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.
Leo McGuire's Song
Billy Connolly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But ma journey has an element of farce.
'Cos the calendar has stated - it's the middle o' July,
Yet here ah am wi' snaw up tae ma arse, Oh - yo!
() Wi' ma pipes below ma oxter an' ma sporran neatly pressed
Ma pockets full o' porridge for the road.
Wi' some Crawford's Tartan Shortbread an' some tattie scones as weel
I am headin' for sweet Afton, that's the place that ah am daft on,
Where the smell o' tattie bogle fills the air.
If ye poke amang the heather wi' a feather ye will see
Where the untamed hornie-golluck has his lair. Oh - yo!
Ah remember Annie Laurie, sure, ah had her in a quarry
On the road frae Tobermory tae the sea.
Ah remember Mountain Daisy, an' that lassie wisnae lazy,
'Cos ah remember Daisy mountin' me. Oh - Yo!
Ah remember gettin' pally wi' a peely-wally 'tally,
In a chalet doon at Butlin's camp at Ayr.
An' ah gied her a bambino as she lay an' read "The Beano"
Then she said, well how did she know ah wis there? Oh - yo!
Ah wis jist a wee bit randy as she lay an' read "The Dandy"
Then she went an' put a pot upon the hob.
An' she made me tagliatelli, which she balanced on her belly
So's ah could eat while ah wis on the job. Oh - yo!
By the time the job wis over, she wis halfway through "The Rover"
An' had started on that week's "People's Friend"
An' she made me veal escalope an' we had another wallop
Before ma strong desire came to an end.
Oh the Scottish Summers have a certain lack of charm,
Due mainly to the sudden rainy squalls.
But the Scottish lassies can aye keep her laddie warm
By their tender ministration to his knees. Oh - yo!
The lyrics to Billy Connolly's song "Leo McGuire's Song" are a humorous and nostalgic reflection on the singer's travels throughout Scotland. The opening lines set the stage for the comedic element to come, as the singer attempts to journey from Gretna Green to Skye, only to encounter snow up to his arse in the middle of July. He carries with him typical Scottish foods such as porridge, shortbread, and tattie scones, and paints himself with woad, a blue dye traditionally used by Celtic warriors.
The song is filled with playful puns and references to Scottish culture and folklore. The singer mentions the scent of "tattie bogle" in the air, a nod to the Scottish nickname for a scarecrow. He also mentions the untamed "hornie-golluck" and the famous Scottish ballad "Sweet Afton" by Robert Burns. The humourous nature of the song continues as the singer reminisces about past romances with women named Annie Laurie, Mountain Daisy, and the unnamed peely-wally 'tally.
However, the song concludes on a more heartwarming note, as the singer suggests that while Scottish summers may lack charm due to sudden rain squalls, the Scottish lassies can keep their laddies warm with their tender care. "Leo McGuire's Song" is a humorous tribute to Scottish culture, the landscape and romantic possibilities of the country, and its people.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah wis headin' wi ma cromack up frae Gretna Green tae Skye
I was carrying my walking stick from Gretna Green to Skye.
But ma journey has an element of farce.
But my journey is a bit of a joke.
'Cos the calendar has stated - it's the middle o' July,
Because the calendar says it's July.
Yet here ah am wi' snaw up tae ma arse, Oh - yo!
But here I am with snow up to my backside.
Wi' ma pipes below ma oxter an' ma sporran neatly pressed
Carrying my bagpipes under my arm and my kilt purse looking nice.
Ma pockets full o' porridge for the road.
My pockets filled with porridge for the journey.
Wi' some Crawford's Tartan Shortbread an' some tattie scones as weel
Also carrying some tartan shortbread and potato scones.
An' ah'm jist aboot tae paint masel' wi' woad. Oh - yo!
And now I'm about to paint myself blue with woad.
I am headin' for sweet Afton, that's the place that ah am daft on,
I'm heading to sweet Afton, the place I'm especially fond of.
Where the smell o' tattie bogle fills the air.
Where the smell of potato filling fills the air.
If ye poke amang the heather wi' a feather ye will see
If you look through the heather with a feather, you'll see
Where the untamed hornie-golluck has his lair. Oh - yo!
Where the wild unicorn has his home.
Ah remember Annie Laurie, sure, ah had her in a quarry
I remember a girl named Annie Laurie that I had in a quarry.
On the road frae Tobermory tae the sea.
On the road from Tobermory to the sea.
Ah remember Mountain Daisy, an' that lassie wisnae lazy,
I remember a girl named Mountain Daisy who was not lazy.
'Cos ah remember Daisy mountin' me. Oh - Yo!
Because I remember Daisy riding me.
Ah remember gettin' pally wi' a peely-wally 'tally,
I remember getting friendly with a pale, thin girl.
In a chalet doon at Butlin's camp at Ayr.
In a cabin at Butlin's camp in Ayr.
An' ah gied her a bambino as she lay an' read "The Beano"
And I gave her a little kiss while she was reading "The Beano".
Then she said, well how did she know ah wis there? Oh - yo!
And she asked how she knew I was there.
Ah wis jist a wee bit randy as she lay an' read "The Dandy"
I was a little bit excited as she was reading "The Dandy".
Then she went an' put a pot upon the hob.
And she put a pot on the stove.
An' she made me tagliatelli, which she balanced on her belly
And she made me pasta, which she balanced on her stomach.
So's ah could eat while ah wis on the job. Oh - yo!
So I could eat while I was busy.
By the time the job wis over, she wis halfway through "The Rover"
By the time we were finished, she was halfway through "The Rover" magazine.
An' had started on that week's "People's Friend"
And had started reading that week's "People's Friend" magazine.
An' she made me veal escalope an' we had another wallop
And she made me veal cutlets and we had another drink.
Before ma strong desire came to an end.
Before my strong desire stopped.
Oh the Scottish Summers have a certain lack of charm,
Scottish summers are not that charming.
Due mainly to the sudden rainy squalls.
Due to the sudden rain showers.
But the Scottish lassies can aye keep her laddie warm
But the Scottish girls can always keep their man warm.
By their tender ministration to his knees. Oh - yo!
With their gentle care for his knees.
Contributed by Claire I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Shardric
on The evil Scotsman
It's not Billy Connolly.
It's actually called "Trouble"
It was written by George Allen and Garry Desmond and perormed by The Rockin' Jock.