160:, with "Monty Pythonesque Absurdity". The lyrics typically have an element of surreal fantasy (one song begins "Our Budgie has Changed to an Orang-Utang"), while the tunes are usually wistful and mock-sentimental. Their act contains an abundance of comic asides and sound effects, usually provided by
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since 1975. The group have also performed many songs for radio and television programmes, being particularly known for their regular contribution to BBC Radio 4's
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is a comedy musical cabaret group who sing to an acoustic guitar accompaniment. It was formed in 1966 by three doctors at
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Peter
Christie is the leading spirit and writes the words and music. The group's style has been compared to
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over a period of about ten years. They provided the theme song for the BBC television version of
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182:(1979), had three series of their own on Radio 4 (1985, 1986 and 1988), and published a book,
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148:. In 1998 Kington left the group and Tom Barlow joined in his place for several years.
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251:(all Instant Sunshine 2008). The recordings are currently occasionally broadcast on
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on
Christmas Eve. The same year, the group presented a story on children's series
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144:. In 1972 they were joined by the journalist and double bass player
239:(Instant Sunshine 2017) and remixed versions of the EMI recordings
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The
Instant Sunshine Book – with hints for struggling supergroups
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The
Instant Sunshine Book with Hints for Struggling Supergroups
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285:"Metamorphosis" ("Our budgie has changed to an Orang-Utang")
221:
The
Instant Sunshine LP – Songs for struggling supergroups
223:(EMI/NTS 1980). There are currently seven CDs in print,
358:"The Canary Song" ("When you're working down a mine")
786:. Off the telly.co.uk. 1 April 2006. Archived from
186:(Robson Books 1980). In 1980 the BBC made the film
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758:: includes music and lyrics for songs from the
638:"My Horse and I" ("Has Anyone Seen my Horse?")
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8:
140:in London, Peter Christie, David Barlow and
385:"The Demon in the Drink" ("Salvation Army")
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843:"Shaftesbury Theatre: Instant Sunshine"
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833:
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681:"I Wonder What It's Like To Be a Star"
425:"A Little Bit of Burgling on the Side"
907:"Cheer Up With Some Instant Sunshine"
7:
807:"Instant Sunshine - Singing for Fun"
443:"Don't Eat a Turkey this Christmas"
840:Absalom, Steve (18 October 1979).
14:
1004:Official Instant Sunshine website
874:"Instant Sunshine, The Pleasance"
23:Instant Sunshine (disambiguation)
571:"Westminster Pier to Greenwich"
675:"Weather is Never Quite Right"
501:"Who Mowed the Lawns of Eden?"
203:They produced five vinyl LPs:
1:
1019:British comedy musical groups
635:"Who Mowed the Lawns of Eden"
452:Instant Sunshine Comes of Age
382:"Who Mowed the Lawns of Eden"
225:Instant Sunshine Comes of Age
912:Suffolk and Essex Free Press
904:King, Sally (22 July 1993).
16:Comedy musical cabaret group
784:"Interview: Peter Christie"
647:"Conservation Conversation"
504:"Never be Tempted by Water"
498:"Conservation Conversation"
315:"Herts is Trumps" ("Tring")
1035:
678:"Awfully Keen on the Arts"
486:"Has Anyone Seen My Horse"
300:"I Wish I Was a Sassenach"
255:and are available via the
20:
987:British Newspaper Archive
955:British Newspaper Archive
923:British Newspaper Archive
891:British Newspaper Archive
859:British Newspaper Archive
824:British Newspaper Archive
574:"It Happened in the Park"
535:"What is a Thingummy-jig"
477:"Every Body needs a Body"
404:"A Very Tropical Subject"
394:Reasonably Together Again
249:Reasonably Together Again
217:Reasonably Together Again
746:Barlow, David (et al.),
623:"The Demon in the Drink"
550:"If I Keep on Whistling"
235:(Merlin Classics 2002),
231:(Merlin Classics 1992),
227:(Merlin Classics 1987),
660:"Knitting for Victory"
611:"Knitting for Victory"
586:"Listen to the Summer"
544:"Eating Food is Wrong"
306:"Don't Tell the Abbot"
282:"When I was in Bombay"
219:(EMI/One-Up 1979) and
943:The Newmarket Journal
750:(Robson Books, 1980)
733:"Look After Yourself"
724:"Flibbertygibbet Flo"
699:"Christmas Greetings"
577:"Equal Animal Rights"
562:"Cucumber Sandwiches"
553:"Shiny Leather Chair"
459:"The Parish Magazine"
330:Funny Name for a Band
245:Funny Name for a Band
213:Funny Name for a Band
705:"Incurable Romantic"
632:"Lugubrious Lobster"
617:"Smooth Train Blues"
489:"At the Launderette"
480:"Wish You Were Here"
468:"Yodelling Neurosis"
465:"Smooth Train Blues"
413:"Kids on the Corner"
388:"Sunshine" (reprise)
367:"Now I'm Adolescent"
21:For other uses, see
702:"Lots In The Attic"
693:"Aunt Agatha's Hat"
641:"Corduroy Trousers"
629:"Lots in the Attic"
595:Live at the Old Vic
541:"Pick up the Phone"
529:"A Bouquet of Roes"
495:"Foreign Relations"
483:"Spring Collection"
419:"Danish Bacon Baby"
376:"Tittle-tattle Rag"
349:"Bar-stool Sailing"
346:"Kiddies' Olympics"
291:"Corduroy Trousers"
233:Live at the Old Vic
138:St Thomas' Hospital
945:. 18 December 1980
938:"Instant Sunshine"
727:"My Lavatory Lady"
696:"Man From Pollock"
644:"Kiddies Olympics"
626:"Our Show is Live"
580:"Alas Poor Hamlet"
568:"Holiday Survival"
516:"Los Peckham Ryos"
474:"My Dog Has Fleas"
462:"A Memorable Meal"
446:"Our Show is Live"
401:"Heathrow Holiday"
370:"Here We Go Again"
205:Live at Tiddy Dols
158:Flanders and Swann
672:"Very Tiny Brain"
614:"Herts is Trumps"
532:"Whitehall Farce"
294:"Spanish Holiday"
253:BBC Radio 4 Extra
207:(Page One 1968),
162:Alan Maryon-Davis
142:Alan Maryon-Davis
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104:Alan Maryon-Davis
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977:. 2 October 1980
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881:. 23 August 1989
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814:. 7 January 1977
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760:Instant Sunshine
730:"Fish and Chips"
721:"Lords Pavilion"
713:Others including
684:"Old Times Back"
608:"Platform Three"
565:"Birds and Bees"
510:"Platform Three"
492:"Scat Like That"
471:"My Garden Shed"
428:"Ruthless Roues"
379:"Talking Plants"
288:"Ten-gallon Hat"
269:Instant Sunshine
241:Instant Sunshine
209:Instant Sunshine
188:Roads to Stardom
166:Edinburgh Fringe
134:Instant Sunshine
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32:Instant Sunshine
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790:on 14 May 2008.
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687:"Peace of Mind"
666:"My Caddy Said"
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589:"Fleeting Time"
538:"Middlesex Man"
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410:"On the Fringe"
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364:"Hurdey Gurdey"
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324:"Fleeting Time"
312:"Habeas Corpse"
279:"No News Today"
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998:External links
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718:"Rambling Man"
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583:"Mini Mozart"
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424:
422:"Boring Song"
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309:"The Monster"
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180:One-Upmanship
177:
173:
172:
171:Stop The Week
167:
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159:
151:
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147:
146:Miles Kington
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124:Miles Kington
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985:– via
979:. Retrieved
975:Daily Mirror
974:
963:
953:– via
947:. Retrieved
942:
931:
921:– via
915:. Retrieved
911:
899:
889:– via
883:. Retrieved
879:The Scotsman
878:
867:
857:– via
851:. Retrieved
847:
822:– via
816:. Retrieved
811:
788:the original
759:
747:
708:"Gondoliers"
663:"Dear Diary"
652:
594:
559:"Ideal Home"
556:"Who Dunnit"
521:
507:"Go Plastic"
451:
393:
355:"Methylated"
329:
268:
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212:
211:(EMI 1976),
208:
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195:
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183:
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169:
155:
133:
132:
117:Past members
94:David Barlow
58:Years active
18:
736:"Money Box"
440:"Allotment"
434:"Rabbikang"
361:"Bird Seed"
343:"The Blues"
318:"Mrs Brown"
263:Song titles
257:BBC iPlayer
215:(EMI 1977)
981:5 November
949:5 November
917:5 November
885:5 November
853:5 November
818:5 November
792:2008-07-26
767:References
741:Literature
690:"Squidger"
653:50 Not Out
620:"The Euro"
605:"Birdseed"
602:"Sunshine"
431:"Beefcake"
407:"Tadpoles"
373:"Poor Guy"
352:"Flooding"
337:"Sunshine"
297:"Top Dogs"
237:50 Not Out
97:Tom Barlow
848:The Stage
416:"My Lawn"
321:"Doctors"
197:Jackanory
44:, England
1013:Category
70:–present
522:Jubilee
513:"Sorry"
276:"Worms"
229:Jubilee
89:Members
64: (
754:
655:(2017)
597:(2002)
524:(1992)
454:(1987)
396:(1979)
332:(1977)
271:(1976)
75:Labels
52:Comedy
49:Genres
42:London
38:Origin
983:2023
970:"TV"
951:2023
919:2023
887:2023
855:2023
820:2023
752:ISBN
247:and
192:BBC2
152:Work
66:1966
62:1966
178:'s
79:EMI
1015::
973:.
941:.
910:.
877:.
846:.
832:^
810:.
797:^
775:^
762:LP
259:.
243:,
200:.
989:.
957:.
925:.
893:.
861:.
826:.
68:)
25:.
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