Neil Innes/Monty Python - How Sweet To Be An Idiot
The return of the Pythons gives us cause to revisit this Oasis-baiting tune.
Eric Idle broke the news on Monday, November 18 by tweeting: "Only three days to go till the Python press conference. Make sure Python fans are alerted to the big forthcoming news event." On Tuesday Idle added: "Python meeting this morning. Can't wait. Press Conference Thursday will apparently be live on Sky News. I'll get you the online URL."
While awaiting the press conference which looks set to unveil the return of the surviving Pythons and the announcement of a new stage production, we've been spending more time than is entirely sensible watching Python clips on YouTube.
This unofficial home-edited montage of fine Python moments used to narrate Neil Innes’s How Sweet It Is To Be An Idiot has allowed us to enjoy some choice footage and made us feel wistful at the same time.
The title track of former Bonzo man's 1973 solo album, the song took on a further life when Oasis borrowed the melody for Whatever, the standalone single they released in December 1994 between debut album, Definitely Maybe and (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?.
Innes contested their use of the melody in court and won the case, subsequently receiving a co-writing credit on Whatever alongside Noel Gallagher.
The original tune is a fine slice of whimsy. We urge you to be thankful for it, not least because we almost picked this.