The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time 1955 to 2005: Number 942

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Number 942 - Mental As Anything

Number 942

Mental As Anything

"Too Many Times"

(1981)
.
.
.

Genre:Pop

Australia have been known to put out a couple of decent songs every now and then. Here is one of them. (I am so glad Oz dont have Nuclear Capabilities)

"Too many times I've seen the sun come up through bloodshot eyes this week
No matter what I do since we broke up I find it hard to sleep
The room is spinning from too many drinks I've drunken by myself
I know that staying here and drinking beer is no good for my health
What is there left to do
But to drink and watch the view
I think that it might rain this afternoon"

Mental As Anything is an Australian New Wave/rock music band who, since the late 70s have released numerous albums & singles and have produced many innovative music videos. Although they have worked in a much broader musical idiom, Mental As Anything are in many respects comparable to British band Madness, in that their music is typically delivered with a quirky, ironic sense of humour and a strong visual identity. Founding members Martin Plaza and Reg Mombassa met at art school and formed the band in 1976; all of the early members became accomplished painters, with Mombassa's work in particular becoming very well known through his designs for the Mambo clothing company.

The Mentals' music is characterised by poppy, accessible and well-crafted melodies and lyrics, and almost all their work showcases their ironic, satirical and self-deprecating sense of humour. They are arguably one of the most typically 'Australian' of rock groups, with their music and their satirical, good-time image deeply rooted in the milieu of Australian suburbia, despite the fact that two key members (the O'Doherty brothers) were in fact immigrants from New Zealand. The group's art school background and visual design skills also made them pioneers of the music video form in Australia in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and their videos rank as some of the funniest and most imaginative produced in Australia at that time.

I just knew it, Kiwis! Ugh, what will Australia steal next? All Blacks rugby players? (Why do i get the feeling i shouldn't have suggested that idea?)

For Madness see Number 794

Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (Nope, They hated it) and the Album ranked at Number (Nope, didn't know it was out yet)
This song has a crowbarred rating of 53.8 out of 108