Folk music
In 1965, together with Tam Harvey, Connolly started a group called the Humblebums. At their first gig, Connolly introduced them both to the audience by saying, "My name's Billy Connolly, and I'm humble. This is Tam Harvey, he's a bum." The band would later include Gerry Rafferty. Connolly sang, played banjo and guitar, and entertained the audience with his humorous introductions to the songs.
In his World Tour of Scotland, Connolly reveals that at a trailer show during the Edinburgh Festival, the Humblebums took to the stage just before the late Yehudi Menuhin.
The trio broke up in 1971, at which point Connolly went solo. His first solo album in 1972, Billy Connolly Live! on Transatlantic Records, features Connolly as a singer, songwriter, and musician.
His early albums were a mixture of comedy performances with comedic and serious musical interludes. Among his best known musical performances were "The Welly Boot Song", a comical ode to the working class which became his theme song for several years; "In the Brownies", a parody of the Village People classics "Y.M.C.A." and "In the Navy" (for which Connolly filmed a music video); "Two Little Boys in Blue", a tongue-in-cheek indictment of police brutality done to the tune of Rolf Harris' "Two Little Boys"; and the ballad "I Wish I Was in Glasgow" which Connolly would later perform on a guest appearance on the 1990s American sitcom Pearl (which starred Rhea Perlman). He also performed the occasional Humblebums-era song such as "Oh, No!" as well as straightforward covers such as a version of Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors" which was included on his Riotous Assembly album.
In November 1975, his spoof of the Tammy Wynette song "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" had a one-week spell as the UK's No. 1 single. Wynette's original was about parents spelling out words of an impending marital split to avoid traumatizing their young child. Connolly's version "D.I.V.O.R.C.E.", on the other hand, played off of the fact that many dog owners use the same tactic when they do not wish their pet to become upset about an impending trip to the veterinarian. His song is about a couple whose marriage is ruined by a bad vet visit (spelling out "W.O.R.M." or "Q.U.A.R.A.N.T.I.N.E.", for example.)
His song "No Chance" was a parody of J.J. Barrie's "No Charge".
In 1985 he sang the theme song to Supergran, which was released as a single and in 1996 he performed a cover of Ralph McTell's In The Dreamtime as the theme to his World Tour of Australia. By the late 1980s, Connolly had all but dropped the music from his act, though he still records the occasional musical performance. In 1998 he covered The Beatles' "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" on the George Martin tribute, In My Life and he also recorded a rewritten version of Alanis Morissette's "Hand in My Pocket" entitled "The Evil Scotsman". Most recently, he sang a song during the film Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Connolly is among the artists featured on Banjoman, a tribute to American folk musician Derroll Adams, released in 2002. He plays one song, "The Rock".
Stand-up comedy
It is as a stand-up comedian that Connolly is best known. His observational comedy is idiosyncratic and often off-the-cuff. He talks about himself, who he is, where he's been, what he thinks and how he reacts to the world around him. He has outraged audiences, critics and, of course, the media with his free use of the word "fuck". He has used masturbation, blasphemy, defecation, flatulence, sex, his father's illness and his aunts' cruelty to entertain. By exploring these subjects with humour, Connolly has done much to strip away the taboos surrounding them. Yet he does not tell jokes in the conventional way. At the end of a concert the audience can be convulsed with laughter but few can remember a specific "funny" line.
One of Connolly's most famous comedy skits is "The Crucifixion", an early 1970s recording in which he likens Christ's Last Supper to a drunken night out in Glasgow. The recording was banned by many radio stations at the time. Around this same time, a joke told during a television talk show appearance (about a murderer and his bike) became a sensation that, reportedly, people still remember three decades after the appearance. (A transcript of the complete joke can be found here).
Billy Connolly also performed a sketch broadcast on TV, when talking about national anthems, and comparing the UK's slow tune to the lively ones of many other nations, Billy suggested that it should be replaced by the theme tune to The Archers.
Connolly's style has changed over the years to be less controversial and more observational. Including topics such as himself aging, stories about where he has been and other aspects of his life. He also exclaims "Oh, I must tell you!" and vocalises whatever thought occurs to him. Another feature is his ability to break off onto a tangent mid-topic and return to it later -- sometimes as long as an hour later.
Awards
Connolly was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by the University of Glasgow on 11 July, 2001. This particularly bemused his wife, who noted that she had studied for six years to obtain her Ph.D., whereas Billy merely had to turn up and collect his. 2003 saw him presented with a BAFTA Lifetime Achievement award and a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.
On 4 July 2006, Connolly was awarded an honorary doctorate by Glasgow's Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) for his service to performing arts [5].
Trivia
* While being interviewed with his wife on the Irish Late Late Show, Connolly proved how easily he forgets many great lines that other comedians could only hope to think of. The presenter was trying to get Connolly to reproduce a funny line he had read in "Bravemouth" about Connolly knowing of an organism that lives on a human eyelid that has two penises. He asked Connolly "What was it called?" to which Connolly replied "Some latin name that I can't remember". His wife then interrupted "But the translation means lucky bastard, right", to which Connolly broke down in a fit of laughter. When he complemented his wife on the line, she had to remind him that it was his own original line which he had forgotten.
* Connolly is a lifelong supporter of Glasgow football team, Celtic, and is often seen at their home games.
* Connolly came second in The Glasgow Herald's poll, "The Most Scottish Person In The World". Number one was Wee Jimmy Krankie (see The Krankies), while third place went to Russ Abbott's impersonation of a Scotsman.
Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite
Billy Connolly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There will be a show tonight on trampoline
The Hendersons will all be there
Late of Pablo Fanques Fair-what a scene
Over men and horses hoops and garters
Lastly through a hogshead of real fire!
In this way Mr. K. will challenge the world!
Performs his feat on Saturday at Bishops Gate
The Hendersons will dance and sing
As Mr. Kite fly's through the ring don't be late
Messrs. K and H. assure the public
Their production will be second to none
And of course Henry The Horse dances the waltz!
The band begins at ten to six
When Mr. K. performs his tricks without a sound
And Mr. H. will demonstrate
Ten summer sets he'll undertake on solid ground
Having been some days in preparation
A splendid time is guaranteed for all
And tonight Mr. Kite is topping the bill
The lyrics to Billy Connollyβs song βBeing for the Benefit of Mr. Kiteβ describes a circus or show that will take place that evening, that will feature Mr. Kite performing on a trampoline while the Hendersons dance and sing. The descriptions get more elaborate as they go on, with mentions of men and horses, hoops and garters, and even jumping through a hogshead of real fire. The second verse features Mr. Kite performing at Bishops Gate on Saturday, while the Hendersons dance and sing as he flies through the ring. The performers promise their production will be second to none, and Henry the Horse will even dance the waltz. The last verse mentions the band beginning at 10 to 6, and Mr. Kite demonstrating his tricks without a sound, while Mr. H undertakes ten summer sets on solid ground. The preparations have taken days, but the show promises to be splendid.
Overall, βBeing for the Benefit of Mr. Kiteβ seems to be a fantastical description of a show or circus, with the promise of excitement and awe for the audience. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the performers and their acts, with Mr. Kite as the main attraction. The song is a tribute to a real-life Mr. Kite, William Kite, who was a circus performer in the 19th century. The lyrics were taken from a poster advertising one of his shows, which had been found by John Lennon in an antique shop. Lennon was inspired by the imagery and decided to turn it into a song.
Line by Line Meaning
For the benefit of Mr. Kite
This song is being performed to amaze and entertain Mr. Kite.
There will be a show tonight on trampoline
A show consisting of performers jumping on trampolines will occur tonight.
The Hendersons will all be there
The Henderson family will attend and participate in the show.
Late of Pablo Fanques Fair-what a scene
The Hendersons previously performed at Pablo Fanques Fair and were quite impressive.
Over men and horses hoops and garters
The performers will jump over obstacles like men and horses while wearing hoops and garters.
Lastly through a hogshead of real fire!
The final act will involve jumping through a barrel full of real fire.
In this way Mr. K. will challenge the world!
Mr. Kite's show will be so impressive that it will be a challenge for anyone else to top it.
The celebrated Mr. K.
Mr. Kite is well-known and highly regarded for his feats.
Performs his feat on Saturday at Bishops Gate
Mr. Kite's performance will be on a Saturday at the Bishops Gate venue.
The Hendersons will dance and sing
The Henderson family will entertain the audience with both dance and song.
As Mr. Kite fly's through the ring don't be late
Don't be late to the show or you might miss Mr. Kite's impressive jump through a ring.
Messrs. K and H. assure the public
Mr. Kite and the Henderson family promise the public that their show will be the best.
Their production will be second to none
Their show will be better than any other production.
And of course Henry The Horse dances the waltz!
Henry The Horse, a popular performer, will dance a waltz during the show.
The band begins at ten to six
The live music will start at 5:50 PM.
When Mr. K. performs his tricks without a sound
Mr. Kite's performance will be silent and require no spoken words.
And Mr. H. will demonstrate
One of the Hendersons will show off their ability.
Ten summer sets he'll undertake on solid ground
The performer will complete ten sets of difficult moves on solid ground.
Having been some days in preparation
The performers have been rehearsing for several days.
A splendid time is guaranteed for all
Everyone who attends the show is guaranteed to have a great time.
And tonight Mr. Kite is topping the bill
Mr. Kite is the most important performer of the night and will be the final act.
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Arvid Youngquist
I am glad Billy Connolly was chosen by Sir George Martin to perform his own songs which were mostly covered by the Beatles. These artists on Martin's special CD are uniquely suited to provide an interpretation to Martin's opus.
The Joker
Cant listen to the original without switching to this! Just feels so joyous
Liisa Varhalla
This is superb!!! Well done Sir William, well done!!!!ππππππππππππππππππππππ
Stewart Nicol as BILLY CONNOLLY
Billy was born to play the RingMaster at the Circus - here he is given the chance to live it! :-)
TeddyBearWithSexHair
I've always seen Billy as a big-top man. Who knows, he just might sooner or later. He's quite the showman, Mister Connolly.
patrick45sue
Billy & Beatles togethe, what else could I want for,love them both ....
ChiliConQueso
This song sounds so awesome with a Scottish accent.
Keimori12
Man, It may be some form of blasphemy to say so, But this in my favorite Version of this song! Theres just some sort of power the way Connolly sings this that the Beatles don't have in the original. Don't get me wrong, the original is grand, and the softness of the original has its own charm, but I find it lacks the showcallery tone Connolly has here, which is why I like this.
M M
i feel the same way
napalm5
It's better than the original