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Finland (song)
"Finland" is a Monty Python comedy song written and performed by Michael Palin and arranged by John Du Prez with a guitar accompaniment by Brian Willoughby. It first appeared on the album ''Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album'' from 1980 and was later included on the 1989 compilation ''Monty Python Sings''. It purports to be a celebration of Finland, a country that is overlooked when travelling abroad as "a poor second to Belgium", despite the fact that it "has it all" with lofty mountains and tall trees and pleasures including: pony trekking, camping or "just watching TV". (In reality, "mountains so lofty" are not characteristic of Finland as the Scandinavian Mountains only just touch the northwesternmost corner of the country.) Michael Palin was filmed singing a verse from "Finland" during an episode of his 1992 travelogue series ''Pole to Pole'' during a segment in which he is shown traveling across that country. A heavily edited version of "Finland" is used as the open ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monty Python
Monty Python, also known as the Pythons, were a British comedy troupe formed in 1969 consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The group came to prominence for the sketch comedy series '' Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which aired on the BBC from 1969 to 1974. Their work then developed into a larger collection that included live shows, films, albums, books, and musicals; their influence on comedy has been compared to the Beatles' influence on music. (The live version of the Web page does not contain the quoted line, but the archived version does.) Their sketch show has been called "an important moment in the evolution of television comedy". ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' was loosely structured as a sketch show, but its innovative stream-of-consciousness approach and Gilliam's animation skills pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in style and content. A self-contained comedy unit, the Pythons had creative ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Comedy Song
Comedy music or musical comedy is a genre of music that is comical, comedic or humorous in nature. Its history can be traced back to the first century in ancient Greece and Rome, moving forward in time to the Medieval Period, Classical and Romantic eras, and the 20th century. Various forms of comedic musical theatre, including "musical play", "musical comedy", "operetta" and "light opera", evolved from the comic operas first developed in late 17th-century Italy. Popular music artists in the 20th century interested in comedy include Allan Sherman, Frank Zappa, Tiny Tim, Barenaked Ladies, Randy Newman, and "Weird Al" Yankovic. Artists in the 21st century include Tenacious D, Flight of the Conchords, The Lonely Island, Ninja Sex Party and The Axis of Awesome. Comedy music is often associated with counterculture, due to the subversive messages it displays. This informative nature of comedy music also contributes to the improvement of learning inside and outside the classroom. Fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Palin
Sir Michael Edward Palin (; born 5 May 1943) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and television presenter. He was a member of the Monty Python comedy group. He received the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award, BAFTA Fellowship in 2013 and was knighthood, knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 New Year Honours, 2019. Palin started in television working on programmes including the ''Ken Dodd Show'', ''The Frost Report'', and ''Do Not Adjust Your Set''. He joined ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' (1969–1974) alongside John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Graham Chapman. He acted in some of the most famous Python sketches, including "Argument Clinic", "Dead Parrot sketch", "The Lumberjack Song", "The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python), The Spanish Inquisition", "Bicycle Repair Man", and "The Fish-Slapping Dance". Palin continued to work with Jones away from Python, co-writing ''Ripping Yarns''. Palin co-wrote and starred in ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail'' (1975 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Du Prez
John Du Prez (born Trevor Jones; 14 December 1946) is a British musician, conductor and composer. He was a member of the 1980s salsa-driven pop band Modern Romance and has since written several film scores including '' Oxford Blues'' (1984), '' Once Bitten'', ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' (1990), and the final Carry On film, '' Carry On Columbus'' (1992). He contributed to '' The Wild'' (2006) soundtrack.Du Prez, John, Internet Movie Database Filmography, ccessed24 April 2011. He is also known for his extensive collaborations with Monty Python, having worked on several films and shows by members of the troupe, including composing, conducting, and arranging for '' Monty Python’s Life of Brian'' (1979), ''Time Bandits (1981)'', '' Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl'' (both 1982), '' Monty Python's The Meaning of Life'' (1983), '' A Private Function'' (1984), '' A Fish Called Wanda'' (1988), '' The Wind in the Willows'' (1996), ''Spamalot'' (2004), '' Not the Messiah ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brian Willoughby
Brian Willoughby (born 20 September 1949) is a British guitarist. He has worked with many musicians, notably Dave Cousins and The Strawbs, Mary Hopkin, as well as releasing solo work. Discography (UK releases unless stated otherwise) Albums Solo *''Black and White'' (1998) *''Fingers Crossed'' (2004) *''Twiddly Bits'' (2022) With other artists *''Old School Songs – with Dave Cousins'' (1979) *''The Contractual Album – Monty Python'' (1980) *''Suspended Animation (The Monks)'' (UK band) (Gold Album in Canada 1981) *''Don't Say Goodbye Strawbs'' (1987) *''Ringing Down the Years Strawbs'' (1991) *''The Bridge – with Dave Cousins'' (1994) *''Other Voices, Too (A Trip Back to Bountiful) – Nanci Griffith'' (1998) *''Baroque & Roll – Acoustic Strawbs'' (2001) *''Pigg River Symphony – Cathryn Craig'' (2001) *''I Will – with Cathryn Craig'' (2002) *''Blue Angel – Strawbs'' (2003) *''Full Bloom – Acoustic Strawbs'' (2005) live at Natural Sound, Kitchener, Ontario, Ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album
''Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album'' is the final studio album by Monty Python, released in 1980. As the title suggests, the album was put together to complete a contract with Charisma Records. Besides newly written songs and sketches, the sessions saw re-recordings of material that dated back to the 1960s pre-Python shows ''I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again'', '' The Frost Report'', '' At Last The 1948 Show'' and '' How To Irritate People''. One track, "Bells", dates from the sessions for '' Monty Python's Previous Record'', while further material was adapted from Eric Idle's post-Python series '' Rutland Weekend Television''. The group also reworked material written but discarded from early drafts of '' Life Of Brian'', as well as the initial scripts for what would eventually become '' The Meaning Of Life''. Background The group had not recorded an all-studio album since '' Matching Tie and Handkerchief'' in 1973 and were initially unenthusiastic about returning to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monty Python Sings
''Monty Python Sings'' is a compilation album of songs by English comedy troupe Monty Python. Released in 1989 to celebrate their 20th anniversary, it contains popular songs from their previous albums and films. The album was dedicated to the memory of founding member Graham Chapman, who died two months before its release. Songs The album contained two previously unreleased tracks: "Oliver Cromwell" (originally performed by John Cleese on the 1960s radio series ''I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again'') was recorded during sessions for ''Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album'' in 1980, while a studio recording of Terry Gilliam's live standard " I've Got Two Legs" was recorded in 1974 for the Drury Lane shows, where it was to be mimed onstage, but discarded once Gilliam decided to perform it live instead. The album also has a longer version of " Medical Love Song," with added instrumentation and previously unheard verses which mix out Eric Idle's guide vocals and push Graham Chap ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Finland
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, opposite Estonia. Finland has a population of 5.6 million. Its capital and largest city is Helsinki. The majority of the population are Finns, ethnic Finns. The official languages are Finnish language, Finnish and Swedish language, Swedish; 84.1 percent of the population speak the first as their mother tongue and 5.1 percent the latter. Finland's climate varies from humid continental climate, humid continental in the south to boreal climate, boreal in the north. The land cover is predominantly boreal forest biome, with List of lakes of Finland, more than 180,000 recorded lakes. Finland was first settled around 9000 BC after the Last Glacial Period, last Ice Age. During the Stone Age, various cultures emerged, distinguished by differen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the south, and the North Sea to the west. Belgium covers an area of and has a population of more than 11.8 million; its population density of ranks List of countries and dependencies by population density, 22nd in the world and Area and population of European countries, sixth in Europe. The capital and Metropolitan areas in Belgium, largest metropolitan region is City of Brussels, Brussels; other major cities are Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi, Liège, Bruges, Namur, and Leuven. Belgium is a parliamentary system, parliamentary constitutional monarchy with a complex Federation, federal system structured on regional and linguistic grounds. The country is divided into three highly autonomous Communities, regions and language areas o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scandinavian Mountains
The Scandinavian Mountains or the Scandes is a mountain range that runs through the Scandinavian Peninsula. The western sides of the mountains drop precipitously into the North Sea and Norwegian Sea, forming the fjords of Norway, whereas to the northeast they gradually curve towards Finland. To the north they form the border between Norway and Sweden, reaching high at the Arctic Circle. The mountain range just touches northwesternmost Finland but are scarcely more than hills at their northernmost extension at the North Cape (). The mountains are relatively high for a range so young and are very steep in places; Galdhøpiggen in South Norway is the highest peak in mainland Northern Europe, at ; Kebnekaise is the highest peak on the Swedish side, at , whereas the slope of Halti is the highest point in Finland, at , although the peak of Halti is situated in Norway. The Scandinavian montane birch forest and grasslands terrestrial ecoregion is closely associated with the mou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pole To Pole
''Pole to Pole with Michael Palin'' is an eight-part television BBC documentary travel series, first broadcast on BBC 1 from 21 October to 9 December 1992, and presented by comedian and actor Michael Palin. The programme is the sequel to '' Around the World in 80 Days with Michael Palin'', and was the second of Palin's major journeys, the series focusing on a journey along the 30-degree east line of longitude from the North Pole to the South Pole, sticking to using mainly cars, buses, trains and ships to make the 5-month journey, while travelling through northern and eastern Europe (including through the territory of the Soviet Union before its collapse), and Africa; a last-minute change of plans led to the journey diverting through South America, in order to reach Antarctica. The series' broadcast rights were later sold on to various countries around the world, and later released onto VHS tapes and DVD. A book recounting the trip, '' Pole to Pole'', was later released by the B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spamalot
''Spamalot'' (also known as ''Monty Python's Spamalot: A Musical (Lovingly) Ripped Off from the Motion Picture ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail) is a musical theatre, stage musical with score by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, with lyrics and book by Idle. Based on the 1975 film ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail'', the musical offers a highly irreverent parody of Arthurian legend, with the title being a portmanteau of Spam (food), Spam and Camelot. The original 2005 Broadway theatre, Broadway production directed by Mike Nichols received 14 Tony Award nominations, winning in three categories, including Tony Award for Best Musical, Best Musical. During its initial run of 1,575 performances, the production was seen by more than two million people and grossed over $168 million. Tim Curry starred as King Arthur in the original Broadway and West End theatre, West End productions. It was one of eight UK musicals commemorated on Royal Mail stamps, issued in February 2011. A Paramount Pic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
