It was recorded on the final night of their four-week run[2] at the Drury Lane Theatre in London earlier that year and edited onto disc with new studio linking material by Eric Idle and Michael Palin.

Neil Innes provided the musical interludes, while Eric Idle's then wife Lyn Ashley replaced regular Python actress Carol Cleveland in supporting roles.

As with its predecessor, the second side of the original UK vinyl release had a cryptic message by George Peckham etched onto the runout groove, which read "THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF PORKY TRISHY MELLY YEAH".

This message was missing from the second pressings, the label of which added the musical titles used on the album (notably for the many songs referenced in "Election Special").

To promote the album's release, a double-sided 33rpm Flexi disc was issued free with the 25 May 1974 edition of New Musical Express entitled Monty Python's Tiny Black Round Thing which contained an extended version of "Election Special" and "Lumberjack Song" with new linking material from Michael Palin.