He was born in Northampton, England, and grew up in Perth, Western Australia. He attended UWA (University of Western Australia) before launching onto the world stage at the 2005 Edinburgh Fringe Festival by winning the Best Newcomer Perrier Comedy Award.
His eccentric appearance (wild unkempt hair, heavy eyeliner and bare feet juxtaposed with a crisp and clean suit and tails, and a grand piano) adds to his comedic performances.
Notable songs include “Inflatable You”, “Rock N Roll Nerd” and the anthem “Canvas Bags”, the latter often used as a finale in which Tim will discard his jacket and lead the audience in an increasingly dramatic environmental pledge for people to reject plastic bags in favour of reusable canvas ones.
His 2005 and 2006 shows (Dark Side and So Rock, both named for songs within the shows) have been recorded to CD.
His first DVD, called 'So Live', was filmed in June 2007 in Sydney.
He currently resides in London with wife Sarah. They had a baby girl on November 24th, 2006 - Violet Minchin.
He also has a son, Caspar, who was born on July 3, 2009.
Pride
Tim Minchin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pride comes before the fall
But in between the pride and the fall
There's usually a bottle of Tequila
Tequila comes before the fall
And pride comes before Tequila
But in between the pride and Tequila
Who implies that you are bad in bed
Whereas before that lady you though sexually you rocked
That you went off like a frog in a sock
Pride comes before the fall
And the fall comes after the lady
And the lady comes before the Tequila
But in between the lady and Tequila
There's usually an argument incited by the fracture in your pride
Where you tell the lady she wasn't much to write home about either
That is, if hypothetically, you habitually wrote home about your sexual partners, which you don't
But even if you did, you wouldn't do
That's when the lady throws a shoe
Tequila comes before the fall
And pride comes before Tequila
And the Tequila comes after the lady... and the shoe
And in between Tequila and the fall
There's usually an unforgettable amnesiac evening with your mates with equal measures of sexism and pull
And a great deal of amusing hi-jinx involving nude runs though your old high school
Til you vomit on a football pitch
After which
You have no pride at all
Followed by the sweet, sweet taste of self-hatred
Which can be loosely described as the fall
So though the Bible may be chronologically correct when it states that a fall is preceded by pride
Like all Bible lessons, it should only be used as a guide
The lyrics of Tim Minchin’s song “Pride” is a satirical commentary on the common notion “pride comes before the fall”. The song delineates the sequence of events that happen before one takes a fall, and how everything is intertwined with each other. The song starts with the statement “Pride comes before the fall” repeated thrice, emphasizing the significance of the saying. Following that, the song talks about how Tequila usually accompanies the fall, indirectly referring to the connection between pride and intoxication. In the next verse, the song brings in the aspect of love, pride, and sex with the lines “There's usually a lady who you love with all your heart and all your head, Who implies that you are bad in bed”. This represents how pride and ego come into play when it comes to sex and how the fall is significant concerning this context. The song ends with stating how the fall affects one’s life, leading to self-hatred and a loss of pride.
In summary, the song encompasses the entire concept of pride and its aftermath. It highlights how pride is connected with alcohol, sex, love, and ego, and how they are all interconnected with the fall, leading to self-hatred.
Line by Line Meaning
Pride comes before the fall
Pride often leads to eventual failure
Pride comes before the fall
Pride often leads to eventual failure
But in between the pride and the fall
There is usually a distinct point of change during this process
There's usually a bottle of Tequila
Alcohol is often involved as a catalyst for the downfall
Tequila comes before the fall
Alcohol is often a precursor to failure
And pride comes before Tequila
As does pride
But in between the pride and Tequila
There is a progression from one to the other
There's usually a lady who you love with all your heart and all your head
A romantic relationship often plays a role in this sequence
Who implies that you are bad in bed
This often leads to feelings of sexual inadequacy
Whereas before that lady you thought sexually you rocked
Prior to this, you believed you were great in bed
That you went off like a frog in a sock
You held a high opinion of your sexual performance
And the fall comes after the lady
The relationship breakdown precedes the downfall
And the lady comes before the Tequila
The relationship breakdown occurs before drinking
But in between the lady and Tequila
There is a distinct shift
There's usually an argument incited by the fracture in your pride
The relationship breakdown leads to a pride-related argument
Where you tell the lady she wasn't much to write home about either
You attack the other person in an attempt to protect your own pride
That is, if hypothetically, you habitually wrote home about your sexual partners, which you don't
This is a reference to the absurdity of the situation
But even if you did, you wouldn't do
Even in this ridiculous hypothetical scenario, it's still not something you'd do
That's when the lady throws a shoe
The argument escalates and becomes physical
And in between Tequila and the fall
There is a progression from drinking to failure
There's usually an unforgettable amnesiac evening with your mates with equal measures of sexism and pull
A night of debauchery often follows the relationship breakdown
And a great deal of amusing hi-jinx involving nude runs though your old high school
Activities that seem hilarious at the time but are embarrassing in hindsight
Til you vomit on a football pitch
The inevitable consequence of excessive drinking
After which
Following this event
You have no pride at all
All sense of pride has vanished
Followed by the sweet, sweet taste of self-hatred
The aftermath is often filled with regret
Which can be loosely described as the fall
The actual moment of failure is not always clear
So though the Bible may be chronologically correct when it states that a fall is preceded by pride
The Bible may be accurate in this regard
Like all Bible lessons, it should only be used as a guide
It should not be taken as an absolute truth
Contributed by Owen T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.