Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life 1983 - Monty Python’s The Holy Grail 1975 - William Shakespeare - Vivienne Westwood - Madame de Stael - Robert Tressell -
Chaplain [sings]: Oh Lord please don’t burn us. Don’t grill or toast your flock. Don’t put us on the barbecue. Or simmer us in stock. Don’t braise or bake or boil us. Or stir-fry us in a wok. Oh please don’t lightly poach us. Or baste us with hot fat. Don’t fricassee or roast us. Or boil us in a vat. And please don’t stick thy servants, Lord, in a Rotissomat. Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life 1983 starring Graham Chapman & John Cleese & Terry Gilliam & Eric Idle & Terry Jones & Michael Palin & Carole Cleveland & Simon Jones & Patricia Quinn & Judy Loe et al, director Terry Jones
God: What are you doing now?
King Arthur: Averting our eyes, oh Lord.
God: Well don’t. It’s just like those miserable hymns. Always so depressing. Now knock it off. Monty Python’s The Holy Grail 1975 starring Graham Chapman & John Cleese & Terry Gilliam & Eric Idle & Terry Jones & Michael Pain & Neil Innes & Connie Booth & Carol Cleveland et al, directors Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones
Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream I i 73, Theseus to Hermia et al
Being part of a community with a church at its centre and singing hymns is a great thing to do. Vivienne Westwood
A religious life is a struggle and not a hymn. Madame de Stael
During the singing their faces were a study, they all looked so profoundly solemn and miserable, as if they were a gang of condemned criminals waiting to be led forth for execution. Robert Tressell, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist