Galaxy Song - Title Confusion

Title Confusion

Perhaps the most inaccurate detail of "The Galaxy Song" is the name itself. While the first verse indeed describes our galaxy, the last two lines depart greatly from it: "And our galaxy is only one of millions of billions/In this amazing and expanding universe." The rest of the song describes the universe itself, far beyond the scope of our galaxy.

On NPR's Talk of the Nation, host Neal Conan and guest Eric Idle perpetuated the inaccurate title, hastily correcting an email from an astute fan:

CONAN: This email from Katherine in Chico, California. I've been an avid Python fan since I was 13 and thrilled to see "Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)" at the Hollywood Bowl almost a year ago. I particularly liked Mr. Idle's Bob Dylan impression as well as the finale of "The Universe Song." It was really spectacular.

Mr. IDLE: Well, thanks. I do appear as Bob Dylan at one point...

CONAN: ...And in that production, the finale or the encore was "The Universe Song" "The Galaxy Song," rather...

Mr. IDLE: At the Hollywood Bowl we were asked if we would put it up with fireworks. And we said, yes, we'd tolerate fireworks. And so John Du Prez wrote some fireworks music, part of "The Galaxy Song." And I think it's the first fireworks music written since Handel. So it was just - it was spectacular.

Meanwhile, the official Monty Python YouTube channel hosts the song under the name "Galaxy Song".