Another Monty Python Record


Another Monty Python Record is the second album produced by the Monty Python comedy group, released in 1971. Dissatisfied with their monaural Monty Python's [Flying Circus (album)|BBC debut album] released the previous year, the group took full control of the follow-up, which would be the first release of a six-album deal with Charisma Records in the UK. Most of the material is from the second BBC series of Monty Python's Flying Circus, with a few newly written pieces. One track, "Stake Your Claim", is an English-language version of a sketch from the team's first German episode.

Background

The production, with its innovative use of stereo and sound effects, was handled by Terry Jones and Michael Palin and proved a technical challenge. According to Jones: "We had this horrendous time because we were recording in this rather hippy recording studio. We were very keen to use the stereo and everything, but what we hadn't realised was that the guy who was doing the recording, who I think was out of his head most of the time, had not been making any notes. We'd end up with tapes and tapes of material with no idea of where anything was on the tapes. That was a bitter experience."
The sleeve was designed by Terry Gilliam, from an idea by Terry Jones. Packaged as a classical music recording, the cover was defaced by the Pythons to serve as their own record jacket.. Included with the original vinyl LP were three card inserts printed with detailed instructions, scripts and cutout props for the "Be a Great Actor" sketch on side 2.
Due to the limitations of the vinyl format, the original 1971 UK release had many sketches edited down while others, such as "Communist Quiz" and "Penguin on the TV", were omitted altogether, causing a re-sequencing of the "Royal Festival Hall Concert" and "Spam" sketches. This truncated version was used for all UK cassette releases until 1994. When the album was released in the US in 1972 to coincide with the US release of And Now for Something Completely Different, the full unedited version was used. This longer edit was used for all CD releases in both the UK and US.
In addition to featuring a pared down track list, the original UK vinyl enjoyed two subtly different releases. Initial pressings were issued on the pink "famous Charisma label" with subsequent pressings replacing this with the "Mad Hatter" label design. Both editions featured a trick continuous runout groove at the end of Side 1, where the sound of a record scratch is followed by Michael Palin's exclamation of "Sorry, squire! I scratched the record" repeated ad infinitum in the locked groove. This groove is further away from the label than where a locked groove would normally be, so that turntables with automatic return don't ruin this gimmick.
The album marked the group's first chart success, reaching No. 26 in the UK Albums Chart.
A 7" single, the Pythons' first, combining Spam Song/The Concert was issued in the UK on 8 September 1972, nearly a year after the album's release. Later pressings were issued in a picture sleeve featuring a still from the "Dirty Fork" sketch from And Now for Something Completely Different.
The 2006 CD reissue features four bonus tracks, although these date from the 1980 Contractual Obligation Album sessions.
The 2014 LP reissue by Virgin Records contains the longer US version.

Track listing: Original UK vinyl and cassette version

Side one

  1. Introductions
  2. Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)|Spanish Inquisition]
  3. Gumby Cherry Orchard
  4. Contradiction
  5. Architect's Sketch
  6. Spanish Inquisition
  7. Royal Festival Hall Concert
  8. Ethel the Frog

    Side two

  9. Death of Mary, Queen of Scots
  10. Spam
  11. Spanish Inquisition
  12. Comfy Chair
  13. Famous Person Quiz
  14. Be a Great Actor
  15. Neville Shunt
  16. Camp Judges
  17. Stake Your Claim
  18. Cannibalism
  19. Camp Judges
  20. Undertaker
  21. Spanish Inquisition

    Track listing: US version, worldwide CD version

Side one

  1. Introductions
  2. Spanish Inquisition
  3. Communist Quiz
  4. Gumby Cherry Orchard
  5. Contradiction
  6. Architect's Sketch
  7. Spanish Inquisition
  8. Ethel the Frog

    Side two

  9. Death of Mary, Queen of Scots
  10. Penguin on the TV
  11. Spanish Inquisition
  12. Comfy Chair
  13. Famous Person Quiz
  14. Be a Great Actor
  15. Neville Shunt
  16. Royal Festival Hall Concert
  17. Spam
  18. Camp Judges
  19. Stake Your Claim
  20. Cannibalism
  21. Camp Judges
  22. Undertaker
  23. Spanish Inquisition

    2006 CD bonus tracks

  24. Treadmill Lager
  25. Bishop at Home
  26. Courtroom Sketch
  27. Freelance Undertaker

    Personnel

The following is the list of musical works included on the album. They comprise a mixture of De Wolfe library music, self-penned Python songs and specially composed music by Fred Tomlinson.
  1. Trondheim Hammer Dance
  2. Liberty Bell
  3. Fanfare Opening
  4. Formal Presentation
  5. Contesana Padawana
  6. Man of Power
  7. Gold Lame
  8. Southern Breeze
  9. Spam Song
  10. Bahama Parakeet
  11. House of Fashion
  12. Circus Tumble
  13. Fanfare A
  14. Mystery Drums
  15. Mystery Place
  16. Ode to Edward
  17. In Step With Johann
  18. Knees Up Mother Brown

    Distribution information

  • LP: Charisma CAS 1049
  • Cassette: Charisma ZCCAS 1049
  • LP: Charisma CAS 1049
  • LP: Philips 6369 913
  • LP: Charisma CAS 1049
  • Cassette: Charisma CASMC 1049
  • LP: Charisma CHC 79
  • CD: Charisma CASCD 1049
  • LP: Virgin MP501
  • CD: Virgin VCCD 001
  • LP: Virgin Records MPYTHONLP2