This absurdly complete six-CD box set is the ideal gift for any Pythonaholics like myself who have everything else. Anyone who’s that far gone might have everything in this collection anyway, but then again you never know. For the first time on CD that I can recall, this box includes the soundtrack albums from The Meaning of Life (my favorite Python feature) and The Life of Brian, as well as lots of other material that has been available on disc for a long time. It also includes the Holy Grail soundtrack and the complete sketch albums Another Monty Python Record, Monty Python’s Previous Record, Live at Drury Lane, Monty Pyhton’s Matching Tie & Handkerchief and Contractual Obligation Album. However, if you do happen to have any previous CD compilation albums such as The Final Rip-Off or Instant Record Collection, you may wish to hang on to them even if you get this set. All of the albums in the box are broken down only by their vinyl “sides” – track 1 is side one, track 2 is side two, track 3 is side one of the next album…so on. I wish these wonderful pillars of silliness could’ve been broken down into some individual cues.
written by John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin
Disc One:
- Another Monty Python Record – side one (25:51)
- Another Monty Python Record – side two (27:56)
- Monty Python’s Previous Record – side one (25:54)
Disc Two:
- Monty Python’s Previous Record – side two (20:03)
- Matching Tie and Handkerchief – side one (21:21)
- Matching Tie and Handkerchief – side two (19:55)
Disc Three:
- Live at Drury Lane – side one (32:07)
- Live at Drury Lane – side two (29:38)
Disc Four:
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail – side one (23:25)
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail – side two (23:49)
- Contractual Obligation Album – side one (19:22)
Disc Five:
- Contractual Obligation Album – side two (25:34)
- Life of Brian – side one (25:13)
- Life of Brian – side two (26:47)
Disc Six:
- The Meaning of Life – side one (25:21)
- The Meaning of Life – side two (27:54)
Released by: Virgin
Release date: 1995
Disc one total running time: 79:11
Disc two total running time: 61:21
Disc three total running time: 61:47
Disc four total running time: 66:38
Disc five total running time: 77:36
Disc six total running time: 53:17