Decomposing Composers

Written and composed by Michael Palin and arranged by John Du Prez, Decomposing Composers, sung by Michael Palin is a favorite that appears in many of their albums, such as Monty Python Sings and thier Contractual Obligations Album.

(Spoken Intro): Right-o, darling. Yeah, be home about 8:30. No, no, I'll go on a bike...

Beethoven's gone, but his music lives on
And Motzart don't go shopping no more
You'll never meet Liszt or Brahms again
And Elgar doesn't answer the door

Schubert and Chopin used to chuckle and laugh
While composing a long symphony
But one hundred and fifty years later
There's very little of them left to see

Chorus: They're decomposing composers
There's nothing much anyone can do
You can still hear Beethoven
But Beethoven cannot hear you

Handel and Hayden and Rachmaninov
Enjoyed a nice drink with their meal
But now-a-days no one will serve them
And their gravy is left to congeal

Verdi and Wagner delighted the crowds
With their highly original sound,
The pianos they played are still working
But they're both six feer underground

Chorus: They'e decomposing composers
There's less of the every year
You can say what you like to Debussy
But there's not much of him left to hear

(Spoken finish) Claude Achille Debussy, died 1918
Christophe Willebald Gluck, died 1787
Carl Maria von Weber, no at all well 1825, died 1826
Giacomo Meyerbeer, still alive 1863, not still alive 1864.
Modeste Mussorgsky, 1880 going to parties, no fun any more 1881.
Johan Nepomuk Hummel, chatting away nineteen to the dozen with his mates down at the pub every evening 1836, 1837..... nothing......