Up There Cazaly by The Two-Man Band

An unofficial anthem of Australian Rules football, ‘Up There Cazaly’ was written by Mike Brady to promote Channel Seven's coverage of the Victorian Football League. It was performed by the Two-Man Band, a duo consisting of Brady and Peter Sullivan.

The title references Roy Cazaly, an early 20th century South Melbourne and St Kilda footballer who was known for his high-flying marks. Cazaly’s South Melbourne teammate, ruck rover Fred ‘Skeeter’ Fleiter, was the first to call ‘Up there, Cazaly!’ when Cazaly flew for the ball. The call was adopted by South Melbourne supporters, later used as a battle cry by Australian forces in the Second World War and became a common Australian phrase of encouragement.

The recording was released independently on Fable Records, and quickly became the largest-selling Australian single released at the time, selling over 250,000 copies.

Cover image: Mike Brady. NFSA: 476474