"H.Y.C.Y.BH" (an acronym for "Have You Checked Your Butthole") is a song by Australian musical comedian Tom Cardy. It was taken from his debut EP, Artificial Intelligence, which was released on 6 August 2021. Written, recorded, and produced solely by Cardy, the song was debuted on TikTok. "H.Y.C.Y.BH" received praise from music critics and ranked at No. 11 on Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2021.
| "H.Y.C.Y.BH" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Tom Cardy | |
| from the EP Artificial Intelligence | |
| Recorded | 2021 |
| Studio | Tom Cardy's home studio (Sydney, Australia) |
| Genre | |
| Length | 2:40 |
| Songwriter(s) | Tom Cardy |
| Producer(s) | Tom Cardy |
Background and release
edit"H.Y.C.Y.BH" was recorded in July 2021 in Cardy's home studio during the creation of his debut EP Artificial Intelligence.[1] It was debuted on TikTok,[1][2] with an accompanying music video being uploaded to YouTube on 3 July which showed Cardy performing the song in his home studio.[3][4] A metal keyring promoting the song was made available following the EP's release.[5]
Composition
edit"H.Y.C.Y.BH" is written in the key of C minor with a tempo of 120 BPM.[6]
Critical reception
editWriting for The Music, Joe Dolan labelled "H.Y.C.Y.BH" one of the best songs of the month and said that "it's hard not to admire the sheer tenacity that comes with one man's journey into enlightenment". He additionally likened the song's titular question to that of "What's Going On?" by Marvin Gaye and "Who Let the Dogs Out?" by Baha Men.[7] Another writer for The Music dubbed it "incredible handiwork" and added that "you're gonna have this song in your head for a while".[1] Dustin Rowles of Pajiba praised the song as "art" and called it "the best reason I have ever seen for the existence of TikTok".[2]
Triple J's Al Newstead opined that with the phrase "have you checked your butthole", Cardy "elegantly encapsulates transcendent, universal wisdom".[8] Triple J presenter Dave Woodhead included the song in his 10 votes for the station's 2021 Hottest 100 countdown, marking Cardy's second appearance on the list after "Mixed Messages" placed at No. 17.[8][9] In an op-ed for ABC News, journalist Abbey Wiltshire attributed the song's success in the countdown to its "unfiltered humour and pure shareability".[10]
Chart performance
edit| Work | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triple J | Triple J Hottest 100 of 2021 | 11 | [11] |
Personnel
editAs shown in the liner notes of Artificial Intelligence, the song was created and performed solely by Cardy.[12]
References
edit- ^ a b c "This Aussie hitmaker going viral is sure to lift your spirits up". The Music. 16 July 2021. Archived from the original on 16 July 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ a b Rowles, Dustin (8 July 2021). "The only TikTok you should click on when every fiber of your being is telling you not to". Pajiba. Archived from the original on 8 July 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "H.Y.C.Y.BH? (Official Video)". Tom Cardy. 3 July 2021. Archived from the original on 3 July 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Artificial Intelligence by Tom Cardy on Apple Music". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "HYCYBH? Metal Keyring". Band T-Shirts. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "H.Y.C.Y.BH by Tom Cardy Key and BPM". SongData. 6 August 2021. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
- ^ Dolan, Joe (18 August 2021). "This month in new music: The songs getting us through August". The Music. Archived from the original on 18 August 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ a b Newstead, Al (22 January 2022). "How Tom Cardy, TikTok musical comedy star, cracked the Hottest 100". Triple J. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ "Dave Woodhead – Hottest 100 2021". Triple J. 14 December 2021. Archived from the original on 16 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
- ^ Wiltshire, Abbey (10 February 2022). "TikTok will never replace the sweaty joy of a live gig. But for me, it was the escapism I craved". ABC News. Archived from the original on 10 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ Gwee, Karen (22 January 2022). "triple j Hottest 100 of 2021: here are all the songs in the countdown". NME Australia. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Artificial Intelligence (booklet). Tom Cardy. Tom Cardy. 2021.
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