Mental As Anything is an Australian New Wave/rock music band who, since the… Read Full Bio ↴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.

The "classic" lineup of the group, which boasted four songwriters and lasted more than twenty years, was:

* Martin Plaza (né Martin Murphy) -- vocals, guitar
* Reg Mombassa (né Chris O'Doherty) -- lead guitar, vocals
* Andrew "Greedy" Smith -- vocals, keyboards, harmonica
* Peter O'Doherty -- bass, vocals
* Wayne "Bird" De Lisle (né David Twohill) -- drums

This article continues at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_As_Anything

One More Time
Mental As Anything Lyrics

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Too much, there's too much going on
Simple, the simple things are gone
All rush, it's all ASAP
I don't see what they can see

But I would be lying if I said I don't care
We should be trying to work things out
Just one more time, just one more time

Just one more time

Not much generosity
It's locked up, there's not too many keys
Selfish, I'm just the same as you
Thinking, I'm thinking that it's true

That I would be lying if I said I don't care
We should be trying to work things out
Just one more time, just one more time
Just one more time

But I would be lying if I said I don't care
We should be trying to work things out
Just one more time, just one more time
Just one more time, just one more time

Just one more time

One more time, one more time
One more time

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "One more time" by Mental As Anything address the issue of modern society being too busy, too caught up in materialism, and too self-centered. There is a sense of nostalgia for simpler times, a longing for more generosity and solidarity among people. The singer notes that they do care about these issues and suggests that we should try to work things out, to bring back the “simple things” and “generosity” that are now gone. The repetition of the phrase "just one more time” expresses the idea that it’s not too late to make a change, to bring back simplicity and kindness, if we give it another go.

The song touches on themes that are still relevant today, many years after its release. The speed and stress of modern life can put a real strain on people's mental health, and the song reflects this. It highlights the need for human connection, for working towards a better society, and for taking a break from materialism. While the song doesn't provide any concrete solutions, it offers hope by acknowledging that change is possible, and that we just need to try "one more time."

Line by Line Meaning

Too much, there's too much going on
There's too much happening in the world and it's overwhelming

Simple, the simple things are gone
The things that used to be simple are now complicated and difficult

All rush, it's all ASAP
Everything needs to be done immediately, there's no time to waste

I don't see what they can see
I don't understand why everyone is so busy and frantic

But I would be lying if I said I don't care
I do care, even though I find everything overwhelming

We should be trying to work things out
We need to make an effort to resolve our problems

Just one more time, just one more time
Let's give it one more try to make things better

Not much generosity
People aren't very giving or kind

It's locked up, there's not too many keys
There are limited opportunities for success and happiness

Selfish, I'm just the same as you
I'm just as selfish as everyone else

Thinking, I'm thinking that it's true
I believe this to be true about myself and others