Monty Python : Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
On November 16, 1979 Monty Python released the single "Always Look On The Bright Side of Life", written by Eric Idle for The Life of Brian. It failed to chart until the 1990's when it reached U.K.#3. Idle would tell BBC Radio 4 Inheritance Tracks programme :
"I think it has a good moral philosophy. It's very encouraging for people and it sort of inspires them and I'm happy to say it's the number one song at British funerals.
The song was written when we were writing the Life of Brian with Python and every one of characters were all headed for death. We didn't know how to end the film and I suddenly suggested 'Well, we should end with a song' and they went 'Oh, that's a good idea' and I said "But it should be a song that is sung from the crosses and it should be a cheery, happy song. It should be looking on the bright side. And it should maybe be like a Disney song . There should be a little whistle to it'. And they said 'Oh that's good' and (Terry) Gilliam said 'They can dance as well' and so they said 'That's good. That's great. There's our ending' and in the wrote in the script "Ends with a song: I'm looking on the Bright Side " and now we can all go home and have tea.
"I went home and I wrote it very quickly...and I changed it to 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life'. Well of course it's very ironic. There is no bright side if you're being crucified. To me, it's a parody of a war time song of my father's generation which were always about the White Cliffs of Dover...and one day things will get better and 'Bright Side' is sort of in that genre.
"It's in the lyric actually. 'Always remember that the last laugh is on you'. So it will be, you know. one day."
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