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.
I Wish I Was in Glasgow
Billy Connolly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With some good old friends of mine,
Some good old rough companions
And some good old smooth red wine.
We could talk about the old days
And the old town's sad decline
And drink to the boys on the road.
Near the center of the town.
I would take you there and show you
But they've torn the building down,
And when I think about it
It always makes me frown
They bulldozed it all to make a road.
And that great old place I miss so much
Has seen much better days,
And still we talk about it
As we go our separate ways.
Oh but Glasgow gave me more
Than it ever took away
And prepared me for life on the road.
And that great old place I miss so much
Has seen much better days,
And still we talk about it
As we go our separate ways.
Oh but Glasgow gave me more
Than it ever took away
And prepared me for life on the road.
My granny was a cleaner,
My grandad drove a tram,
My father an engineer,
Made me all I am.
They have seen the city come and go,
Still they give a damn.
There's so much to learn along the road.
And Glasgow gave me more
Than it ever took away
And prepared me for life on the road.
In "I Wish I Was in Glasgow," Billy Connolly expresses his love for the city where he was born and the nostalgia he feels for the good old days spent with his rough and smooth companions over some wine. The lyrics convey a longing to return to a place where you feel a sense of belonging, to reminisce about the past, and to honor those who have traveled down the same road. The singer talks about the changes he has witnessed in Glasgow, with its sad decline and the buildings that have been torn down to make roads. The lyrics express the singer's love for Glasgow and his appreciation for the city's impact on his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh I wish I was in Glasgow
The singer desires to be in Glasgow.
With some good old friends of mine,
The singer wants to be with specific companions in Glasgow.
Some good old rough companions
The singer desires to be with friends who are tough and gritty.
And some good old smooth red wine.
The artist wants to drink red wine in Glasgow.
We could talk about the old days
The companions could reminisce about the past in Glasgow.
And the old town's sad decline
The singer laments the deterioration of the town.
And drink to the boys on the road.
The group would drink in honor of travelers.
Oh I was born in Glasgow
The artist is originally from Glasgow.
Near the center of the town.
The artist's birthplace was close to the town center.
I would take you there and show you
The artist would show someone the birthplace if it still existed.
But they've torn the building down,
The birthplace no longer exists due to demolition.
And when I think about it
The artist reflects on the loss of the birthplace.
It always makes me frown
The singer is saddened by the loss of the birthplace.
They bulldozed it all to make a road.
The birthplace was demolished to create a road.
And that great old place I miss so much
The singer misses Glasgow.
Has seen much better days,
Glasgow is not as vibrant as it once was.
And still we talk about it
The artist and companions reminisce about Glasgow.
As we go our separate ways.
The companions are no longer in Glasgow together.
Oh but Glasgow gave me more
Glasgow has had a positive influence on the singer.
Than it ever took away
The good of Glasgow outweighs any negative aspects.
And prepared me for life on the road.
Glasgow helped the artist prepare for a life of travel.
My granny was a cleaner,
The artist's grandmother worked as a cleaner.
My grandad drove a tram,
The singer's grandfather was a tram driver.
My father an engineer,
The artist's father worked as an engineer.
Made me all I am.
The singer's family had a significant influence on their character.
They have seen the city come and go,
The singer's family has witnessed changes in the city.
Still they give a damn.
The singer's family still cares about the city.
There's so much to learn along the road.
The artist recognizes there is much to gain from traveling.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jamiedavidson5045
Oh I wish I was in Glasgow
With some good old friends of mine,
Some good old rough companions
And some good old smooth red wine.
We could talk about the old days
And the old town's sad decline
And drink to the boys on the road.
Oh I was born in Glasgow
Near the center of the town.
I would take you there and show you
But they've torn the building down,
And when I think about it
It always makes me frown
They bulldozed it all to make a road.
And that great old place I miss so much
Has seen much better days,
And still we talk about it
As we go our separate ways.
Oh but Glasgow gave me more
Than it ever took away
And prepared me for life on the road.
And that great old place I miss so much
Has seen much better days,
And still we talk about it
As we go our separate ways.
Oh but Glasgow gave me more
Than it ever took away
And prepared me for life on the road.
My granny was a cleaner,
My grandad drove a tram,
My father an engineer,
Made me all I am.
They have seen the city come and go,
Still they give a damn.
There's so much to learn along the road.
And Glasgow gave me more
Than it ever took away
And prepared me for life on the road
@atlantaman
It’s a tough city with tough people and yet, paradoxically, the kindest place whose folk have the biggest, most generous hearts and sense of community. The chorus says it all, if you’ve ever really lived there: it gives you more than it ever takes away and prepares you for life. It did that for me.
@moeksie1
My late father James Andrew Wilson was born in Glasgow 1.2.1901 and sadly passed away in South Africa in 1957. Although I was born in South Africa my heart is in Glasgow and at age 71 my wish is to visit Glasgow before I close my eyes. RIP daddy, miss you.
@liisavarhalla6348
I hope you get your wish....it seems like a wonderful place to see.😊🎈
@rossco76tait48
Nick,I hope you make it to Glasgow. Take care bud.
@dantevidruh7463
Sad story I hope you get to visit Glasgow you'll love it I live 20 miles from it was born and bred there myself Glasgow will welcome you I do hope your doing well and hope you get to cone to Glasgow you won't regret it it's beautiful
@harrywragg9883
If you visit, give me a shout. I'll take you out for a pint and a dinner and put you up for the night. I hope your wish comes true.
@chrsfte
You’re welcome any time.
@liisavarhalla6348
I love this song. Gives me shivers and a tear rolls down my cheek.
Billy wrote comedy songs, but some ballads he wrote are so beautiful. He has a beautiful voice and was a good musician. He is still great on the banjo...this song is the best.
@maryrennie5076
Billy makes me laugh when i feel a wee bit down he is so gifted may god rtuly bless him
@Nerioite
I'm sure this song would have an even greater poignancy to me were I actually from Scotland (I'm from the Oakland area in America) but I feel like these themes really transcend borders. There's a very universal feeling of "yeah, this town is a mean piece of shit place, but it's MY mean piece of shit place, and I wouldn't rather be from anywhere else". There will always be parts you don't like (like those special places to you getting torn down, something I'm very familiar with), but there's also the immense blessings to be alive and to be around those you come to know and love. Writing this from college, first long time away from home, and I hope everyone here feels like home is never too far away, at least in spirit.