In my (the webmaster's) humble opinion, I feel that the compilation-album "genre" is the one area where Monty Python has ill-considered their fans. (The only such album I feel is worth at least one listen is Monty Python Sings, which I have reviewed separately.)
It seems odd that the Pythons--who once sued ABC for ruining the pace and content of their last series of BBC shows--have issued "official" compilation albums whose pace slows down and speeds up like an intemperate car. Unlike their "proper" albums, Python's compilations (other than Python Sings) jump from movie material to live material to TV sketches with no continuity whatsoever. The compilations have overlapping material (some sketches are reprised in more than one compilation album), and sometimes, even the sketch titles change from album to album. Despite the compilations' jokey titles, they do indeed come off as rip-offs.
Only for the sake of completeness have I listed the contents of these albums below. Python buffs are better advised to seek out the original albums separately. (Your other alternative--if you have a huge wad of cash at hand--is The Monty Python Instant CD Collection, a box set of all of Python's albums, issued to commemorate the group's 25th anniversary. Even this collection has a major debit--none of the original albums' artwork, particularly Terry Gilliam's appropriately lunatic drawings.)
Contents: Executive Intro* / Pet Shop / Nudge, Nudge / Live Broadcast from London* / Premiere of Film* / Brind Out Your Dead / How Do You Tell a Witch / Camelot / Argument Clinic / Crunchy Frog / Cheese Shop / The Phone-In* / Sit On My Face / Another Executive Announcement* / Bishop on the Landing / Elephantoplasty* / The Lumberjack Song / Bookshop* / Blackmail / Farewell to John Denver* / World Forum / String* / Wide World of Novel Writing* / Death of Mary, Queen of Scots / Never Be Rude to an Arab
Contents: Introduction* / Constitutional Peasants / Fish License / Eric the Half a Bee / Finland* / Travel Agent / Embarrassment * / Australian Table Wines* / Argument Clinic / Henry Kissinger* / Parrot / Sit On My Face / Novel Writing* / String* / Bells* / Traffic Lights* / Cocktail Bar* / Four Yorkshiremen / Election Special / Lumberjack Song / I Like Chinese* / Spanish Inquisition - Part 1 / Cheese Shop / Cherry Orchard * / Architects / Spanish Inquisition - Part 2 / Spam / Spanish Inquisition, Part 3 - Comfy Chair / Famous Person Quiz* / You Be the Actor* / Nudge, Nudge / Cannibalism / Spanish Inquisition Revisited / I Bet You They Won't Play This Song On the Radio* / Bruces / Bookshop* / Do What John?* / Rock Notes* / I'm So Worried* / Crocodile* / French Taunter Part 1 / Marilyn Monroe* / Swamp Castle / French Taunter Part 2 / Last Word*
Contents: Introduction* / Finland* / Travel Agent / I Like Chinese* French Taunter / Australian Table Wines* / Spanish Inquisition / The Galaxy Song / Every Sperm Is Sacred / The Grim Reaper / Sit On My Face / Argument Clinic / Death of Mary, Queen of Scots / Four Yorkshiremen / Lumberjack Song / Albatross / Nudge, Nudge / Parrot / Bruces' Philosopher Song / Fish License / Eric the Half a Bee* / Spam Song / Big Nose / Stoning / Link 1* / Welease Woger / Link 2* / Always Look on the Bright Side of Life / Spanish Inquisition (Ending)
(* denotes material not available in any other Python movies or TV episodes)
Click on the appropriate link to:
Return to our record-albums page
© 2004, Sit on My Monty Python Website.
