If You Leave Me Can I Come Too? was written by Martin Plaza and appeared on the 1981 album Cats & Dogs by Mental As Anything.
Music video directed by Adam Bowen.
Mental As Anything were a legendary band from Sydney, Australia. The members met at art school, and each was a visual artist as well as a musician. Guitarist Reg Mombassa also became widely known in Australia for his iconic artwork for the surfwear brand Mambo. Even if the band is unfamiliar to you, their reach was remarkable: Elton John bought their artwork in the 1980s, and Elvis Costello produced one of their singles.
The band’s creative and commercial peak stretched across the entire 1980s, when they were a dominant presence on the Australian charts. If you’re from the Northern Hemisphere, you may know their song “Live It Up”, which featured in the film Crocodile Dundee.
The Mentals were a little New Wave, mostly Pop Rock, and always full of flair, humour, and charm. They had a rare gift for writing catchy songs, delivering them both live and on record with fine musicianship and a style that was entirely their own.
In 2026, a brilliant documentary about the band was released called Live It Up: The Mental As Anything Story. It is well worth your time and makes a terrific entry point into the colourful world of Mental As Anything.
The Mentals were:
Martin Plaza — lead vocals, guitar
Wayne DeLisle — drums
Reg Mombassa — guitar, vocals
Greedy Smith — lead vocals, keyboards, harmonica
Peter O’Doherty — bass guitar, vocals
