Monty Python's Flying Circus (album)


Monty Python's Flying Circus is the first album produced by the Monty Python troupe, released in both the UK and US in 1970, with the US version featuring a back cover slightly different from the original UK version. It features newly recorded versions of sketches from the first Monty Python's Flying Circus television series.
Next to the television show itself, the album was the first piece of media the Pythons released. It is noted that Terry Gilliam was not included as a member of Python on the album's cast listing and Graham Chapman's name is misspelled "Grahame".
The album was recorded on a single day, 2 May 1970, in front of a live audience at the Camden Theatre in London. Recalling the rather muted response, Eric Idle would later claim "they were a particularly dead audience."
The copyright to the record is still owned by the BBC, making it one of the few pieces of material the Pythons themselves do not own. This is also the reason why it did not gain a 2006 special edition release. One of the tracks makes specific mention to the album being in stereo, and Chapman demonstrates it by walking from one speaker to another. The effect was totally lost as the album was recorded in mono, which the Pythons did not know at the time. They felt disenchanted by the BBC's album producing methods, and for their remaining albums sought very different approaches.

Audiobook

The album has been available on CD as an audiobook since 1996.
In 2011, AudioGO Ltd. released a "Facsimile Edition," which is the only audiobook version with the original LP's artwork. Graham Chapman's name is spelled correctly on the cover of this edition.
In 2012, the album was packaged with two discs of Fawlty Towers under the title BBC Comedy Greats!.
In June 2014, the album was included as bonus content with the expanded re-release of 'Monty Python Sings " as a deluxe 2-CD set and digital download.

Track listing

Side one

  1. Flying Sheep
  2. Television Interviews
  3. Trade Description Act
  4. Nudge Nudge
  5. The Mouse Problem
  6. Buying a Bed
  7. Interesting People
  8. The Barber
  9. Interviews

    Side two

  10. More Television Interviews
  11. Children's Stories
  12. The Visitors
  13. The Cinema
  14. The North Minehead Bye-Election
  15. Me, Doctor
  16. Pet Shop
  17. Self Defence

    BBC audiobook track listing

  18. Flying Sheep
  19. A Man with Three Buttocks
  20. Crunchy Frog
  21. Nudge Nudge Wink Wink
  22. The Mouse Problem
  23. Buying a Bed
  24. Interesting People
  25. Barber Shop Sketch
  26. Lumberjack Song
  27. Interview
  28. Arthur Two Sheds
  29. Children's Stories
  30. Visitors
  31. Albatross
  32. Mr Hilter
  33. The North Minehead By-Election
  34. Me, Doctor
  35. Dead Parrot Sketch
  36. Self-Defence

    Personnel