"Live It Up" is a single by Australian rock bandMental As Anything, first released in 1985 in Australia and then in Europe and the U.S. in 1986/87. Written by Greedy Smith, the song was not originally expected to be a hit. After the song's appearance in the film Crocodile Dundee, however, the track became a worldwide success, reaching the top 10 across Europe.
Background
"Live It Up" was written by Mental As Anything keyboardist and singer Greedy Smith. Smith did not initially think the song would be a hit when he wrote it, but became more confident as the song was completed; he explained, "You know when I felt that was going to be a hit? When we finished mixing it. It took about half an hour to write in my head. But then two years to get it right. We had no idea of how big it would be." After the song's success, Smith did not seek to directly replicate its style. He later said, "it's not about duplicating the song, you have to duplicate all the conditions around it. Which is an art in itself. It's not really that possible. It's a bit like cricket. You can't understand how a team can win or lose, but it's just the vibe of it as Michael Caton would say."
Release and reception
"Live It Up" appears on the band's 1985 album, Fundamental. It was then released as a single in 1985 in Australia. The single was later released in 1986 and 1987 in Europe after it featured in the hit film Crocodile Dundee. "Live It Up" is the band's most successful and most popular song, reaching the Top 20 in various countries. The song peaked at number two in Australia and Ireland, number three in the UK, number four in Norway, number six in Germany and New Zealand, number 15 in Austria and number 20 in Sweden. Greedy Smith later recounted the single's success. He recalled: "Live It Up" has been placed in the collection of the Australian National Film and Sound Archive, with the song being described as "wistful and yet danceable". The song was also used in the 2018 horror film, .
"Live It Up" remains a mainstay of Mental As Anything's live setlist. Greedy Smith explained, "We mainly concentrate on the songs that people know off the radio: 'If You Leave Me', 'Too Many Times', 'Live It Up', 'Romeo and Juliet', 'Rock and Roll Music'."
