The group includes Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle (the trio from Cambridge, who are all taller than all the other members of the group, and known as the more "aggressive" half of the group), Terry Jones (from Wales), Michael Palin (from Oxford) and Terry Gilliam (Minnesota in the United States). Chapman wrote the sketches with Cleese, Jones wrote with Palin, Idle wrote alone and Gilliam did the animations. Neil Innes and Carol Cleveland have both on occasion been mentioned as the "7th Python".
Graham Chapman, widely known as "The Dead One", died of cancer on October 4, 1989, the day before Python's 20th anniversary (thus being called "the greatest party pooper of all time" by Terry Jones), is tagged as the greatest actor among the group by his fellow Pythons. He had problems with alcohol and was a dedicated smoker of the pipe (he appears with a pipe in his hand in most of the Python sketches). He was known for his outstanding and abstract sense of humour; Cleese states that during their sketch-writing partnership Chapman did not say much, but when he said something it was often brilliant. The term "pepperpot" which is used to describe middle-aged ladies was found by Chapman.
John Cleese, probably the most famous Python on the other side of the Atlantic, is most widely known for his silly walk - the famous walk that he invented for Monty Python's Flying Circus, and repeated in one episode of Fawlty Towers, where he tries very hard not to remind his German visitors of the World War II by doing impersonations of Hitler. He lives in the USA. He played the lead as Basil Fawlty in "Fawlty Towers". He has been reported to be the first man to say "shit" on British TV and the first man to say "fuck" at a British memorial service.
Eric Idle is the composer of most Python songs (along with Neil Innes) such as the Python anthem "Always Look on the Bright Side Of Life" (which is also played after Iron Maiden's shows). His outstanding linguistic abilities have earned him the name "Master of the One-Liner". He created the Beatles parody "The Rutles" along with Neil Innes, and recently adapted the Python movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" as a Broadway musical called "Monty Python's Spamalot". His most famous Python role is the character he plays in the "Nudge Nudge" sketch. He is the self-acclaimed third tallest and sixth nicest Python.
Terry Gilliam was the only American in the group and has one of the most successful post-Python careers among the six, as he is the director of hugely popular movies like Brazil, 12 Monkeys, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and The Fisher King. His part was instrumental in helping Python gain their reputation as a unique comedy group, his animations helping them link sketches (which, of course, don't have punch lines) in an unprecedented manner. He has become a British citizen in early 2006 and renounced his American citizenship shortly afterwards. He acknowledges The Goon Show, a radio show aired in the 1950s on BBC radio, written by Spike Milligan and performed by Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers, as the main reason he chose Britain as his homeland.
Terry Jones is the most successful actor of the woman role (as demonstrated in the Spam sketch, which is only one of numerous occasions in which he has voiced the trademark of a high-pitched female impersonation). He is the director (or co-director) of all Python movies. He has also written, directed and appeared in a few more movies which featured some of his Python mates; despite the fact that these movies aren't quite a match for his work in the Flying Circus, they include some hilarious scenes, such as the singing scene in Erik the Viking. He is the writer of such excellent songs as "I'm So Worried" and "Traffic Lights". He has done a few historical documentaries, and in one of them he briefly acts the part of King Richard III (called "Ring Kichard the Thrid" by the Eric Idle character "the man who speaks entirely in anagrams", which prompts Michael Palin the interviewer to suggest that "Ring Kichard is surely a spoonerism and not an anagram", which results in Eric Idle's character leaving the studio, saying "If you are going to split hairs, I'm going to piss off" (which can serve as a pointer to the Eric Idle-John Cleese movie "Splitting Heirs")).
Michael Palin, known as the nicest python, and the favorite Python to work with for John Cleese, has done numerous travel documentaries during his post-Python career. His amazing sense of humour has inevitably permeated into what would otherwise be just ordinary documentaries (occasions like the Polushka Pole incident and thanking the goddess for her "nice mountain", to name a couple). This nice man, who finds it very difficult to say "no", is the only one who said "no" to a reunion in their 30th year. He is the inventor of the threat "If you don't cooperate, I will get nasty and start using some Dutch words".
As admitted on several occasions, the group likes to dress up as women.
Having said all that, Terry Jones is actually Welsh.
Parrot
Monty Python Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
John Cleese sHOP OWNER
Michael Palin
The sketch: A customer enters a pet shop
Mr praline: 'Ello
I wish to register a complaint
(The owner does not respond)
Owner: What do you mean "miss"?
Mr praline: I'm sorry
I have a cold i wish to make a complaint!
Owner: We're closin' for lunch
Mr praline: Never mind that
My lad i wish to complain
About this parrot what I
Purchased not half an hour ago
From this very boutique
Owner: Oh yes, the, uh
The Norwegian Blue what's
Uh what's wrong with it?
Mr praline: I'll tell you what's wrong
With it, my lad 'E's dead
That's what's wrong with it!
Owner: No, no, 'e's uh, he's resting
Mr praline: Look, matey, I know a
Dead parrot when I see one
And I'm looking at one right now
Owner: No no he's not dead, he's, he's
Restin'! Remarkable bird, the
Norwegian Blue, idn'it
Ay? Beautiful plumage!
Mr praline: The plumage don't enter
Into it it's stone dead
Owner: Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!
Mr praline: All right then, if he's restin'
I'll wake him up!
(shouting at the cage) 'Ello
Mister Polly Parrot! I've got a lovely fresh
Cuttle fish for you if you show
(owner hit's the cage)
Owner: There, he moved!
Mr praline: No, he didn't
That was you hitting the cage!
Owner: I never! Mr praline: Yes, you did!
Owner: I never, never did anything
Mr praline:
(yelling and hitting the cage repeatedly)
'ELLO POLLY! Testing! Testing!
Testing! Testing! This is your
Nine o'clock alarm call!
(Takes parrot out of the cage and thumps
It's head on the counter throws
It up in the air and watches
It plummet to the floor)
Mr praline: Now that's what I
Call a dead parrot
Owner: No, no no, 'e's stunned!
Mr praline: STUNNED?!
Owner: yeah! You stunned him, just as he
Was wakin' up! Norwegian Blues stun easily
Major
Mr praline: Um now look now look, mate
I've definitely 'ad enough of this that
Parrot is definitely deceased
And when I purchased it not 'alf an hour
Ago, you assured me that it's total
Lack of movement was due
To it bein' tired and shagged
Out following a prolonged squawk
Owner: Well, he's he's
Ah probably pining for the fjords
Mr praline: PININ' for the FJORDS?! What
Kind of talk is that?, look
Why did he fall flat on his back
The moment I got 'im home?
Owner: The Norwegian Blue prefers keepin' on
It's back! Remarkable bird, id'nit
Squire? Lovely plumage! Mr praline: Look
I took the liberty of examining
That parrot when I got it home
And I discovered the only reason that it had
Been sitting on it's perch in the
First place was that it had been NAILED there
(pause)
Owner: Well, o'course it was nailed there! If
I hadn't nailed that bird down, it
Would have nuzzled up to those bars
Bent 'em apart with it's beak, and
VOOM! Feeweeweewee!
Mr praline: "VOOM"?! Mate
This bird wouldn't "voom" if you put four
Million volts through it!
'E's bleedin' demised!
Owner: No no! 'E's pining!
Mr praline: 'E's not pinin'!
'E's passed on! This
Parrot is no more! He has ceased to
Be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is
Maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e
Rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to
The perch 'e'd be pushing up the
Daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are
Now 'istory! 'E's
Off the twig! 'E's kicked the
Bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil
Run down the curtain and joined the bleedin'
Choir invisibile! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!
(pause)
Owner: Well, I'd better replace it, then
(he takes a quick peek behind
The counter) Sorry squire, i've
Had a look 'round the back of the shop
And uh we're right out of parrots
Mr praline: I see i see, I get the picture
Owner: I got a slug (pause)
Mr praline: Pray, does it talk?
Owner: Nnnnot really
Mr praline: WELL IT'S HARDLY
A bloody replacement, iS IT?!
Owner: N no, I guess not
(gets ashamed, looks at his feet)
Mr praline: Well (pause)
Owner: (quietly) D'you d'you want to come back to my place?
Mr praline:
(looks around) yeah, all right, sure
The lyrics to Monty Python's song "Parrot Sketch" depict a humorous interaction between Mr. Praline, a customer, and the shop owner in a pet shop. Mr. Praline enters the shop to register a complaint about a parrot he purchased, claiming that it is dead. The shop owner insists that the parrot is merely resting and tries to convince Mr. Praline that it is a remarkable bird with beautiful plumage. However, Mr. Praline remains adamant that the parrot is dead and becomes increasingly frustrated with the owner's denial. He goes to extreme lengths to prove that the parrot is deceased, hitting the cage and throwing it in the air. Eventually, the owner admits that the parrot is indeed dead.
This sketch is a classic piece of comedy from Monty Python, showcasing their absurdist humor and skill for delivering clever wordplay and double entendres. The song plays on the concept of miscommunication and the frustration that arises from being unable to convince someone of the truth. It also satirizes customer service and the absurd lengths some people go to avoid admitting mistakes.
Line by Line Meaning
'Ello
Mr Praline greets the shop owner.
I wish to register a complaint
Mr Praline wants to express his dissatisfaction.
'Ello, Miss?
Mr Praline addresses someone else in the shop.
What do you mean 'miss'?
The shop owner questions the use of 'miss'.
I'm sorry, I have a cold I wish to make a complaint!
Mr Praline apologizes for the confusion and reiterates his desire to complain.
We're closin' for lunch
The shop owner informs Mr Praline about the shop's closure.
Never mind that, my lad, I wish to complain
Mr Praline disregards the shop owner's statement and insists on complaining.
About this parrot what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique
Mr Praline wants to complain about the parrot he bought recently from the shop.
Oh yes, the, uh, The Norwegian Blue, what's uh what's wrong with it?
The shop owner acknowledges the parrot and asks Mr Praline about the issue.
I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad 'E's dead, that's what's wrong with it!
Mr Praline states that the parrot is dead and that's the problem.
No, no, 'e's uh, he's resting
The shop owner denies the parrot being dead and claims it's resting.
Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one and I'm looking at one right now
Mr Praline asserts his certainty about the parrot being dead.
No no he's not dead, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, idn'it Ay? Beautiful plumage!
The shop owner insists on the parrot resting and compliments its appearance.
The plumage don't enter into it, it's stone dead
Mr Praline dismisses the relevance of the parrot's appearance and emphasizes its lifelessness.
Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!
The shop owner continues to argue that the parrot is resting.
All right then, if he's restin', I'll wake him up! (shouting at the cage) 'Ello Mister Polly Parrot! I've got a lovely fresh Cuttle fish for you if you show (owner hit's the cage)
Mr Praline decides to confirm if the parrot is resting by trying to wake it up, but the shop owner interrupts by hitting the cage.
There, he moved!
The shop owner claims that the parrot moved.
No, he didn't, that was you hitting the cage!
Mr Praline points out that the movement came from the cage being hit, not the parrot.
I never!
The shop owner denies hitting the cage.
Yes, you did!
Mr Praline contradicts the shop owner's denial.
I never, never did anything
The shop owner claims innocence.
(yelling and hitting the cage repeatedly) 'ELLO POLLY! Testing! Testing! Testing! Testing! This is your Nine o'clock alarm call!
Mr Praline tries to wake up the parrot by shouting and hitting the cage repeatedly.
(Takes parrot out of the cage and thumps its head on the counter, throws it up in the air and watches it plummet to the floor)
Mr Praline takes the parrot out of the cage, hits its head on the counter, throws it up, and sees it fall to the ground.
Now that's what I call a dead parrot
Mr Praline confirms that the parrot is indeed dead.
No, no, 'e's stunned!
The shop owner refuses to accept the parrot's death and claims it's just stunned.
STUNNED?!
Mr Praline expresses disbelief at the idea that the parrot is only stunned.
Um now look, now look, mate, I've definitely 'ad enough of this, that parrot is definitely deceased
Mr Praline asserts that he has had enough of the situation and reiterates that the parrot is dead.
Well, he's, he's ah probably pining for the fjords
The shop owner suggests that the parrot might be yearning for the fjords.
PININ' for the FJORDS?! What kind of talk is that? Look why did he fall flat on his back the moment I got 'im home?
Mr Praline questions the shop owner's claim and points out that the parrot fell on its back when brought home.
The Norwegian Blue prefers keepin' on its back! Remarkable bird, id'nit Squire? Lovely plumage!
The shop owner maintains that the parrot likes to be on its back and praises its appearance.
Look, I took the liberty of examining that parrot when I got it home, and I discovered the only reason that it had been sitting on its perch in the first place was that it had been NAILED there
Mr Praline reveals that he examined the parrot and found out it was only on its perch because it was nailed there.
Well, o'course it was nailed there! If I hadn't nailed that bird down, it would have nuzzled up to those bars, bent 'em apart with its beak, and VOOM! Feeweeweewee!
The shop owner justifies the parrot being nailed to prevent it from escaping and causing havoc.
'VOOM'?! Mate, this bird wouldn't 'voom' if you put four million volts through it! 'E's bleedin' demised!
Mr Praline dismisses the shop owner's claim that the parrot could 'voom' and states that the parrot is dead.
No no! 'E's pining!
The shop owner insists that the parrot is pining, not dead.
'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is Maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!
Mr Praline adamantly declares that the parrot is dead, providing various expressions and descriptions of its death.
Well, I'd better replace it, then
The shop owner decides to replace the dead parrot.
Sorry squire, i've had a look 'round the back of the shop and uh we're right out of parrots
The shop owner apologizes and informs Mr Praline that they don't have any parrots available.
I see I see, I get the picture
Mr Praline acknowledges the situation and comprehends the message.
I got a slug
The shop owner mentions having a slug, possibly as a replacement.
Pray, does it talk?
Mr Praline asks if the slug can talk.
Nnnnot really
The shop owner admits that the slug does not talk.
WELL IT'S HARDLY A bloody replacement, iS IT?!
Mr Praline criticizes the slug as a poor substitute for the dead parrot.
N no, I guess not
The shop owner agrees that the slug is not a suitable replacement.
Well
Mr Praline starts his response.
(quietly) D'you d'you want to come back to my place?
The shop owner, bashfully, invites Mr Praline to his place.
(looks around) yeah, all right, sure
Mr Praline looks around and eventually agrees to go with the shop owner.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@archierm
"It's not paining, It has passed on!
This parrot is no more!
It has ceased to be!
It's expired and gone to meet its maker!
This is a late parrot!
It's a stiff, bereft of life! It's rests in peace!
If you hadn't nailed him to the perch he'd be pushing up the daisies!
It has run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible!!
THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!"
Beautiful, just fucking beautiful!
@lebbo88
"Hello Miss."
"What do you mean, 'Miss'?"
"I'm sorry, I have a cold."
@lewissmith6050
Well done you quoted the video
@GFSan
+Kevin Lebby Underappreciated joke.
@lebbo88
+Charles Philip Trash Thank you! Very underappreciated.
@anag.1656
That's just brilliant....hahahahah
@sufangkong771
I think he said "complaint" than "cold"
@archierm
"It's not paining, It has passed on!
This parrot is no more!
It has ceased to be!
It's expired and gone to meet its maker!
This is a late parrot!
It's a stiff, bereft of life! It's rests in peace!
If you hadn't nailed him to the perch he'd be pushing up the daisies!
It has run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible!!
THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!"
Beautiful, just fucking beautiful!
@NYCentralSpotter1070
Archie Manalang Well, he's...he's, ah...probably pining for the fjords.
@PhoenixPrincess10
+Kendra Marybeth Davenport Pining for the fjords? What kind of talk is that?
@NYCentralSpotter1070
PhoenixPrincess10 The Norwegian Blue prefers keepin' on it's back! Remarkable bird, id'nit, squire? Lovely plumage!