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.
Keep It To Yourself
Billy Connolly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd like to ease the pain in my troubled brain
But as to how, I haven't a clue
Should I shout at the people who pass me by
Hey folks look at me, I'm no ordinary guy
I had a love and she swore she was mine
But she only loved me when the weather was fine.
Keep it to yourself, tell nobody else
Just how you loved her so, they don't want to know
Keep it to yourself.
On a subway train, I hide from the rain
And take a seat right next to the door
There's a man with a case and as I look at his face
I'm sure I've seen him someplace before
He looks up and I look down
And then we both look away
The train slows down and my head spins βround
It's like scene from a one-act play.
My mind tells me what to do
Keep it to yourself, tell nobody else
Just how you loved her so, they don't want to know
Keep it to yourself.
I feel much better when the sun has lost its glow
When the light of day is fading away
And there are shadows wherever I go
Yes the light is fading and I'm masquerading
As a poet with something to say
The inspiration's gone and I can't turn it on
It's been the same since she went away.
My mind tells me what to do
Keep it to yourself, tell nobody else
Just how you loved her so, they don't want to know
Keep it to yourself.
Billy Connolly's song "Keep It To Yourself" deals with the pain of lost love and the struggle to cope with it. The lyrics depict a man who is lost and unsure of what to do with his emotions. He wonders whether he should shout at people passing by and make himself standout or keep his pain to himself. The singer had a love that he thought he would keep forever but was let down when they didn't love him the same way during rough times. He goes on to describe his struggles with finding a way to cope with his pain but ultimately his mind tells him to keep it to himself and not share his feelings with anyone else.
The lyrics of this song by Billy Connolly resonated with many people who were going through heartbreak, and it became very popular on its release. The song received critical acclaim for its honest portrayal of the struggle to cope with lost love, and Billy Connolly's unique delivery and style only added to its charm. Interestingly, the song is written by Joe Edd Morris, who was also the writer of the hit song "Take This Job and Shove It."
Line by Line Meaning
I walk along the street and wonder what to do
I'm lost and don't know what to do
I'd like to ease the pain in my troubled brain
I'm sad and need help to feel better
But as to how, I haven't a clue
I don't know how to make myself feel better
Should I shout at the people who pass me by
Should I seek attention from others?
Hey folks look at me, I'm no ordinary guy
I want to be recognized as special
I had a love and she swore she was mine
I was in a relationship with someone
But she only loved me when the weather was fine.
She only loved me when conditions were good
My mind tells me what to do
I know what I should do
Keep it to yourself, tell nobody else
Don't share your emotions with others
Just how you loved her so, they don't want to know
Others don't want to hear about my feelings
On a subway train, I hide from the rain
I'm physically avoiding the discomfort of the rain
And take a seat right next to the door
I'm particular about where I sit based on convenience
There's a man with a case and as I look at his face
I notice details about strangers near me
I'm sure I've seen him someplace before
I recognize him
He looks up and I look down
We acknowledge each other visually
And then we both look away
We're ignoring each other again
The train slows down and my head spins 'round
The sudden change in motion affects me physically
It's like scene from a one-act play
The moment feels theatrical
I feel much better when the sun has lost its glow
I feel more comfortable in the dark
When the light of day is fading away
As daylight ends
And there are shadows wherever I go
I notice the changing lighting conditions
Yes the light is fading and I'm masquerading
I'm pretending to be something I'm not
As a poet with something to say
I'm trying to express myself creatively
The inspiration's gone and I can't turn it on
I'm feeling creatively blocked
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: WILLIE WILLIAMSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@richtaylor2129
Billy is an absolute legend!! He always makes me laugh when I am feeling down
@joshstanton267
So does masturbation, allegedly.
@randomfpv22
I remember seeing billy in the early 2000βs. My chest hurt for days from all the laughing. One of my favourite memories
@gdfggggg
My dad walked in on me once and said to me, βson, stop doing that or youβll go blindβ, I replied, βdad, Iβm over hereβ.
@mikeyp0131
Hahahaha!
@trevormoses5061
πππ
@anavelesque
LOL
@karlosvulture7707
Hahahahaha gold mate....
@lsd8497
Yeah, my neighbour was put on trial for being a serial masturbator. The judge sent him to a doctor first and the doctor said "you really need to put an end to this". My neighbour said "why?". The doc said "cause I'm trying to examine you!"
@who_cares__
billy's the kind of guy that could make anything funny. what a legend