How Sweet To Be An Idiot is the first solo album by Neil Innes

Neil Innes

Neil James Innes is an English writer and performer of comic songs, best known for his collaborative work with Monty Python, and for playing in the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and later The Rutles.-Personal life:...

, formerly of The Bonzo Dog Band and later of The Rutles

The Rutles

The Rutles are a band that are known for their visual and aural pastiches and parodies of The Beatles. Originally created by Eric Idle and Neil Innes as a fictional band to be featured as part of various 1970s television programming, the group recorded, toured, and released two UK chart hits in...

, and was released in 1973. Innes later said of this time

Stewart Mason, reviewing the album for Allmusic, described it as "split between tongue-in-cheek parody and straight pop songs" and containing "solidly melodic Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

que pop", but was critical of the "unfortunate sterility to Innes' self-production".

The title track was released as a single but failed to chart. It was a more instrumented version than on the album, arranged by Richard Hewson

Richard Anthony Hewson

Richard Anthony Hewson is an English producer, arranger, conductor and multi-instrumentalist, who is best recognized for his studio group The RAH Band.-Career:...

, and "The Age Of Desperation" was the B-side. Its melody was borrowed by Oasis

Oasis (band)

Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...

 for their single "Whatever", released in 1994; Innes claimed plagiarism

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...

 and as a result now receives royalties and a co-writing credit.

The album was re-released by United Artists in 1980 under the title "Neil Innes A-Go-Go" and by EMI

EMI

The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...

 in 1994 with additional tracks – most of which had been released on single

Single (music)

In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

s – under the title Re-Cycled Vinyl Blues. This edition of the album was dedicated to Ollie Halsall

Ollie Halsall

Peter John 'Ollie' Halsall was a left-handed guitarist and is best known for his role in The Rutles, the bands Patto, Timebox and Boxer, and for his contribution to the music of Kevin Ayers. He is also notable as one of the few players of the vibraphone in rock music...

, who had died in 1992, and former Bonzo Dog guitarist Dennis Cowan, who had died in 1972; it featured a guest appearance by Michael Palin

Michael Palin

Michael Edward Palin, CBE FRGS is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries....

 on the title track.

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".

Innes performed the title song on Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl

Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl

Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl is a 1982 concert film in which the Monty Python team perform many of their greatest sketches at the Hollywood Bowl. The show also included filmed inserts which were mostly taken from two Monty Python specials, Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus, which had been...

. and on Monty Python Live at Drury Lane

Monty Python Live at Drury Lane

Monty Python Live at Drury Lane is an album released by Monty Python in 1974, which was recorded at the Drury Lane Theatre in London earlier that year. It was also released in Canada in 1975...

.

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
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

Tracklisting 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
  Neil Innes
  Neil James Innes is an English writer and performer of comic songs, best known for his collaborative work with Monty Python, and for playing in the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and later The Rutles.-Personal life:...
  
   - vocals, guitar
• Andy Roberts
  Andy Roberts (musician)
  Andrew "Andy" Roberts is an English musician.He gained a violin scholarship to Felsted School. He then attended Liverpool University. He has played with The Liverpool Scene, Plainsong, The Scaffold, Roy Harper, Chris Spedding, Pink Floyd, Hank Wangford, Kevin Ayers, Vivian Stanshall and Grimms...
  
   - rhythm guitar
• Mike Kellie
  Mike Kellie
  Mike Kellie is an English drummer. Most notably, he has played in Spooky Tooth and The Only Ones. Kellie has also played with Peter Frampton and in various bands with Chris Wood....
  
   - drums
• Dave Richards - bass guitar
• Ollie Halsall
  Ollie Halsall
  Peter John 'Ollie' Halsall was a left-handed guitarist and is best known for his role in The Rutles, the bands Patto, Timebox and Boxer, and for his contribution to the music of Kevin Ayers. He is also notable as one of the few players of the vibraphone in rock music...
  
   - lead guitar, organ
• Gerry Conway
  Gerry Conway (musician)
  Gerald Conway is an English folk and rock drummer/percussionist, best known for having performed with the backing band for Cat Stevens in the 1970s, Jethro Tull during the 1980s, and currently a member of Fairport Convention as well as his side projects...
  
  - drums on *
• The Mucrons - backing vocals
• Dennis Cowan - guitar on additional tracks for re-release