Controversies
Two tracks on the album caused controversy when first released.
The lead track, "Sit on My Face" was sung to the tune of "Sing as We Go," a song made famous by Gracie Fields, and reportedly its inclusion led to legal threats against the Python team for copyright infringement over the melody. Nonetheless, the song was retained on the album and was later lip-synched by the troupe as the opening of Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl. It was also performed by Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam and Neil Innes at the Concert for George, the memorial concert for George Harrison, at the Royal Albert Hall in 2002. At the end of the song the 4 performers turned around and mooned the audience.
"Farewell to John Denver," which contained a few bars of Eric Idle impersonating John Denver singing a parody of "Annie's Song," followed by the sound of the singer being strangled, was removed from subsequent pressings of the album on legal advice (reports differ as to whether it had to do with the licensing of "Annie's Song" or the depiction of the popular singer being murdered), and was replaced by an apology spoken by Terry Jones. Later CD releases of the album reinstated the John Denver track, although the 2006 reissue reverts to Terry Jones' apology. (The original "Farewell To John Denver" track can be found on the Arista CD The Monty Python Instant Record Collection.)
Ironically, original advance print advertising by Charisma Records included the tagline, "Now A Major Lawsuit."
Read more about this topic: Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album