Sousa: Liberty Bell March

In 1969, a new comedy show hit the BBC airways that would change comedy for years to come. That show was Monty Python's Flying Circus. The first few episodes of the show were created on a very tight budget, so choosing a theme song for the show was a challenge due to tough British copyright laws. In the end, the members of Monty Python found a recording of Sousa's Liberty Bell March that was in the public domain. Thus, we have a fitting theme song that cleverly catches the absurdity of Monty Python's signature brand of comedy. The show's off-kilter antics immediately sparked a huge following both in Britain and in the US. From that show spawned several larger works, including touring shows, several films, comedy albums and even a Broadway musical!