How Sweet to Be an Idiot

How Sweet to Be an Idiot
Studio album by Neil Innes
Released	1973 (UK)
Recorded	March – July 1973
Studio	Chipping Norton Studio, Oxfordshire
Genre	Pop/rock
Length	37:56
Label	United Artists
Producer	Neil Innes
Neil Innes chronology
How Sweet to Be an Idiot (1973) The Rutland Weekend Songbook (1976)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Re-Cycled Vinyl Blues
Studio album by Neil Innes
Released	1994 (UK)
Recorded	1973
Genre	Pop/rock
Label	EMI
Producer	Neil Innes

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

How Sweet to Be an Idiot is the first solo album by Neil Innes, formerly of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, and was released in 1973.

Release

The title track was released as a single (with B-side "The Age of Desperation") but failed to chart. It was a more instrumented version than on the album, arranged by Richard Hewson.^[3] Its melody was borrowed by Oasis for their single "Whatever", released in 1994; Innes claimed plagiarism and as a result received royalties and a co-writing credit.^[4][5]

The album was re-released by United Artists in 1980 under the title Neil Innes A-Go-Go^[6] and by EMI in 1994 with additional tracks – most of which had been released on singles – under the title Re-Cycled Vinyl Blues.^[2] This edition of the album was dedicated to Ollie Halsall, who had died in 1992, and former Bonzo Dog bassist Dennis Cowan, who had died in 1972;^[7] it featured a guest appearance by Michael Palin on the title track.^[2]

Innes later said of this time the album was recorded,

United Artists had been very kind to me ... In my own way, I wanted to repay them – by making a bunch of silly singles at a time when the music industry still seemed to have a sense of humour. Wrong again.^[6]

Innes performed the title song on Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl and on Monty Python Live at Drury Lane.^[1] Surviving members of Monty Python performed the song for Terry Jones's funeral at Golders Green Cemetery.

Reception

Stewart Mason, reviewing the album for Allmusic, described it as "split between tongue-in-cheek parody and straight pop songs" and containing "solidly melodic Beatlesque pop", but was critical of the "unfortunate sterility to Innes' self-production".^[1]

A review of the release by Mark Deming of Allmusic was more appreciative than that of his predecessor, saying that "most [of the tracks] walk a graceful tightrope between sly humor and solid pop-friendly rock & roll" and recommending that "anyone who digs a great hook played with heart should get to know the music of Neil Innes".^[2]

Track listing

• All songs written by Neil Innes
• How Sweet to Be an Idiot and Neil Innes-A-Go-Go have identical track listings

Side one

1. "Prologue" – 0:49
2. "Momma Bee" – 2:47*
3. "Immortal Invisible" – 4:04*
4. "Topless A-Go-Go" – 4:08
5. "Feel No Shame" – 6:12

Side two

1. "How Sweet To Be An Idiot" – 2:45
2. "Dream On" – 3:04 [listed as "Dream" on Neil Innes-A-Go-Go]
3. "L'Amour Perdu" – 2:10
4. "Song For Yvonne" – 2:52*
5. "This Love of Ours" – 2:57*
6. "Singing A Song Is Easy" – 5:08

Track listing for Re-Cycled Vinyl Blues

1. "Re-Cycled Vinyl Blues" – 3:33
2. "Angelina" – 2:50
3. "Come Out into the Open" – 3:42
4. "Prologue" – 0:51
5. "Momma Bee" – 2:54
6. "Lie Down and Be Counted" – 3:09
7. "Immortal Invisible" – 4:12
8. "Age of Desperation" – 2:34
9. "Topless-A-Go-Go" – 4:04
10. "Feel No Shame" – 6:24
11. "How Sweet To Be an Idiot" – 2:51
12. "Dream On" – 3:05
13. "L'Amour Perdu" – 2:17
14. "Song for Yvonne" – 2:57
15. "This Love of Ours" – 3:04
16. "Fluff on the Needle" – 5:36
17. "Singing a Song Is Easy" – 5:04
18. "Bandwagon" (Live) – 4:31

Personnel

• Neil Innes – vocals, guitar, piano
• Andy Roberts – rhythm guitar
• Mike Kellie – drums
• Dave Richards – bass guitar
• Ollie Halsall – lead guitar, organ
• Gerry Conway – drums on *
• The Mucrons – backing vocals^[3]
• Dennis Cowan – guitar on additional tracks for re-release

Notes

External links

• Neill Innes Solo albums page