It was an epic budget, as long as all the world's classics put together, and with a bit of each. Those who survived kept shifting positions and twisting their bodies to pinch themselves into remaining conscious. Some MPs fainted while imploring the Minister of Finance to love his neighbour as himself. Dante's journey from hell through purgatory to heaven is what it felt like as we approached - so near and yet so far - the end.

It was apocalyptic, theatrical and operatic but nothing from the world of rock opera quite matches it. Not Gensna, which explicitly states that we died for il-barrani not the budget. Not Les Miserables, even though the strangers' gallery, initially packed, had fewer than a dozen people in it by the time Edward Scicluna stumbled his way to the end. Not the Rocky Horror Picture Show, even though Joseph Muscat did his utmost to live up to the impresario Frank N. Furter, beaming up at Scicluna for the cameras and the first to bang on his desk and to urge the others to follow.

It was also a practical realistic budget, so green that it recycled the title of its predecessor. A budget that rewards hard work. Which is why, I guess, Joe Mizzi, our Minister of Transport, thought the budget speech authorised him to take a nap.

Not all his Cabinet colleagues shared the carefree attitude. Chris Cardona kept shuffling through many volumes of papers. Perhaps he was hoping to find some conflict of interest that would permit him to save the world and dissolve the proceedings.

The other Mizzi, Konrad, was very attentive, even if the budget contained no clue about energy policy, which is still missing in action. Somehow, however, the reduction in energy bills was trumpeted by the Prime Minister as the main stimulus to be given to the economy.

The Tourism Minister was able to see the world in a grain of sand. Edward Zammit Lewis took one look at the 45 words dedicated to tourism and tweeted: "a #quality leap in the tourism sector." Almost as many words as the budget dedicated! So sharp, so fast, so deft.

Strangely enough, for all this, the public seems unappreciative. This newspaper's online poll shows (at the time of writing) that almost three-quarters of voters are, at the very least, not satisfied with the budget. Admittedly, it's not a scientific poll but the reaction is very lopsided.

Maybe people are getting used to Muscat's tricks. He defended the inordinate length by saying it showed the budget had a lot of substance. A couple of days later he paid tribute to Lino Spiteri, who, however, always made it clear in his commentary on past budgets that too long a budget speech was a sign of hot air.

Taghna Lkoll Hit Parade

I was overwhelmed by the response to my request, last week, for Taghna Lkoll signature tunes. I'm sorry I can't mention them all. Here are some of my favourites.

On Muscat's promises: "I don't believe in if anymore" (Roger Whitaker); "Remember the promise made" (Cock Robin); Fleetwood Mac's "Little Lies".

On meritocracy: "A little help from my friends" (The Beatles); "Just can't get enough" (Depeche Mode); and "Money, money, money" (Abba).

On transparency: "I can see clearly now" (Johnny Nash).

I would rather not know what was implied in the suggestion of "Money for Nothing" ("and chicks for free") by Dire Straits.

The success has convinced me of the need for a permanent, weekly Hit Parade, open to your suggestions. My suggestions for this week:

1. "It's Just an Illusion"

By the appropriately named, Imagination.

2. "I don't like Mondays"

Every honest MP's favourite after the budget speech. That the song is by the Boomtown Rats is pure coincidence.

3. "Parole, Parole"

Mina's classic with a sentiment we can all identify with: "Caramelle non ne voglio piu'".

But those are just my preferences. What are yours? Keep them coming!