and co-wrote both of their number-one singles, "Summer Love" and "Howzat". Porter is a co-writer and producer for country music singer Lee Kernaghan.

Tony Mitchell is a songwriter and bass guitarist who rose to fame in the 1970s with Australian rock band Sherbet. Mitchell co-wrote some of Sherbet's biggest hits, including "Howzat" and "Magazine Madonna".

<i>Howzat!</i> (album) 1976 studio album by Sherbet

Howzat! is the fifth studio album by Australian rock band, Sherbet. released in June 1976. It spent two weeks at number one on the Australian albums chart in 1976.

<i>Sherbets Greatest Hits</i> 1975 greatest hits album by Sherbet

Sherbet's Greatest Hits (1970–1975) is a compilation album released on Infinity Records in Australia in July 1975, at the height of Sherbet's popularity in Australia. It spent one week at the top of the Australian album chart in 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summer Love (Sherbet song)</span> 1975 single by Sherbet

"Summer Love" is a song by Australian pop group, Sherbet and was released in March 1975. It became their first number-one hit on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart. The song was promoted on the newly aired ABC TV pop series, Countdown, which gave it wide exposure. From early 1975 the group made more appearances on the show than any other band in the programme's history. In October, at the King of Pop Awards, "Summer Love" won the Most Popular Australian Single, the band won Most Popular Australian Group and their lead singer, Daryl Braithwaite, won the King of Pop award.

<i>Time Change... A Natural Progression</i> 1972 studio album by Sherbet

Time Change... A Natural Progression is the debut studio album by Sherbet released in December 1972. The album includes the bands hit singles "Can You Feel It, Baby?", "Free the People", "You're All Woman" and "You've Got the Gun". The album peaked at number 66 on the Kent Music Report.

<i>On with the Show</i> (Sherbet album) 1973 studio album by Sherbet

On with the Show is the second studio album by Australian band, Sherbet released in November 1973. The album spent 12 weeks in the Australian charts, peaking at number #6. "Cassandra" was the only single to be released.

<i>Slipstream</i> (Sherbet album) 1974 studio album by Sherbet

Slipstream is the third studio album by Sherbet released in September 1974 and it peaked at No. 3 in Australia and was certified gold.

<i>The Skill</i> 1980 studio album by The Sherbs

The Skill is the eighth studio album by the Australian band Sherbet but also the first under their new name, The Sherbs. It was released in October 1980 and reached at number 85 on the Kent Music Report.

<i>Life... Is for Living</i> 1975 studio album by Sherbet

Life... Is for Living is the fourth studio album by Sherbet released in November 1975. The album reached at number 3 on the Kent Music Report.

<i>Photoplay</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Sherbet

Photoplay the sixth studio album by Australian rock band, Sherbet released in June 1977. The album peaked at number 4 on the Kent Music Report.

<i>Caught in the Act... Live</i> 1977 live album by Sherbet

Caught in the Act... Live is the second live album by Australian band, Sherbet. The album was released in October 1977. The album peaked at number 33 on the Kent Music Report.

<i>Sherbet</i> (Sherbet album) 1978 studio album by Sherbet

Sherbet is the seventh studio album by Australian band, Sherbet released in August 1978. The album peaked at number 6 on the Kent Music Report.

<i>In Concert</i> (Sherbet album) 1975 live album by Sherbet

In Concert is the first live album by Sherbet, released in March 1975. It reached number 11 on the Kent Music Report in Australia.

"So Glad You're Mine" is a song by Australian band Sherbet. It was released in January 1974 as the lead single from the band's third studio album, Slipstream. It reached number 44 on the Kent Music Report.

"Cassandra" is a song by Australian band Sherbet, released in September 1973 as the first and only single from Sherbet's second studio album, On with the Show. The song was written by Sherbet members Garth Porter and Clive Shakespeare. Cassandra peaked at number 5 on Go-Set and it also peaked at number 9 on the Kent Music Report.

"Slipstream" is a song by Australian band Sherbet, released in May 1974 as the second single from Sherbet's third studio album, Slipstream. The song peaked at number 5 on the Kent Music Report.

"Silvery Moon" is a song by Australian rock band Sherbet, released in August 1974 as the third and final single from the band's third studio album, Slipstream. The song reached number 5 on the Kent Music Report

"Freedom" is a song by Australian rock band, Sherbet. It was released in March 1975 as the first and only single from the band's live album, In Concert, recorded live on Sherbet's Slipstream Tour. The song was written by Garth Porter and Clive Shakespeare.

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. ↑ "Single Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box . 21 August 1976. p. 16. Retrieved 21 November 2021– via World Radio History.
  8. ↑ "HOWZAT, THE LOVED ONE AND SLIP! SLOP! SLAP!". National Film and Sound Archive. November 14, 2023.
  9. ↑ Travers, Penny (November 14, 2023). "Slip! Slop! Slap! jingle, I am Australian, Sherbet's Howzat, Robyn Archer's Menstruation Blues among new Sounds of Australia". ABC.net.au.
  10. ↑ Kent, David (1976). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives: Australian Chart Book. p. 271. ISBN   0-646-11917-6..
  11. ↑ "Sherbet – Howzat". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  12. ↑ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989" . Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  13. ↑ Official Charts - Sherbet - Howzat
  14. ↑ Sherbet - Howzat at Music vf
  15. ↑ Sherbert Howzat charts
  16. ↑ It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing
  17. ↑ Dutch Charts - Sherbet - Howzat
  18. ↑ Norwegian Charts - Sherbet - Howzat
  19. ↑ 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.
  20. ↑ "National Top 100 Singles for 1976". Kent Music Report. 27 December 1976. Retrieved 15 January 2022– via Imgur.
  21. ↑ "ABBA and Sherbet Score Gold in the UK" (PDF). Cash Box . 11 December 1976. p. 45. Retrieved 21 November 2021– via World Radio History.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.