Jocular Juxtapositions, Parody, and Ludicrous Lyrics: Music in Monty Python's Comedy Films

Abstract

In chapter 41, Monty Python takes centre stage. Emile Wennekes contends how music was considered an integral component of their films, actually for the Pythons’s general comedic strategy. In this chapter, the various strategies in the employment of music to increase cinematic jocular effects are discussed; how their absurd scenes are regularly framed within musical parody, instrumental pastiches, textual satire, lyrical alterations of stressed syllables, oxymorons, et cetera. The extensive use of such parody will be illustrated by the theme song of Life of Brian: an overt reference to the title song from James Bond’s Goldfinger, sung and orchestrated fully consistent with the Shirley Bassey and John Barry style.