Monty Python Albums (8)
What The Critics Say
Unlike most comedy releases, the soundtrack of Monty Python's The Meaning of Life is an appealing audio souvenir that doesn't get stale after listening to it a few times, because of the incredibly catchy and satirical songs from the film, which are all included: "The Meaning of Life," "Galaxy Song," "Accountancy Shanty," "The Not Noel Coward Song," "Christmas in Heaven," and "Every Sperm Is Sacred." Also interspersed with the music are dialogue snippets from the film involving, but not limited to, a wafer-thin mint, the machine that goes PING, a drill sergeant marching up and down the square, six philosophic fish, live organ transplants, and, of course, the meaning of life. ~ Al Campbell, All Music Guide
'Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album'
Release Date 1/1/1980
Tracks 24
Label Arista
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What The Critics Say
"Never Be Rude to an Arab," "Sit on My Face," "Farewell to John Denver," "All Things Dull and Ugly" and "I Bet You They Won't Play This Song on the Radio" are just a few of the highlights of this wild 1980 release. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Soundtrack album for arguably the Python's best film (or at least their most controversial, talky, and profound). The group's take on the biblical epic focuses on Brian (Graham Chapman), mistaken for the messiah by a group of easily impressed locals. All the best bits from the movie are here, including the "Sermon on the Mount" (as misheard by "Mr. Big Nose"); the People's Liberation Front of Judea (or is it the Judean People's Liberation Front?); Brian's impromptu preaching ("He's making it up as he goes along!"), and the concluding song, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," sung by the cast as they hang crucified. The album offers little apart from the clips from the film, except for some studio banter between a producer (Eric Idle) and a useless announcer (Graham Chapman). ~ Ted Mills, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Originally recorded live at the New York City Center in Manhattan in April, 1976, this collection of often brilliant sketches includes the original Python lineup of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'
Release Date 1/1/1975
Tracks 25
Label Arista
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What The Critics Say
The actual title of this release is "The Album of the Soundtrack of the Trailer of the Film of Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)." As such, a majority of the disc consists of extracts from the motion picture's dialogue. This is a different approach from what writer/actors Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Terry Gilliam (also visual designer) had taken with their previous studio outings, which were in essence re-recordings of classic sketches from the Monty Python's Flying Circus television program. For the sake of continuity, several new bits have been added; chief among these are Chapman's assorted "Executive Edition" announcements, concluding with the "verrrry nice" "Executive Edition Addendum." For the "Tour of the Classic Silbury Hill Theatre" and "Live Broadcast from London: Premiere of the Film," Palin and Cleese provide setting and exposition for both the album and the film. At times they mock the visual aspects and the very nature of the cinematic experience as it translates (or fails to translate) onto vinyl. Much of what is included here has become legendary among the faithful, as well as definitive within the Python repertoire, most notably "Bring Out Your Dead," "A Witch," "The Knights Who Say 'Ni!'," and "Camelot," the Hollywood-style production number written by former Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band member Neil Innes, who also provided all the songs for the flick. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After concluding work on the fourth and final series of Monty Python's Flying Circus, writer/actors Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Terry Gilliam adapted many of the classic sketches for the stage. This album commences with a faux sincerely toned "Introduction" from Idle in the role of narrator, as he observes: "...Amongst the glittering audience here tonight I can see, uhm...oh...what's his name, uhh, the...the fellow with the glasses on the telly. And next to him is, uhm...oh, uh, the lady with the big knockers in the jam commercial." There are notable variations between the scripts used for the TV show and the dialogue incorporated during live performances. Additionally, this disc includes a few items that were presumably created for the staged show. Among them are former Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band member and part-time Python Neil Innes' "Idiot Song," "Secret Service," and the remarkable physical comedy involved in "Wrestling," which is countered by an equally silly color commentary from Cleese. Many of the better-known titles ("Communist Quiz," "Nudge, Nudge," "Lumberjack Song," "Pet Shop," "Albatross," and "Colonel") date back to some of the earliest episodes and have clearly become favorites of those in attendance. The core of their set remained intact when the Pythons brought the show stateside in 1976. However, as their other concert album, Live! At City Center (1976), demonstrates, there are subtle differences in delivery and pacing, as well as a few new links such as "Short Blues" and Innes' brilliant "Protest Song" from Rutland Times (1976), a conceptual collaboration with Idle that would ultimately yield the sublime Beatles parody and mockumentary All You Need Is Cash (1978). Live at Drury Lane is a great place for Python enthusiasts to start and revisit, as the presence of a live crowd progresses the humor to a new strata that is absent from the comparatively sterile TV versions. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
'Matching Tie and Handkerchief'
Release Date 1/1/1973
Tracks 11
Label Arista
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What The Critics Say
The group's third studio album in its original packaging is a find for fans of vinyl trickery: the B-side contains two continuous tracks, leaving the stylus a 50-50 chance at playing the track you want. The group reprises several skits from the show ("Bruces," "Cheese Shop") without the hindrance of playing to a live audience: in essence, it's lightning fast and witty to boot. Most of the Pythons came from a tradition of radio skit comedy, so they are not out of their depth, and are as liable to play with the conventions of recorded sound as the Firesign Theatre, their American contemporaries (though the Pythons never attempted on record anything like the concept albums of Firesign). Of the originals, "Novel Writing" (literature broadcast as sport) and "Word Association Football" (John Cleese at his densest) are winners. Ex-Bonzo Dog Band member Neil Innes also provides music on the bizarre "Background to History" in which dissertations on Medieval English farming are sung in the style of Bob Marley, Gary Glitter, and Joe Cocker. ~ Ted Mills, All Music Guide
'Monty Python's Flying Circus'
Release Date 1/1/1970
Tracks 17
Label BBC
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
This debut long-player contains a composite of skits by British comedy troupe Monty Python. The personnel features the talents of writer/actors Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Terry Gilliam (the sole Yankee), whose primary contributions were visual (most immediately evident being the iconoclastic "foot-through-the-telly" imagery adorning the front cover of this release). Keen-eared listeners familiar with the show will be able to instantly discern that the material on this platter has been re-recorded and is not simply audio lifted from the show's soundtrack. In addition to the occasional dialogue discrepancy, the use of canned laughter is noticeably different, if not at times a bit jarring. As the Pythons have become cultural icons since their demise in the early '80s, a few of the bits such as "Trades Description Act" (aka "Crunchy Frog"), the "Lumberjack Song" (which is included in the homicidal "Barber" sketch), and "Dead Parrot" (aka "Pet Shop") would go on to define the Dada-influenced surrealism that they would become most closely associated with. The vast majority of the Python catalog can be found on CD, and this title graced the medium for a very brief time in the mid-'80s as part of the BBC's Audio Visual International series. Oddly, and perhaps owing to legal rather than artistic reasons, Monty Python's Flying Circus (1970) remains unavailable to modern listeners on compact disc. While all of the characters may not be as fully-formed -- such as the sincere and butch Chapman persona used in "The Visitors" -- this is a worthwhile find, if not a somewhat compulsory primer for all enthusiasts. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
