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.
Near You
Billy Connolly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could sing you sad songs,
Sing you songs, to make you smile.
I could sing you love songs,
But would that be worth my while
CHORUS
Is be near you.
I haven't any money,
And I haven't any land.
I once had lots of money,
But it slipped right through my hand.
CHORUS
I don't want you to read me tea leaves,
I don't want you to read my palm.
I just want you to walk beside me,
And see the kind of man I am.
CHORUS
I could sing you sad songs,
Sing you songs, to make you smile.
I could sing you love songs,
But would that be worth my while
The song 'Near You' by Billy Connolly is a beautiful ode to the power of love and companionship. The song is written in a simple yet powerful manner, with each line resonating deeply with the listener. In the first verse, the singer talks about how he could sing sad songs or love songs to make his beloved smile, but he questions whether it would be worth his while as all he really wants to do is to be near her. This shows how important the presence of the person he loves is to the singer, and how just being near them provides a sense of happiness and contentment.
In the second verse, the singer talks about how he doesn't have any money or land, and how he once had money but it slipped through his hand. This shows how material possessions are not important to the singer, and how love and companionship are far more valuable. In the chorus, the singer repeats the simple but powerful phrase 'all I want to do is be near you', emphasizing the importance of being close to the person he loves.
In the final verse, the singer talks about not wanting his beloved to read his tea leaves or palm, but just wanting her to walk beside him and see the kind of man he is. This shows how important it is to the singer that his beloved sees him for who he truly is, and how he values her opinion and acceptance of him. Overall, 'Near You' is a beautiful ode to the power of love and companionship, and how just being near the person you love can bring a sense of happiness and contentment.
Line by Line Meaning
I could sing you sad songs,
I have the ability and inclination to sing songs that express sorrow and heartbreak.
Sing you songs, to make you smile.
In addition to sad songs, I can also sing songs that will lift your spirits and bring a smile to your face.
I could sing you love songs,
I am capable of singing songs that express feelings of deep affection and passion.
But would that be worth my while
However, I question the value and purpose of singing these songs if it does not lead me closer to you.
When all I want to do,
My main desire and goal is simply to be close to you.
Is be near you.
Being in your presence and having your companionship is what I truly crave and seek.
I haven't any money,
I am currently lacking in financial resources.
And I haven't any land.
I also do not possess any property or real estate.
I once had lots of money,
At a previous point in time, I had significant wealth and financial stability.
But it slipped right through my hand.
However, due to various circumstances and poor decisions, my wealth was lost and no longer exists.
I don't want you to read me tea leaves,
I am not interested in having you predict my future or analyze my fate through mystical means such as reading tea leaves.
I don't want you to read my palm.
Similarly, I am not interested in having you read my palm to gain insight into my personality or destiny.
I just want you to walk beside me,
Instead, what I truly desire is for you to accompany and support me on my journey through life.
And see the kind of man I am.
Through our time together, I hope you will come to understand and appreciate the person I truly am.
Contributed by Dylan D. 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.