Monty Pythons Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, the jauntysingalong that first appeared in the comedy troupes 1979 film The Life of Brian, has long been a staple at funerals for its optimistic tone,bubblymelody and lyrics about ones own demise. But in a newsurvey of funeral directors, the track has become the most popular song to play at British funerals, according to the Telegraph.
The survey, based on more than 30,000 funerals, found the songbeating out Frank Sinatras My Way, Robbie Williams Angel and Celine Dions My Heart Will Go On alongside more traditional hymns.
We wonder if its the people who were young in the swinging Sixties, who are now in their 70s and 80s, and if thats informing this trend,David Collingwood, operations director at the Co-operative Funeralcare, told the outlet. Monty Python, for example, is of a certain age.
While Collingwood said this represents a generational shift in attitudes towards funerals, there are still some songs that have been rejected by funeral homes as being inappropriate. Alongside songs by Eminem and Sex Pistols, some of the verboten tracks include Meat Loafs Bat out of Hell, Queens Another One Bites the Dust and Frankie Goes to Hollywoods Relax.
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life functioned as a different final song in July, when the comedy troupeended their runofreunion showswith the number.The comedians dressed in white suit jackets, with four of the members conducting the London audience with batons as the songs writer, Eric Idle, played guitar.
Earlier this year, the group re-released the songduring the World Cup as the Unofficial England Football Anthem.