"Up There Cazaly" | |
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![]() Cover of the 1983 reissue | |
Single by The Two-Man Band | |
B-side | "The Winner's March (Instrumental)" |
Released | 1979 |
Genre | Novelty song, pop rock |
Length | 2:40 |
Label | Fable |
Songwriter(s) | Mike Brady |
Producer(s) | Peter Sullivan |
"Up There Cazaly" is 1979 song by Mike Brady, written to promote Channel Seven's coverage of the Victorian Football League (VFL). It was first performed by the Two-Man Band, a duo of Brady and Peter Sullivan, and has since become an unofficial anthem of Australian rules football.
The title refers to early-20th-century ruckman Roy Cazaly. Known for his prodigious leap, Cazaly formed a famous ruck combination with South Melbourne teammates Fred "Skeeter" Fleiter and Mark "Napper" Tandy. It was ruck-rover Fleiter who was the first to call "Up there, Cazaly!" when the ruckman flew for the ball. The catchcry was soon adopted by South Melbourne supporters and eventually entered the Australian lexicon as a common phrase of encouragement.
Released independently on Fable Records, the song became the highest selling Australian single ever with sales of over 240,000 as of October 1979[1] and 260,000 by the end of 1980.[2] It held this record until February 1981 when Joe Dolce's "Shaddap You Face" sold more than 290,000 units.[2]
At the Australian 1979 TV Week/Countdown Music Awards the song was nominated for Most Popular Australian Single.[3]