'Monty Python's Flying Circus' was a massively successful British television comedy series in the late 1960s and '70s. Eric Idle, Graham Chapman and John Cleese met at Cambridge university while Terry Jones and Michael Palin met at Oxford university. The sixth Python Terry Gilliam was an American animator. They released several albums to tie in with the TV series, beginning with the 1970 recording of sketches, 'Monty Python's Flying Circus'. In 1970 'Another Monty Python Record' followed. The 1972 album 'Monty Python's Previous Record' featured TV routines and songs such as 'Eric the Half a Bee'. 'Matching Tie and Handkerchief' in 1973 had the gimmick of a second side that played alternate tracks depending on where the record stylus was placed. They released 'Live at Drury Lane' in 1974, a collection of live performances of their greatest sketches which also featured Neil Innes' song 'How Sweet to Be an Idiot'.
When the film 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' was released in 1975 the Pythons released the 1976 tie-in album 'The Album of the Soundtrack of the Trailer of the Film of Monty Python and the Holy Grail'. The successful 1979 film 'Monty Python's Life of Brian' saw another soundtrack album of the same name. This featured Eric Idle singing the hit single 'Always Look On the Bright Side of Life'.
Never short of a witty title, they released 'Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album' in 1980, containing material written mainly by Eric Idle. The 1983 film 'The Meaning of Life' saw another soundtrack album of the same name, featuring songs from the film such as 'Every Sperm is Sacred'. Graham Chapman died in 1989 but the other Pythons have all pursued successful careers since the show.