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

Spirit Got Lost
Mental As Anything Lyrics

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somebody said that it's not a good time to sell
economy's down and your mind is unsound
and your body's an empty shell

my spirit got lost now something is missing
all the people round here are too bony for kissing

i was lying in bed when i woke up dead

i was cool ... but not too calm
must've stolen my soul through a photograph
or a jungle voodoo charm

my spirit got lost now something is missing
all the people round here are too bony for kissing

we dance around the gravestones
and we drag the chains around
we clatter 'n clank 'n we chatter 'n skank
and when we get down it's into the ground

there'll always be a chair for you in the corner of my heart
a table for two for me and you for as long as we're apart

my spirit got lost now something is missing
all the people round here are too bony for kissing

we dance around the gravestones
and we drag the chains around
we clatter 'n clank 'n we chatter 'n skank
and when we get down it's into the ground

from cradle to grave then back to the cradle again
six hundred dumb creatures to make up the souls of ten men chorus

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mental as Anything's song "Spirit Got Lost" depict a feeling of emptiness and disconnection from oneself and the world around. The first verse talks about someone warning the singer that it's not a good time to sell, suggesting that their circumstances might not be favorable. The mention of an unsound mind and an empty body implies a state of despair or hopelessness. The chorus then declares that the singer's spirit has been lost, leaving them feeling incomplete. The people around them are described as "too bony for kissing," which could suggest that they don't provide the comfort and affection the singer seeks.

The second verse adds to the surreal and supernatural imagery of the song, with the singer waking up dead but still cool, indicating an out-of-body experience. The mention of having their soul stolen through a photograph or voodoo charm adds to the feeling of being disconnected from oneself or even a victim of external forces. The chorus repeats the sentiment of the missing spirit, while the following lines describe people dancing around gravestones, dragging chains, and clattering and skanking. These could be metaphors for people being stuck in a pattern of repetitive and unfulfilling behaviors, unable to break free from them. The last line of the chorus again reiterates the singer's sense of disconnection from those around them.

The final verse brings back a sense of hope, with the promise of a table for two in the singer's heart where they can always meet whoever they have lost. This line implies that the singer could be speaking to a lost lover or friend. The chorus repeats, and the song ends with the line "six hundred dumb creatures to make up the souls of ten men," suggesting a dissatisfaction with the state of humanity and implying that most people lack real spirit or individuality.

Line by Line Meaning

somebody said that it's not a good time to sell
Someone advised that this isn't the ideal time to sell; maybe the market is not doing well, and you are not mentally stable while your body lacks substance.

my spirit got lost now something is missing
Something essential is now absent from within me; I seem to have lost my soul or an important part of it.

all the people round here are too bony for kissing
The people around me seem to lack something appealing, or they are emotionally unavailable for me.

we dance around the gravestones and we drag the chains around
We indulge in self-destructive behavior and destructive habits that take us closer to death or harm.

there'll always be a chair for you in the corner of my heart
You will forever have a special place in my heart that will be reserved for you.

my spirit got lost now something is missing
Something essential is now absent from within me; I seem to have lost my soul or an important part of it.

we clatter 'n clank 'n we chatter 'n skank and when we get down it's into the ground
We make noise and indulge in chaotic behavior but ultimately end up buried underground after death.

from cradle to grave then back to the cradle again
Life is a cycle, starting from birth, going through life, and ultimately returning to our graves where we once again become a part of nature.

six hundred dumb creatures to make up the souls of ten men chorus
It takes a vast number of less intelligent animals or beings to make up one human soul or mind.

Contributed by Hailey L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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