Five Classics from Neil Innes

Neil Innes was a superb and witty songwriter. Much of his work came to the public’s attention thanks to his close friendship with the Beatles, but Innes’ work stands on its own as well. The Danbury, England native passed away in 2019; last December 9 was the 80th anniversary of his birth. In honor of Neil Innes, here are six classics written or co-written by him.

“Death Cab for Cutie” from Gorilla by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band (1967)
Not long after the death of manager Brian Epstein, the Beatles began work on their third motion picture. The successor to A Hard Day’s Night and Help! was a decidedly more modest affair, often tagged as a “glorified home movie.” But Magical Mystery Tour wasn’t without its charms: it’s a surreal and wacky film with a mischievous spirit and some great music. And not all of that music was from the Beatles: pals the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band were featured in the nightclub scene, with lead vocalist Vivian Stanshall warbling the deeply bizarre “Death Cab for Cutie,” a song co-written with band mate Neil Innes. (And yes, that’s where the Pacific Northwest indie band got its name.)

“I’m the Urban Spaceman” by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band (single, 1968)
The Beatles connections continued even after the making of Magical Mystery Tour. In 1968 the Bonzos released their second album, the weirdly wonderful The Doughnut in Granny’s Greenhouse. The album full of reliably bizarre tunes composed by Stanshall and Innes was a critical success, if a modest seller. When prepared for U.S. release, the album added a single, “I’m the Urban Spaceman,” renaming the disc after it. While most of the album was produced by Gus Dudgeon (later to work extensively with Elton John) and Gerry Bron, the single was a co-production by Dudgeon and Apollo C. Vermouth, the latter a pseudonym of one James Paul McCartney.

“How Sweet to Be an Idiot” from How Sweet to be an Idiot (1973)
By the early ‘70s, Innes had gone solo, often working with a backing group called GRIMMS. His debut album was named after its featured single, “How Sweet to Be an Idiot.” More than two decades after the song’s release, Britpop band Oasis used the tune’s melody for their own “original” song, “Whatever.” Claiming plagiarism, Innes sued and won. And while Neil Innes was never a member of Monty Python, he had provided music for many of their projects, so when he performed as part of the ensemble in 1982’s Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl, Innes sang “How Sweet to Be an Idiot.”

“I Must Be in Love” from The Rutles soundtrack by the Rutles (1978)
Once again turning his attention to the Beatles, Innes wrote and recorded “I Must Be in Love” for a comedy sketch broadcast on an episode of the BBC comedy Rutland Weekend Television. That song gave birth to a larger project, the TV special All You Need is Cash. A Pythonesque retelling of the Beatles’ story, the program boasted the support and participation of George Harrison. “I Must Be in Love” is but one of many Rutles spot-on pastiches of the Beatles that enliven the production.

“Shangri-La” from Archaeology by the Rutles (1996)
Some quarter-century after breaking up, the Beatles finally got around to completing the documentary series conceived in 1969 as The Long and Winding Road. Six CDs’ worth of previously unheard material was released in conjunction with their Anthology project. So it was natural enough that the Rutles embarked upon an archival project of their own, and Archaeology was the result. The new release featured more songs that gently poked at the Beatles’ legacy while reminding listeners of what made those songs special. Innes’ “Shangri-La” is a standout tune on the album.