As the 1960’s came to a close a new comedic force arose in the form of “Monty Python” They were a British surreal comedy troupe who created the sketch comedy television show Monty Python’s Flying Circus, which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series. The Python phenomenon developed from the television series into something larger in scope and influence, including touring stage shows, films, albums, books and musicals. The Pythons’ influence on comedy has been compared to the Beatles’ influence on music. Regarded as an enduring icon of 1970s pop culture, their sketch show has been referred to as being “an important moment in the evolution of television comedy”.
Broadcast by the BBC between 1969 and 1974, Monty Python’s Flying Circus was conceived, written and performed by its members Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. Loosely structured as a sketch show, but with an innovative stream-of-consciousness approach aided by Gilliam’s animation, it pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in style and content. A self-contained comedy team responsible for both writing and performing their work, the Pythons had creative control which allowed them to experiment with form and content, discarding rules of television comedy. Following their television work, they began making films, including Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), Life of Brian (1979) and THe Meaning of Life (1983). Their influence on British comedy has been apparent for years, while in North America, it has coloured the work of cult performers from the early editions of Saturday Night Live through to absurdist trends in television comedy. “Pythonesque” has entered the English lexicon as a result.
“The Tale of Sir Robin” from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. This is the ballad sung by minstrels for Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir-Lancelot (Eric Idle). Primarily, they narrate the obvious happenings that they and Sir Robin encounter, and tend to lavish praise on the gallant knight. Or at least they think until Sir Robin was revealed to be a coward, to which they pointed out in song, much to the knight’s embarrassment.
“The Lumberjack Song” One of the most memorable sketches of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, “The Lumberjack Song” is a ballad of the everyman, in first glance. The everyman singer (Palin) clinging to his “best girl” beside him (Carol Cleveland) proclaims the wonders of a lumberjack until he senselessly expresses his desires to crossdress. He keeps rambling in deep detail what women’s clothing he likes to wear, much to the disgust of the “best girl” and the back chorus of Canadian Mounties.
“Galaxy Song” from Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life. The movie is filled with absurdist segments that gives anything but “the meaning of life”. In one known segment, a paramedic (John Cleese) persuades a frantic woman named Mrs. Brown (Terry Jones) to donate her liver by sending a man in a pink suit (Idle) to sing a ballad about how her life is insignificant, compared to the vastness of the universe. The man throws many information to Mrs. Brown about the galaxy’s statistics. Convinced about the info, Mrs. Brown agrees with the paramedic.
“Camelot Song” (“Knights of the Round Table”) from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. When King Arthur successfully lead Sir Bedevere the Wise, Sir Lancelot the Brave, Sir Galahad the Pure, Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir-Lancelot and their men to Camelot, they break into song to rejoice their sudden victory. However, Arthur decides not to pursue entering the Camelot for being “a silly place”. Patsy earlier noted that it is “just a model”.
“Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” from Monty Python’s Life of Brian. This is perhaps Monty Python’s most popular song. Sung during the end of the epic spoof, a crucified Brian had his spirits his high when one of his fellow sufferers (Idle) starts singing the song. They then harmonize with this song expressing the bright side of life during their death sentence.
