It's a Mistake
Encyclopedia
"It's a Mistake" is a single
by the Australia
n group
Men at Work
. The song was written by Men at Work singer/guitarist Colin Hay
and the recording was produced by Peter McIan. The song is taken from their 1983 album Cargo
, and peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100
in August 1983.
The song's lyrics deal with the mindset of military men across the world in the 1980s, wondering if and when the democratic countries of NATO and the Warsaw Pact
communist states will end the Cold War standoff with conventional battle or a nuclear exchange. Hay sings in the persona of a mid-level officer wishing to learn from his superiors if his men are going to war or not.
The video, which had moderate rotation on MTV
(as opposed to the band's singles from their Business as Usual album), was mostly set in an underground bunker or "War Room" similar to the NORAD facility of Cheyenne Mountain, and the band seemed to engage in a semi-retelling of the 1964 black comedy Dr. Strangelove. At the end of the video, the officer is smoking as he removes the protective cover from the nuclear button, which is right next to his ashtray
. Then, when he goes to stub out his cigarette in the ashtray, he accidentally hits the button instead.
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n group
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
Men at Work
Men at Work
Men at Work are an Australian rock band who achieved international success in the 1980s. They are the only Australian artists to have a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United States . They achieved the same distinction of a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United Kingdom...
. The song was written by Men at Work singer/guitarist Colin Hay
Colin Hay
Colin James Hay is a Scottish-Australian musician, who made his mark during the 1980s as lead vocalist of the Australian band Men at Work, and later as a solo artist.- Early life and Men at Work :...
and the recording was produced by Peter McIan. The song is taken from their 1983 album Cargo
Cargo (album)
Cargo is the second album by Australian band Men at Work, released in 1983. . Rolling Stone magazine noted that while it lacked a blockbuster hit, "song for song, it is a stronger overall effort than Business as Usual."...
, and peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in August 1983.
The song's lyrics deal with the mindset of military men across the world in the 1980s, wondering if and when the democratic countries of NATO and the Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
communist states will end the Cold War standoff with conventional battle or a nuclear exchange. Hay sings in the persona of a mid-level officer wishing to learn from his superiors if his men are going to war or not.
The video, which had moderate rotation on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
(as opposed to the band's singles from their Business as Usual album), was mostly set in an underground bunker or "War Room" similar to the NORAD facility of Cheyenne Mountain, and the band seemed to engage in a semi-retelling of the 1964 black comedy Dr. Strangelove. At the end of the video, the officer is smoking as he removes the protective cover from the nuclear button, which is right next to his ashtray
Ashtray
An ashtray is a receptacle for ash and butts from cigarettes and cigars. Ashtrays are typically made of fireproof material such as glass, heat-resistant plastic, pottery, metal, or rock....
. Then, when he goes to stub out his cigarette in the ashtray, he accidentally hits the button instead.