Current Version
We’re a happy team at Monash
We’re the mighty fighting mad
We love our club and we play to win
Thrashing the world with a grin, at Monash
Come what may we’ll be the champions
Cunning is the thing that counts
All for one and one for MAD
That’s how we play at Monash
We are the mighty fighting MAD.
Slightly Older Version (circa 2000)
We’re a cunning team at Monash
We’re the mighty cunning MAD
We love our club and we play to win
Thrashing the world with a grin, at Monash
Come what may we’ll be the champions
Back to back and more to come
MAD for all and all for MAD
The way we play at Monash
We are the mighty cunning MAD.
Traditional Version (circa 1994)
We’re a cunning team at Monash
We’re the mighty cunning MAD
We love our club and we play to win
Thrashing the MUDS with a grin, at Monash [see note 1 below]
Come what may we’ll be the champions
Cunning is the thing that counts [see note 2 below]
One for all and all for MAD [see note 3 below]
The way we play at Monash
We are the mighty cunning MAD.
The change in wording from “MUDS” to “world” was first used following the Manila Worlds win in 1999. As we sung the song following the Manila triumph, it was not determined that we would alter the wording, it just came out like that – in unison.
Changing “Cunning is the thing that counts” to “Back to back and more to come” is a celebration of the double triumph that occurred in both Manila 99 and Sydney 2000 and the triumphs to come. Anyway, one less cunning in there shouldn’t make too much of a difference as it already gets a good guernsey.
Changing “One” to “MAD” is a logical change to keep emphasising the club.
The original piece was penned by Ray D’Cruz and Tom Hawkins c. 1994. It was first used in the 1994 football game against MUDS, in which MAD triumphed by some 90 points. It was the same match in which MAD unfurled its famous banner “We are cunning, we are stunning, we will finish full of running”.
As you can see, the Anthem has evolved a bit over time, and it tends to change from generation to generation, depending on who the oldest hack is at the particular time. Nonetheless, the basic elements remain the same.