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.
Spam
Monty Python Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam
Spa-a-a-a-a-a-a-am
Spa-a-a-a-a-a-a-am
Spa-a-a-a-a-a-a-am
Spa-a-a-a-a-a-a-am
Lovely Spam! (Lovely Spam!)
Lovely Spam!
Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam!
The Spam Song by Monty Python is a humorous ode to the canned meat product that was popular during World War II and continues to be so even today. The song is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the wonders of Spam that have captivated people's hearts for decades. The opening lines, "Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam!" are repeated over and over again throughout the song, emphasizing the enthusiasm and affection that the singers have for the product.
The chorus repeats the word "Spam" multiple times, creating an almost hypnotic effect, drawing the listeners into the song. The song is a playful jab at the sometimes-overwhelming presence of Spam in people's diets. However, the song is also a celebration of the unique place that Spam has in the hearts of many people. It is a tribute to the many ways that Spam can be prepared and enjoyed, whether it is fried, baked, or served straight out of the can.
Overall, The Spam Song is a lighthearted and humorous tribute to a food product that has become an icon in popular culture. The song's catchy tune and repetitive lyrics have made it a favorite among Monty Python fans all over the world. While it may not be the most serious or profound song ever written, it is certainly a testament to the ability of music to bring joy and laughter into people's lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam!
Hilariously ironic praise of the hormonally-preserved, processed pork coming out of a can; a testament to its ubiquity in English cuisine
Spa-a-a-a-a-a-a-am
Onomatopoeic representation of the canned pork's gelatinous, mercurial texture
Lovely Spam! (Lovely Spam!)
Reiteration of the song's opening line, doubled-down for comedic effect
Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam!
Repetitive declaration of affection for the canned meat product, delivered in a way that both affirms and satirizes its place in popular culture
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: TERRY JONES, MICHAEL EDWARD PALIN, FRED TOMLINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@paradisepipeco
@Rougarou
Put the lime in the coconut and call me in the morning.
Down Home Cookin' (Coconut Tree)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bKOBUT8rRg&list=PLOhxuTxNTwnF5AVaTbLaK2rHPXHAM_ORU&index=18
Top 40 from the Back 40 (playlist)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOhxuTxNTwnF5AVaTbLaK2rHPXHAM_ORU
@jasonshih3633
Fun fact: This is how the other meaning of spam as we know came to be. In the video, the word spam is uttered so many times as if it is being "spammed", thereby spawning the alternative meaning which we know so common today.
@caitlinbelforti870
I was not expecting to have my mind blown today. Wow
@GordonSnowMachine
Other fun fact: The video says that at the begging, but in other language!
@johnlee12119
@Snow Machine As a brazilian I can say that you are right
@realretrorelapse
lol it literally tells you that in the beginning but that is just one theory and not confirmed. I have been in the online community since the very early 90's and Spam was already being used but nobody knew why. Back in the early days most of us thought being spammed meant it was an artificial person (bot) messaging you, as back then people said Spam was artificial meat. Before google and youtube and wikipedia there were mostly just word of mouth rumors and Spam was always said to be artificial or fake meat. This was also before the whole vegan craze where artificial meat was seen as a good thing. Still though, nobody has been able to positively say where or why the term came about. Hormell really disliked the Monty Python sketch and disliked the term Spam being used for bot emails but they came to embrace it.
@urphakeandgey6308
It's crazy to me how earlier internet humour was very referential and 'high brow' (using that term loosely here) in comparison to modern internet humour, which tends to just be very 'randumb' with little wit behind it. The internet was full of nerds until it became 'mainstream.'
@chaddusmaximus4938
The random cutaway to a viking longboat is so funny to me
@jazzbassist
I'm so happy I'm not the only one, not much mention of that 1.5 second of comedic gold
@eggomafia
🖤🖤🖤😄😄😄😄😄😄😄🎯
@Necrodoge
its also my favorite part too lmao