What Does Anything Mean? Basically

'What Does Anything Mean? Basically' is the second studio album by English rock band the Chameleons. It was recorded in January 1985 and released on 20 May 1985 by record label Statik.

One single was released from the album: "Singing Rule Britannia (While the Walls Close In)".

Recording
''What Does Anything Mean? Basically'' was recorded in January 1985 at Highland Studios in Inverness, Scotland.

Release
The album's sole single, "Singing Rule Britannia (While the Walls Close In)", was released on 1 August 1985. This song used uncredited Lennon-McCartney lyrics, with the final passage of the song quoting key lyrics of the Beatles song "She Said, She Said".

''What Does Anything Mean? Basically'' was released 20 May 1985 on record label Statik.

Critical reception
''What Does Anything Mean? Basically'' has been generally well received by critics.

In his retrospective review, Ned Raggett of AllMusic called it "[a] rarity of sophomore albums, something that at once made the band all the more unique in its sound while avoiding a repetition of earlier work. [...] an astounding record." Trouser Press called it "even better" than Script of the Bridge, "with much stronger production underscoring both the band's direct power and the ghostly atmospherics of its icy church keyboards and delay-ridden guitars".

Chris Jenkins, in the book The Rough Guide to Rock, however, called it "as half-baked as its title".

Personnel

 * The Chameleons


 * Mark Burgess – vocals, bass guitar, strings, production
 * Dave Fielding – guitar, ARP String Ensemble, production
 * Reg Smithies – guitar, acoustic guitar, album cover illustration, production
 * John Lever – drums, production


 * Technical


 * Colin Richardson – production
 * Ian Caple – engineering
 * Martin Kay – sleeve design