Sings Monty Python (Live In Concert) - Eric Idle

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ps. Since writing this review ciao seem to have changed both the title and the album cover picture. this is NOT the Eric Idle sings album but the whole of the Monty Python team the actual album has a big read mouth on it.
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The Bright Side of Life

Every side of life has a bright side and between October 1969 and December 1974 the Monty Python team, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idol, Terry Jones and Michael Palin shared theirs with us. With classic scenes like 'The cheese shoppe!' and 'The dead parrot scene' (It's just resting) and films like 'The life of Brian' and 'The Holy Grail' (We are the knights that say Ni!) their rather silly brand of humour is forever part of our culture.

Now in amidst all of this silliness, there were a number of silly songs, and these have all been brought together on the album 'Monty Python Sings'. Now you know that being Monty Python it is going to be an excessively happy album, and in some cases a little close to the line but its all just good Python fun, the music is always very apt for the scene, but you do need to listen to the words so it's a great album to put on to cheer yourself up. Especially if you know all the words and can sing along without having to concentrate too much:

NB. There are some lyrics of an adult nature on the CD and this is reflected in my review of the tracks.

1. The Bright Side of Life

It has to open with this one, Eric Idol wrote and sung in it, originally performed in the Life of Brian, and this is a song you just can't help but smile when you hear it. I went to see Genesis at Knebworth ages ago and to drop the 'there's no more encores, go home' hint, they played this over the loud speaker and everyone started laughing and of course singing as we started off back to the car. The words, as with all of the pythons work, are very poignant with a dry sarcasm but you can not deny the quality of the work.

'For Life is quite absurd, And death's the final word, you must always face the curtain with a bow, Forget about your sin - give the audience a grin, Enjoy it - its your last chance anyhow.'

2. Sit on my Face

I have watched some Python in my time but being 4 when it finished, there are great chunks I have never seen, so this song came completely unexpected when I first heard the album. So much so I had to listen again, just to check you understand. It ends with 'Life can be fine if we all sixty nine, If we sit on our faces, in all sorts of places, And Play til' we're blown away. Risky words for 30 years ago! The music for this is very upbeat, and jolly. To be honest, wouldn't be out of place if the words were replaced with a childrens nursery rhyme - great stuff.
Composed by Harry Parr Davies, author Eric Idle

3. Lumberjack Song

Oh sod it, I never wanted to be ciao reviewer, I wanted to be a Lumberjack, leaping from tree to tree… and so (edited a bit) opens probably the second best known song on the CD. It tells of a Lumberjack, who is initially very macho, then reveals that he wears high heels and a bra. He's a lumberjack and he's ok, he sleeps all night, and he works all day. Written by Terry Jones and Michael Palin

4. Penis Song (The not Noel Coward Song)

This is inspired by the Noel Coward piano songs, again the words took me aback the first time I heard it: Isn't it awfully nice to have a penis, Isn't it frightfully good to have a dong? And so it goes on. Eric Idol wrote this one

5. Oliver Cromwell

John Cleese, is responsible for completely annihilating Chopin's Polonaise No 6 Op 53 in A flat, but hey, I hate playing and listening to Chopin so I quite like this one, but you do have to listen quite closely as it tells the story of the beheading of King Charles 1 and Cromwell becoming Lord Protector of England, quite difficult to hear the words but a stroke of genius when you finally understand them.

6. Money Song

Another upbeat song, again very silly and doesn't translate well to the new united Europe. Not as funny as the other songs, but still irritatingly catchy. Written by Eric idle and John Gould.

7. Accountancy Shanty

Its fun to charter an accountant, And sail the wide accountan-cy (accountan - sea, get it?) cringeable stuff continuing in the money theme. No prize for guessing, Eric Idle was the culprit here.

8. Finland

Anyone who saw Pole to Pole, will remember Palin sitting on a bus through Finland singing this one. The song is taking the mick out of travel brochures and programmes, 'Your so sadly neglected, and often ignored, A poor second to Belgium, when going abroad' Palin also wrote it.

9. Medical Love Song

Another track to skip if children are in the room, when it opens with 'Inflammation of the foreskin, reminds me of your smile, I've had ballanital chancroids for quite a little while' sung in the form of a ballad with once again a very catchy. Eric Idle and Graham Chapman for this one.

10. I'm so worried

Terry Jones wrote this one, and its very different to many of the others, the main point of the song is he is worried about the baggage retrieval system they've got at Heathrow. Good comic timing at the end. Not my favourite but still not a weak link - and sadly I still know most of the words.

11. Every Sperm is Sacred

I love the way they've got kids singing on this one, although not sure I would let mine do it. The song takes the Catholic beliefs to the extreme and may offend, for example 'You're a Catholic the moment Dad came…' and 'If a sperm is wasted, God gets quite irate'. Written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones

12. Never be Rude to an Arab

The one thing that can be said about the Python team, they are politically incorrect to the core, but certainly show no prejudice towards any particular group, they insult them all equally. This is a very tongue in cheek, short song that ends with an explosion when the insulters get blown up. Written by Terry Jones.

13. I like Chinese

Now in the little booklet that comes with the CD, there is a section written in Chinese script, oh well, can't sing along to that bit. Very politically incorrect once again, probably more acceptable in the early 70's but they certainly wouldn't have got away with it today. For example; 'I like Chinese, they only come up to your knees' and 'There's nine hundred million of them in the world today, you better learn to like them that's what I say' but it's a nice song. Eric Idle again

14. Eric the Half a Bee

Noel Coward undertones on this one again, it will make you smile but I would love to know what Eric Idle was on when wrote this one. It's frankly, very, very silly and makes no sense, and is about a half a Bee!

15. Brian Song

A very dramatic piece written as a take off of Shirley Bassey songs, wouldn't look out of place fronting a James Bond film, that is until you actually read the words, featured surprisingly enough for the 'Life of Brian' written by Michael Palin

16. Bruces Philosphers Song

A drinking song written by Eric Idle. Great lyrics, 'Socrates himself is particularly missed, A lovely little thinker but a bugger when he's pissed. A very nonsensical song, but I am probably hearing it out of context.

17. The meaning of Life

Another big band type song, involving finding out the meaning of life, game show style - again very innovative for the time. Another Eric Idle masterpiece (I keep misspelling him as Idol, and I'm sure Billy wouldn't be pleased!)

18. We're Knights of the Round Table

We dance when ere we're able, my kids love this one originally found in the film 'The Holy Grail' it's a great riding song, sounding like they are on horse back (no coconuts in this one though) Graham Chapman and John Cleese wrote it.

19. All things Dull and Ugly

So true, as kids we all sat in assembly singing all things bright and beautiful, this was originally filmed as a sketch with a group of school boys annoying the headmaster by singing the alternative words:

All things dull and ugly
All creatures short and squat
All things rude and nasty
The lord god made the lot.

Written by Eric Idle

20. Decomposing Composer

My absolute favourite (being a music teacher and all!) by Michael Palin. Great lyrics over bars of classical music, all famous stuff like Pachabels Canon and the opening bars of Beethovens fifth. 'Handel and Haydn and Rachmaninov, enjoyed a nice drink with their meals, but nowadays no one will serve them and their gravy is left to congeal.'

21. Henry Kissinger

Very odd song by Eric Idle. All about Henry Kissinger, quite catchy but not one of the best.

22. Two Legs

'I've got 2 Legs from my hips to the ground, and when I move them they walk around, And when I lift them they climb the stairs, and when I shave them they ain't got hairs.'

That's it, the whole song as written by Terry Gilliam

23. Christmas in Heaven

Eric Idle and Terry Jones, this time taking the mick out of the early '80s Christmas line ups - 'Its Christmas in Heaven, there's great films on tv. The Sound of music twice an hour and Jaws, 1,2 and 3.

24. Galaxy Song

The music on this one makes it sound like a very swirly, twirly type of song, a bit like the galaxy. A very light hearted piece and the final lyrics are simply classic 'And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space, Because there's bugger all down here on Earth' Eric Idle had obviously never discovered all the intelligent folk on ciao.

25. Spam

Originally written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones about the disgusting war time ham substitute. Would now be very apt to describe the average email inbox: lovely spam, wonderful spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam Spam…….

So there you have it, 25 very intelligently written songs from the classic cult comedians, there is no way this CD is for everyone, especially those with young children, but for any fans of Monty Python it is a must.

Thank you for reading.

ps. Since writing this review ciao seem to have changed both the title and the album cover picture. this is NOT the Eric Idle sings album but the whole of the Monty Python team the actual album has a big read mouth on it.
 

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