Wash ,'Our Mrs. Reynolds'
There's a lady plays her fav'rite records/On the jukebox ev'ry day/All day long she plays the same old songs/And she believes the things that they say/She sings along with all the saddest songs/And she believes the stories are real/She lets the music dictate the way that she feels.
DO NOT ADJUST YOUR SET was one of those "kids" shows that got found by adults in the know. It was THE big reason John Cleese wanted to work with Palin, Jones and Idle (and Gilliam came along for the ride). Mainly Palin if I remember my Python history correctly. But then again, Michael Palin is just so damn likable.
It's counterpart was AT LAST THE 1948 SHOW which had Cleese and Chapman (and Marty Feldman and Tim Brooke-Taylor later of THE GOODIES).
Why yes, I am a Python nerd. Why do you ask?
It was THE big reason John Cleese wanted to work with Palin, Jones and Idle (and Gilliam came along for the ride).
Well, he actually knew Gilliam from working with him on Harvey Kurtzman's Help magazine in the early sixties. When Gloria Steinheim was an intern.
Man, that'd make a good sitcom.
Well, he actually knew Gilliam from working with him on Harvey Kurtzman's Help magazine in the early sixties. When Gloria Steinheim was an intern.
You are correct sir. He even helped get Giliam a job when he came over (doing sketches of people on a chat show).
But I think Palin and Jones were the ones he most wanted to work with.
But I think Palin and Jones were the ones he most wanted to work with.
Oh, it was definitely Palin. They all readily admit that Python formed because Cleese had a comedy-crush on Palin.
They all readily admit that Python formed because Cleese had a comedy-crush on Palin.
Well who wouldn't? The man easily takes the most lovable Python prize by a mile.
Well who wouldn't? The man easily takes the most lovable Python prize by a mile.
It's true. Though they all seem to have a great deal of affection for Chapman, as well.
What's funny about watching those Do Not Adjust Your Set bits is that so many of them play out as preludes to Holy Grail, as Jones deploys all of his varied historical interests.
Huh, I didn't realize that was Neil Innes as the troubadour in Holy Grail ("Brave Sir Robin ran away...").
Note how they kept themselves entertained while shooting on various cold Scottish mountains. Grammar games:
It was Chapman, dear old Graham, he taught me how to do crosswords. And also I suggested at one stage we do a little game called declining the verb to sheep worry. "I am sheep worried," "you are sheep worried," and Cleese came up with the best one, I think it's a future pluperfect tense, "I am about to have been sheep worried."
Huh, I didn't realize that was Neil Innes as the troubadour in Holy Grail ("Brave Sir Robin ran away...").
He also had a similar role in Gilliam's Jabberwocky.
Incidentally, the Neil Innes blog has a huge store of free mp3s from his long career with both the Bonzos and a composer for various BBC kid's shows.
(Neil doesn't run the blog but he's been in touch with them and obviously knows they've posted this music. He's taken the approach of saying, "Here they are for free, or if you want to pay for them and treat me to tea, then you can get them over.")
So, I'm poking through my Kinks catalog and guess what song is awesome and I've never really listened to it before? "Brainwashed" on Arthur.
In fact, this whole album is pretty great.
I wish The Goodies was viewable on US tv again--I remember laughing so hard I'd be crying while watching that show.