Life Is Quite Absurd

Monty Python : Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

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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."

I Feel Good I Feel Bad

The Rutles : I Must Be In Love 

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On March 22 1978 NBC aired "All You Need Is Cash", a Beatles parody that is one of the first, finest and funniest mockumentaries ever made. Naturally nobody watched. It was the least watched program of the entire week. Monty Python's Eric Idle and Bonzo Dog Band's Neil Innes were the masterminds behind the project which gently spoofs their friends. George Harrison helped produce Monty Python movies and Paul McCartney produced the Bonzo's UK#5 hit "I'm the Urban Spaceman" and featured the band performing "Death Cab for Cutie"  in Magical Mystery Tour.

The film is fun but the I've gotten the most pleasure from the soundtrack featuring Innes's Beatlesque tunes. The songs so closely parodied the original source material that Innes was taken to court by the owners of The Beatles' catalogue. Innes had to testify under oath that he had not listened to the songs at all while composing The Rutles' songs, but had created them completely originally based on what he remembered various songs by The Beatles sounding like at different times. 

Innes recorded the songs with ex Flames and Beach Boy Ricky Fataar, Ollie Halsall (who sang the Paul McCartney inspired tunes that Eric Idle mimed , John Halseyn( who played the Ringo inspired Barry Wom)  and Andy Brown. 

I would often play the Rutles on my college radio show, favoring  Rutle Soul era songs like "I Must Be In Love", "With a Girl Like You",  "Ouch" and "Between Us".