MENTAL AS ANYTHING "LIVE IT UP" (1986)

By Mark Nobes

There's some serious Dad Dancing going on in this performance by Mental As Anything on BBC Top of the Pops. The band are introduced by DJ Steve Wright.
"Live It Up" was the Australian band's only UK hit single, making it an official 80s one hit wonder. It's a song that instantly lifts the mood and fills dance floors, and both the music and lyrics are very uplifting. The single reached #3 in February 1987, after featuring in the 1986 hit movie Crocodile Dundee, which starred Paul Hogan. The single was taken from the album Fundamental.
The Australian band are pretty big in their home country and have so far released 37 singles and 14 studio albums. They have achieved three other Platinum-selling albums which are Cats & Dogs (1981), Creatures of Leisure (1983), and Greatest Hits Volume 1 (1986).
Live It Up vinyl sleeve front featuring Crocodile Dundee *Paul Hogan)

Other songs released as singles from Fundamental were "You're So Strong", "Date With Destiny" and "Big Wheel". The band continued to release single throughout the 1980s and 90s, and their last single was "The Nips Are Getting Bigger" in 2005. 

In the original video (which I am unable to find on Youtube), we see the band performing on a stage next to a fake food stall which has a neon sign attached to it displaying the name of their album "Fundamental". There are also lots of other wonky neon signs scattered around. A small audience (of actors) are watching, and lead singer Greedy Smith interacts with them. The girl in the food stall also dances along to the band and plays around with a milk shake blender and a toaster.

The band continued to tour with a different line-up until 2019. Their final performance took place in Tahtra, New South Wales pm 30th Nov 2019. This was just a couple if days before the band's founding member and frontman, Andrew "Greedy" Smith, sadly died from a heart attack on Dec 2nd.

During the 1980s, the band's line-up consisted of Greedy Smith (lead vocals, keyboards and harmonica), Martin Plaza (lead vocals and guitar), Reg Mombassa (guitar and vocals), Peter O' Doherty (bass and vocals) and Wayne de Lisle (drums).
For their final touring line-up (2017-2019), just Greedy Smith and Martin Plaza remained from the 80s line-up. Other members were Jason Cook (drums), Martin Cilla (guitar, vocals), Craig Gordon (guitar, vocals) and Peter Gray (bass, vocals).

Visit the official website at mentalasanything.com

Lyrics

The lyrics are about a sad, lonely girl who is crying beside a dance floor. She meets a positive person who wants her to be happy and live life to the full, as in the line "Hey there you with the sad face, come up to my place and live it up. You beside the dance floor, what do you cry for? Let's live it up". 
Live It Up 12
Live It Up, red vinyl sleeve (Any 1)
Fundamental vinyl LP sleeve by Mental As Anything