by PETER TATCHELL (copyright 2011)
From folksinger to stand-up comedian to recording artist to talk show raconteur to movie star to television travel guide, Billy Connolly has forged a remarkable career that shows no signs of fading as he approaches his seventieth year.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland on November 24 1942, Billy deserted his job as a boilermaker and welder to try his hand at folksinging in the mid-1960s. Teaming with Tam Harvey and later with (the about to be world renowned) Gerry Rafferty, he formed The Humblebums, who were soon signed by the newly formed Transatlantic Records in 1968.
Billy’s humorous dialogue between the numbers was quickly becoming the highlight of the stage performances and by the early 1970s he decided to try his luck as a fully-fledged comedian (with occasional musical offerings).
His switch to Polydor Records in late 1974 and an appearance on Michael Parkinson’s chat show a few months later acted as catalyst for his burgeoning popularity. Billy would be invited back on Parkinson a record-breaking fifteen times over the next three decades and that same year his spoof version of the Tammy Wynette hit D.I.V.O.R.C.E. topped the charts. Connolly later gave his interpretation of the Village People song In the Navy, which he reworked as In the Brownies.
In addition to his concert performances, Billy’s acting talents were wanted for a couple of telemovies and by the end of the 1970s he’d been offered a major role in the Richard Burton drama Absolution. It was the start of a promising career on the big screen, which continues to this day.
The comedy community also sought his participation in several all-star charity fundraising concerts (The Secret Policeman’s Ball, The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball and Comic Relief’s Utterly, Uttlerly Live) as well as the TV sketch shows Not The Nine O’clock News (where he met his wife-to-be Pamela Stephenson) and The Kenny Everett Television Show.
His popularity was also spreading around the globe and (despite occasional early resentment caused by his use of explicit language and subject matter) he was soon an enormous hit in Australia. It would take to the end of the decade for Billy to finally crack the American market though, helped by a couple of H.B.O. specials and a starring role in the long-running sitcom Head of the Class. The show itself would last just one final season, but Connolly’s character was ‘spun off” into its own series titled Billy, about a Scottish teacher trying to get his green card for residency by taking part in a sham marriage.
In real life, Billy (and Pam) had been granted residential status around the same time and made Los Angeles home for many years, using it as the hub for his many film and concert appearances around the globe.
The 1990s saw Connolly head down the Michael Palin trail with a BBC series called Billy Connolly’s World Tour of Scotland, which led to subsequent journeys round Australia, the British Isles and New Zealand. He also visited the polar regions for two later television ventures.
In 1997, his portrayal of John Brown opposite Judi Dench (as Queen Victoria) in the acclaimed Mrs. Brown also brought him worldwide plaudits.
In the second decade of the twenty-first century Billy Connolly continues to give stand-up performances around the world, his DVDs are big sellers, he regularly appears on the movie screen (as well as lending his highly-recognizable Scottish accent to animated features) and he remains as popular as ever.
Recordings
(expanded from the discography compiled by M.J. Simpson for LAUGH magazine #7, 1993)
Part I: The Transatlantic sessions
(basically three Humblebums albums, two solo comedy releases (one a double LP) and a mass of reissues …
THE HUMBLEBUMS (music releases)
The First Collection Of Merrie Melodies
Transatlantic LP TRA 186 (?, 1968)
13 tracks featuring BC and Tam Harvey (track listing unknown)
Saturday Roundabout Sunday / Bed Of Mossy Green
Transatlantic single BIG 122 (?, 1969)
Coconut Tree / Her Father Didn’t Like Me Anyway
Transatlantic single BIG 127 (?, 1969)
The New Humblebums (BC and Gerry Rafferty)
Transatlantic LP TRA 201 (?, 1969)
reissued as The Humblebums
Transatlantic/Logo LP MTRA 2006, 7 Records LP MLM 383 (?, 1979)
and as Transatlantic LP TRS 107, cassette KTRS 107 (June 1981)
Look Over The Hill And Far Away
Saturday Round About Sunday
Patrick
Everybody Knows That
Rick Rack
Her Father Didn’t Like Me Anyway
Please Sing A Song For Us
Joe Dempsey
Blood And Glory
Coconut Tree
Silk Pyjamas
Goodbye-ee
Shoeshine Boy / My Apartment
Transatlantic single BIG 130 (?, 1970)
Open Up The Door
Transatlantic LP TRA 218 (?, 1970)
My Apartment
I Can’t Stop Now
Open Up The Door
Mary Of The Mountains
All The Best People Do It
Steamboat Row
Mother
Shoeshine Boy
Cruisin’
Keep It To Yourself
Oh No
Song For Simon
Harry
My Singing Bird
The Humblebums
Liberty LP LST 7636 (?, 1970)
a rare U.S. album, possibly the above tracks.
Coconut Tree/Shoeshine Boy
Transatlantic single BIG 520 (Nov 1974)
The Complete Humblebums
Transatlantic 3LP boxed set TRAT 288 (Oct 1974)
collection of TRA 186, TRA 201 and TRA 218
The Humblebums
Cambra 2LP CR 134, double-cassette CRT 134 (April 1984)
Open Up The Door
Will You Follow Me?
Cruisin’
Oh No
Keep It To Yourself
Song For Simon
Now I Feel So Old
Give Me A Little Of Your Time
All The Best People Do It
Look Over The Hill And Far Away
Patrick
Rick Rack
Everybody Knows That
Silk Pyjamas
Blood And Glory
My Apartment
I Can’ t Stop Now
Harry
My Singing Bird
Coconut Tree
Come Drink My Wine
Cripple Creek
Joe Dempsey
Best of the Humblebums
Pulse 2CD PDS CD 542 (1996)
I Can’t Stop Now
Shoe-Shine Boy
Come Drink My Wine
Her Father Didn’t Like Me Anyway
Cruisin’
Everybody Knows That
Give Me a Little of Your Time
Now I Feel So Old
Cripple Creek
Patrick
Rick Rack
Look Over the Hill and Far Away
Blood and Glory
Saturday Round About Sunday
Mary of the Mountains
Oh No!
Keep It to Yourself
Mother
Little Lady Blue
Victory Rag
Please Sing a Song for Us
Why Don’t They Come Back to Dunoon
My Dixie Darling
Silk Pyjamas
Joe Dempsey
Coconut Tree
Close Your Eyes
Travel Away
Steamboat Row
My Apartment
All the Best People Do It
Harry
Song for Simon
Open up the Door
My Singing Bird
Windy and Warm
Saltcoats at the Fair
Will You Follow Me
Goodbye-ee
* Humblebums tracks are also featured on the following Gerry Rafferty albums:
The First Chapter
Cambra 2LP CR 132 , double cassette CRT 132 (April 1984)
includes
Patrick
Rick Rack
Blood And Glory
Coconut Tree
Steamboat Row
Shoeshine Boy
Song For Simon
My Singing Bird
The Early Collection
Transatlantic CD TRACD 601 (July 1987)
includes
Look Over The Hill And Far Away
Patrick
Rick Rack
Her Father Didn’t Like Me Anyway
Please Sing A Song For Us
Blood And Glory
Coconut Tree
Steamboat Row
Shoeshine Boy
All The Best People Do It
Song For Simon
Keep It To Yourself
Blood And Glory
Demon LP ??? (June 1988)
includes
Please Sing A Song For Us
Rick Rack
Patrick
Shoeshine Boy
Song For Simon
Steamboat Row
Look Over The Hills And Far Away
Blood And Glory
BILLY CONNOLLY (solo)
Live!
Transatlantic LP TRA 258 (?, 1972) reissued as LP TRS 103, cassette KTRS 103 (February 1981)
reissued as Pickwick CD PCD 3235 (1992)
Stainless Steel Wellies (Govan ‘Dunne’ Blues)
Song For A Small Man
The Donkey
Telling Lies
Glasgow Central
Good Love
A Little Of Your Time
Near You
Winchburgh Junction
Oh Dear
McGinty
Solo Concert
Transatlantic 2LP TRA 279 (May 1974)
reissued as The Portrait
Scotdisc 2LP ITV 451, cassette KITV 451 (cassette), CD CDITV 451 (February 1989)
and as Classic Connolly (without Harry Campbell and the Heavies and A Life in the Day of)
Castle/Pulse CD PLS CD 269 (1998), Sanctuary CD PLS CD 269 (2001)
Glasgow Accents + Nine And A Half Guitars
Marie’s Wedding
Harry Campbell And The Heavies
Nobody’s Child
A Life In The Day Of
The Jobbie Wheecha
The Short-Haired Police Cadet
Leo McGuire’s Song
The Crucifixion
If It Was’nae For Your Wellies
Transatlantic LP XTRA 1144 (?, 1974)
compilation album including two new tracks (exact track listing unknown)
Words And Music
Transatlantic LP TRA SAM 32 (?, 1975)
If It Was’Nae For Your Wellies
Everybody Knows That*
Saltcoats At The Fair*
Silk Pyjamas*
Harry Campbell And The Heavies
Leo McGuire’s Song
Stainless Steel Wellies
Little Blue Lady*
Give Me A Little Of Your Time*
The Music Teacher + Marie’s Wedding
(* indicates Humblebums tracks)
The Connolly Golden Gift Box
Transatlantic 3LP boxed set GAR 1 (October 1976)
contains Live! and Solo Concert (double LP)
Billy Connolly
Pickwick LP SHM 927 (August 1977)
Stainless Steel Wellies
Song For A Small Man
A Life In The Day Of
Give Me A Little Of Your Time
The Crucifixion
Anthology
Transatlantic LP MTRA 2008, cassette KTRA 2008 (July 1978)
Stainless Steel Wellies
Talkin’ Blues
The Jobbie Wheecha
The Short-Haired Police Cadet
The Music Teacher + Marie’s Wedding
Glasgow Central
The Crucifixion
The Billy Connolly Collection
Pickwick 2LP PDA 035 (February 1978), double-cassette PDC 035 (December 1979)
Stainless Steel Wellies
A Life In The Day Of
The Crucifixion
The Short-Haired Police Cadet
The Jobbie Wheecha!
The Big Yin
Transatlantic LP TRA SAM 38 (?, 1979)
Glasgow Accents
Near You
Harry
Oh Dear
Why Don’t They Come Back To Dunoon?
Cruisin’
A Life In The Day Of
Billy Connolly In Concert
Pickwick/Spot LP SPR 8530, cassette SPC 8530 (February 1983)
The Short-Haired Police Cadet
Glasgow Accents
Everybody Knows That/
Harry Campbell And The Heavies
Silk Pyjamas
The Jobbie Wheecha
Why Don’t They Come Back To Dunoon?
A Big Yin Double Helping
Cambra 2LP CR 133, double cassette CRT 133 (April 1984)
The Donkey
Leo McGuire’s Song
The Crucifixion
Travel Away*
Everybody Knows That*
Marie’s Wedding (A Musical Appreciation)
Telling Lies
Nobody’s Child
Close Your Eyes*
The Jobbie Wheecha
A Little Of Your Time
Joe Dempsey*
Little Blue Lady
Near You
Nine And A Half Guitars
Saturday Round About Sunday*
Good Love
The Short-Haired Police Cadet
Oh Dear
Will You Follow Me*
(* indicates Humblebums tracks)
The Collection: On Tour With The Big Yin
Castle Collector Series 2LP CCSLP 218, cassette CCSMC 218, CD CCSCD 218 (August 1989)
Glasgow Accents … Nine And A Half Guitars
Marie’s Wedding (Musical Appreciation)
The Jobbie Wheecha!
The Short-Haired Police Cadet
Harry Campbell and the Heavies
A Life In The Day Of
Stainless Steel Wellies
The Crucifixion
Billy Connolly Live
(Australian) Music For Pleasure/Rainbow CD MFPCD 46
reissued as (Australian) Pickwick CD PKD 3235 (1992)
Stainless Steel Wellies
Song for a Small Man
The Donkey
Telling Lies
Glasgow Central
Good Love
A Little of Your Time
Near You
Winchburgh Junction
Oh Dear
McGinty
Live – In Concert!
Kaz CD TRT CD 176 (1995)
The Jobbie Weecha + Please Help Me, I’m Falling
Ten Guitars
The Hikers + Glasgow Central
Harry Campbell and the Heavies + The World is Waiting for the Sunrise
Marie’s Wedding
The Crucifixion
Comedy & Songs
Castle Pie CD PISD 021 (1999)
Glasgow Accents + Nine and a Half Guitars
Marie’s Wedding
The Jobbie Weecha
The Short-Haired Police Cadet
Harry Campbell and the Heavies
Leo McGuire’s Song
A Life in the Day of
The Big Yin – Billy Connolly in Concert
Castle Select CD SELCD 552 (2001), Sanctuary Midline CD SMBCD 402 (2007)
reissued as Live in Concert
Union Square CD METRCD 160 (2005)
Glasgow Accents + Nine and a Half Guitars
The Jobbie Weecha + Please Help Me, I’m Falling
Glasgow Central
Marie’s Wedding
Oh Dear
The Crucifixion
Why Don’t They Come Back to Dunoon
Nobody’s Child
Harry Campbell and the Heavies + The World is Waiting for the Sunrise
Salt Coats at the Fair (Humblebums track)
Transatlantic Years
Castle 2CD CMDDD209 (2001)
includes all tracks from Billy Connolly Live (TRA 258) and Solo Concert (2LP TRA 279)
plus Humblebum tracks:
Everybody Knows That
Little Blue Lady
Saltcoats at the Fair
Silk Pyjamas
Why Don’t They Come Back to Dunoon
Cruisin’
Talkin’ Blues
reissued as The Solid Gold Collection
Union Square 2CD SGDCD 2037 (2005)
but without Near You and The Short Haired Police Cadet
Billy Connolly – Humble Beginnings
Fabulus 6CD set (2003)
contains the five original Transatlantic releases: The Humblebums First Collection of Merry Melodies, The New Humblebums, Open Up the Door, Billy Connolly Live and Solo Concert
A Life in the Day of Billy Connolly – The Collection
Sanctuary 3CD set SMETD 345 (2006)
includes the Humblebums tracks:
Why Don’t They Come Back to Dunoon
My Dixie Darling
Now I Feel So Old
Give Me a Little of Your Time
Saltcoats at the Fair
Victory Rag
Will You Follow Me
Little Blue Lady
Travel Away
Come Drink My Wine
Cripple Creek
Close Your Eyes
Windy and Warm
Saturday Round About Sunday (LP version)
Everybody Knows That
Joe Dempsey
Silk Pyjamas
Good-bye-ee!
My Apartment
Open Up the Door
Mary of the Mountains
Mother
Cruisin’
Oh No
Harry
Time
Bed of Mossy Green
Saturday Round About Sunday (single version)
Talkin’ Blues
If It Was’nae for Your Wellies
plus all the tracks from Billy Connolly Live (TRA 258) and Solo Concert (2LP TRA 279)
Live in Concert
Union Square Music 2CD METRDCD 605 (2007)
Glasgow Accents
Marie’s Wedding
Harry Campbell and the Heavies
Leo McGuire’s Song
A Life in the Day Of …
The Crucifixion
Winchburgh Junction
The Jobbie Weecha
Stainless Steel Wellies
McGinty
Telling Lies
Oh Dear
Nobody’s Child
Saltcoats at the Fair
A Little of Your Time
Talkin’ Blues
Why Don’t They Come Back to Dunoon?
If It Was’nae for Your Wellies
Part II: The Polydor sessions
Cop Yer Whack For This
Polydor LP (in gatefold sleeve) Super 2383 310, cassette 3170 210, 8-track cartridge 3820 139 (December 1974)
recorded at the King’s Theatre, Glasgow
Three Men From Carntyne
Help Me Make It Through The Night
Lucky Uncle Freddie
Tam The Bam
What’s In A Name ? … Constantine! – Tyrone!
Talkin’ Blues
Late Call
Funny Thing Religion …
The Afternoon After The Morning After The Night Before
Cripple Creek
George, My Faithful Roadie
Sergeant, Where’s Mine?
Scottish Highland National Dress
The Welly Boot Song
Welly Boot Song / Sergeant Where’s Mine?
Polydor single 2058 558 (?/l975)
Get Right Intae Him
Polydor LP 2383 368 (November 1975)
reissued (with same title) as ACBR 267 minus two tracks (marked #)
“Wellies” On
A Wee Swearie
A Four Letter Word
D.I.V.O.R.C.E.
Me And The Terries #
Weekend Soldier
Join The Army And …
Coat Of Many Colours
Wellies
Willies
Schooldays Happiest Days? #
The Janny Song
Ivan The Terrible
No Place Like Home
The Queen’s Christmas Party
Leather Breeches
Back To School
Oh! No !
”Wellies” Off
D.I.V.O.R.C.E. / Cuckoo
Polydor SINGLE 2058 652 (November 1975)
No Chance (No Charge) / It’s No Gotta Name
Polydor single 2058 748 (July 1976)
Atlantic Bridge
Polydor LP 2383 419, cassette 3170 419 (November 1976)
Dunfermalino
Stars On Sunday
The Orient Express
The Two Laplanders
Rentalaugh
The Vaseline Salesman
Rodney And Cynthia
My Grandfather’s Clock
A Partick Lullabye
The Shitkickers Waltz
Half-Stoned Cowboy (Rhinestone Cowboy)
The Optician
They’ll Never Put This On A Record
Death
Hot Time In The Old Town (Tonight)
Japanese Doctor
The American Welly Boot Song
Raw Meat For The Balcony
Polydor LP 2383 463, cassette 3170 463 (October 1977)
Isn’t It A Shame
Pain In My Ass
The Walker … The Parachutist
As Usual
Have You Ever Thought About Being A Pervert?
Football Violence
John Stonehouse Went Swimming
Gandhi’s Revenge
Two Little Boys In Blue
The Death Of Robin Hood
The Scottish Fighting Man
Cryin’ Time
The Welly Boot Song
Isn’t It A Shame / You Got Me Running
Polydor single 2058 917 (?, 1977)
In The Brownies / Woke Up This Mornin’
Polydor single 2059 160 (August 1979)
(‘ a mega-rare promo-only 12″ version was also pressed as Polydor BC l, with an otherwise unavailable disco mix of Connolly’s Village People parody)
Riotous Assembly
Polydor LP 2383 543, cassette 3170 543 (October 1979)
reissued as cassette 849 440-4 (?, ?)
In The Brownies
When In Rome
Teenage Parties
Marvo And The Lovely Doreen
The Old-Fashioned Tennessee Waltz
The Welly Blues
The Doctor … The Optician
Glasgow High Court
Sexie Sadie And Lovely Raquel
In Appreciation (The Welly Boot March)
Tell Laura I Love Her / Song For Yootha
Polydor single POSP 201 (November 1980)
The Pick Of Billy Connolly
Polydor LP POLTV 15 (November 1981)
reissued as LP SPELP 57, cassette SPEMC 57 (November 1983) and CD 835 532-2 (?, ?)
and as Polydor/Karussell CD 550 0362 (1994)
D. I.V.O.R.C,E.
Tell Laura I Love Her
Football Violence
Welly Boot Song
When In Rome
Scottish Highland National Dress
Sexie Sadie and Lovely Raquel
The C & W Super Song
Marvo and the Lovely Doreen
In Appreciation
You Take My Photograph (I Break Your Face) / OzMoz
Polydor single POSP 549 (June 1983)
A Change Is As Good As Arrest
Polydor LP POLD 5077, cassette POLDC 5077 (July 1983).
Reissued as LP SPELP 89, cassette SPEMC 89 (February 1985)
* released in Australia as You Take My Photograph (I Break Your Face)
Jesus Christ I’m Nearly 40
Bram Stoker Sucks
How Rotten For Daphne
Hey! Dolores
Jock’s Rap
You Take My Photograph (I Break Your Face)
A Day In The Country
Oz Moz
Goodbye Wranglers, Hello Calvin Klein
The Half Bottle
I Wish I Was In Glasgo
Goodbye Wranglers, Hello Calvin Klein / Jesus Christ I’m Nearly 40
(Australian) Polydor single 810 955-7 (?, l983)
Super Gran / Yootha’s Song (with Ralph McTell)
Stiff single BUY 218 (February 1985) * in a picture sleeve.
Super Gran (A-side only)
Stiff single D BUY 218 (bicycle shaped picture disc) (February 1985)
Freedom (B.C., Chris Tummings & The Singing Rebels Band) / Celebration (Jimmy Helms)
Audiotrax single ATX 10 (June 1985)
* two tracks from the soundtrack of the film Water.
The Singing Rebels Band includes Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, all of whom can be seen in the photo on the picture sleeve. The A-side was written by Clapton and scriptwriter Ian Le Frenais)
Wreck On Tour
Philips LP PHH 2, cassette PHHC 2 (December 1985)
Swearing And The Use Of Bad Language
Weather Persons
Holidays In Aberdeen
Scuba Diving In The Carribean
Policemen And Soldiers
Attending The Birth
Washing Hair
Buying Shampoo
Pubic Hair
Vegetarian Dinner Parties
Unfinished Blues
Songwriting (Pre-Rock And Roll)
Roy Castle And His Trumpet
Chick Murray’s Wife In Blackpool
Noises In Taxis And Dark Places
Men In Public Toilets
Train Journeys With Stinkbombs
Clingfilm Over The Porcelain
Mario Lanza
(Not Singing Softly Softly)
Cycling Equipment
Shop Assistants
The Rowan Tree
Barwick Green
Billy And Albert
Ten LP DIX 65, cassette CDIX 65, CD DIXCD 65 (November 1987)
reissued as EMI gold LP 28611 2 5 (2000)
recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, London (July 1987)
President Of America
The Pope
Australian Talent Show
Edinburgh Festival
Learning The Banjo
The Dachshund
Nuclear
Jet Lag
Box Of Chocolates
Hotel Room In Perth
Condoms
Variety Theatre
Childhood Songs
Visiting Scotland
Wee Brown Dogs
Neck Lumps
The Casual Vomit
Driving The Porcelain Truck
Something has to Give
Irish Heartbeat / Under Pressure
Dover 7” single ROJ 11, cassingle ROJMC 11 (November 1990)
Irish Heartbeat (edit) / Irish Heartbeat (7″ version) / Under Pressure/ I Wish I Was In Glasgow
Dover 12” single ROJX 11 (November 1990)
Irish Heartbeat (edit) / Irish Heartbeat (7″ version) / Under Pressure
Dover CD single ROJCD 1l (November 1991)
a live version of the old Van Morrison song, backed with an original composition, NOT the Queen/David Bowie song.
Featuring ‘guest vocalists’ Julie Gibson (A-side) and Ralph McTell (B-side). The A-side also features a full pipe band. Both 7″ and 12′ versions came in a picture sleeve.
The Urpney Song (BC, Frank Bruno and Ozzy Osbourne) / The Whirlyped Launch (Mike Batt)
Adventure 7” poster sleeve ADVTS 102, 7” picture disc ADVTSP 102, cassingle ADVTSC 10 2 (November 1990)
Both tracks are taken from the soundtrack album to the children’s TV series “The Dreamstone”.
Billy Connolly Live
Virgin cassette TCV 2678, CD CDV 2678 (?, 1991)
recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, London
Doomsday
Parliament
Pit Bulls
Sheepdogs
Doggy Sex
Multiple Orgasms
Longevity Of Sex
Algebra
Chatting Up Women
Crimpolene Suits
Underpants
Tweed Trousers
Scottish Holidays
Don’t Drink The Water
Sunny Spain
Fresh Air Fortnight
Army Beds
Swimming In The North Sea
Sumo Wrestlers
We Don’t Belong In There
I Laughed
It Goes Away
The Crack (1974-1991)
Laughing Stock cassette LAFFC 10 (June 1992)
The Jobbie Wheecha!
The Crucifixion
Marie’s Wedding
Two Little Boys In Blue
Nuclear Weapons
Jet Lag
A Box Of Chocolates
A Hotel Room In Perth
We Don’t Belong In There
I Laughed
Live 1995
Polydor 2CD 529 7682-1/2 (1995)
recorded at the Regal Theatre in Perth
House of Horrors + Evangelists
Politicians $ Media Magnates
National Anthem + Captain Cook
Australian Cities
Dancing Naked
Religion + Masturbation + Celibacy
The Friendliest Place in the World
Bad Boys Bike
A Mornington Peninsula Story
My Favourite Wally + McDonalds
Dinner Conversation
Michael Barrymore + V.J. Day
The Nobel Peace Prize + Old Mans Day
Sexual Performance
Freezin’ + A Donkey Boy
Medical Check Ups + Prostate + Gynaecologist
Classic Connolly in Words and Music
Harper Collins Comedy / Polydor 2CD HCCD 748
reissues the 1970s tracks:
Have You Ever Thought About Being a Pervert?
Football Violence
Pain in My Ass
Marvo and the Lovely Doreen
How Rotten for Daphne
D.I.V.O.R.C.E.
Walker … the Parachutist
As Usual
Ghandi’s Revenge
In the Brownies
Ivan the Terrible
C & W Supersong
The Half Bottle
The Death of Robin Hood
The Scottish Fighting Man
Two Little Boys in Blue
Crying Time
Oz Moz
When in Rome
The Doctor … the Optician
Tell Laura I Love Her
Teenage Parties
John Stonehouse Went Swimming
Glasgow High Court
Sexy Sadie & Lovely Raquel
In Appreciation (The Welly Boot Song)
More Classic Connolly
Harper Collins Comedy / Polydor 2CD HCCD 749 (1996)
contains Wreck on Tour and Atlantic Bridge
Two Night Stand
Harper Collins Comedy / Polydor 2CD HCCD 677 (1997)
concerts in London and Glasgow
World Tour of Australia
Harper Collins Comedy / Polydor 2CD HCCD 679, Polygram CD 5340302 (1996)
Live – Dublin – 2002
Universal/The Laughter Label 2CD TLCD 29 (2002)
Live – The Greatest Hits
Universal/The Laughter Label 2CD TLCD 39 (2002)
An Audience with Billy Connolly
Granada/Sound Entertainment CD TLCD 83 (2005)
Billy is also featured on the following albums …
A Bellyful Of Laughs
Transatlantic LP XTRA 1167 (1976)
includes reissues of The Music Teacher and Marie’s Wedding
The Secret Policeman’s Ball
Island LP ILPS 9601 (December 1979), cassette ICT 9601 (May 1981).
reissued as Laughing Stock cassette LAFFC 2 (September 1991)
includes two new recordings:
The Country And Western Super Song
Two Little Boys In Blue
Not The Nine O’Clock News
BBC LP REB 400, cassette ZCF 400 (October 1980)
reissued as Music For Pleasure LP MFP 58 1 0, cassette TCMFP 58 1 0 (October 1987)
contains one word by B.C. on Airline Safety track
The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball
Springtime LP HAHA 6003, cassette CHACHA 6003 (November 1981)
includes one new recording:
Drinking
We Are Most Amused
Ronco 2LP RTD 2067, double cassette 4C-RTD 2067 (November 1982)
Includes reissue of Welly Boot Song
Water (Original Soundtrack)
London LP YEAR 2 (June 1985)
includes: Freedom
Comic Relief Presents – Utterly Utterly Live
WEA LP WX 51, cassette WX 51C (May 1986)
includes one new recording:
A Dangerous Place
The Dream Stone (Original TV Soundtrack)
Adventure LP ADVTLP 1001, cassette ADVTC 1001, CD ADVTCD 1001 (October 1990)
includes: The Urpney Song
The Complete Secret Policeman’s Other Ball
* expanded reissue of HAHA 6003
Castle double cassette ESDMC 152, 2CD ESDCD 152 (October 1991)
includes two new recordings:
Drinking
More Drinking
of related interest …
Billy Connolly – Musical Tour of Scotland
Polygram/Tickety-boo CD 529 816-2 (1995)
soundtrack of the series Billy Connolly’s World Tour of Scotland
Billy
Harper Collins Audio Books 4CD set HCCD 833, HighBridge 3CD HBP 81985 (2001)
Pamela Stephenson reads from her biography Billy
Television
CONNOLLY
ITV/Scottish December 31 1976 (45 min)
BILLY CONNOLLY IN CONCERT
BBC2 May 1 1978 (45 min)
THE BIG YIN
BBC2 February 16 1985 (40 min)
AN AUDIENCE WITH BILLY CONNOLLY
C4 October 28 1985 (50 min)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG AND BILLY CONNOLLY IN PERFORMANCE
HBO 1990
PALE BLUE SCOTTISH PERSON
HBO 1990
HEAD OF THE CLASS (Season 5)
(as Billy MacGregor)
September 11 1990 Where’s Charlie?
September 18 1990 Twelve Angry Nerds
September 25 1990 The Heartbreak Nerd
October 2 1990 And Then There Were None
October 9 1990 Getting Personal
October 16 1990 Napoleon Blown Apart
October 23 1990 Billy’s Big One
October 30 1990 Dead Men Don’t Wear Pocket Protectors (part 1)
November 6 1990 Dead Men Don’t Wear Pocket Protectors (part 2)
November 13 1990 Fillmore Versus Billy Jean’s
November 20 1990 Be My Baby … Sitter
November 27 1990 Dancing Fools
December 4 1990 My Son the Primate
December 11 1990 The Importance of Being Alex
December 18 1990 Viki’s Torn Genes
January 8 1991 The Last Waltz
January 15 1991 Most Likely to be Forgotten
May 28 1991 The Strange Case of Randy McNally
June 4 1991 My Dinner with Darlene
June 11 1991 The Phantom of the Glee Club
June 18 1991 It Couldn’t Last Forever (part 1)
June 25 1991 It Couldn’t Last Forever (part 2)
BILLY
January 31 1992 pilot
February 7 1992 Hot Stuff
February 14 1992 Parenting 101
February 21 1992 Poker Face
February 28 1992 Billy Gets the Bird
March 6 1992 Gimme Some Credit
March 13 1992 Futile Attraction
March 21 1992 Billy Flunks Mary
March 28 1992 Out All Night
April 4 1992 Home Alone, Almost
April 11 1992 Love Me, or Leave Me (part 1)
April 18 1992 Love Me, or Leave Me (part 2)
May 30 1992 Thunder from Down Under
BILLY CONNOLLY’S ONE NIGHT STAND
BBC1 November 2 1998 (30 min)
also of interest …
THE SOUTH BANK SHOW
May 13 1979
October 4 1992
April 4 2010
BILLY CONNOLLY – A BAFTA TRIBUTE
BBC1 December 27 2002
PARKINSON
BBC1 February 15 1975
BBC1 October 11 1975
BBC1 November 27 1976
BBC1 January 2 1978
BBC1 January 27 1979
BBC1 October 17 1979
BBC1 September 27 1980
BBC1 November 21 1981
BBC1 April 3 1982
ITV April 4 1987
BBC1 January 23 1998
BBC1 December 17 1999
BBC1 October 20 2001
BBC1 October 18 2003
ITV September 4 2004
ITV December 15 2007
THE LATE CLIVE JAMES
LWT/ITV April 26 1986
SATURDAY NIGHT CLIVE
BBC2 March 17 1990
BBC2 October 27 1990
BBC2 October 5 1991
SUNDAY NIGHT CLIVE
BBC2 March 6 1994
THE BIGGER PICTURE
1994
WORLD TOUR OF SCOTLAND
1994
A SCOT IN THE ARCTIC
1995
WORLD TOUR OF AUSTRALIA
1996
WORLD TOUR OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND AND WALES
2002
Radio
COMEDIANS’ COMEDIANS: Billy Connolly
BBC Radio 2 Saturday 1-00pm November 4 2000
Films
Just Another Saturday (1975 telemovie)
The Elephant’s Graveyard (1976 telemovie)
Big Banana Feet (1976)
Absolution (1981)
Blue Money (1982)
Bullshot (1983)
Water (1985)
To the North of Katmandu (1986)
The Hunting of the Snark (1987)
The Return of the Musketeers (1989)
The Big Man (aka Crossing the Line) (1990)
Dreaming (1990 telemovie)
Indecent Proposal (1993)
Down Among the Big Boys (1993)
Pocahontas (1995)
Muppet reassure Island (1996)
Middleton’s Changeling (1997)
Beverly Hills Ninja (1997)
Mrs. Brown (1997)
Deacon Brodie (1997 telemovie)
Paws (1997)
The Impostors (1998)
Still Crazy (1998)
The Boondock Saints (1999)
The Debt Collector (1999)
Beautiful Joe (2000)
An Everlasting Piece (2000)
Gabriel and Me (2001)
The Man Who Sued God (2001)
Who is Cletis Tout? (2001)
Prince Charming (2001 telemovie)
Gentlemen’s Relish (2001)
White Oleander (2002)
Timeline (2003)
The Last Samurai (2003)
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2003)
Open Season (2006)
Garfield – A Tale of Two Kitties (2006)
Fido (2006)
The X Files – I Want to Believe (2008)
Good Sharma (2009)
Gulliver’s Travels (2010)
Videos
BILLY CONNOLLY BITES YER BUM!
Chrysalis CVHS 5012
at the Apollo, Victoria, London (February 1981)
THE PICK OF BILLY CONNOLLY
Chrysalis CVHS 5019
at the Cambridge Theatre, London
AN AUDIENCE WITH BILLY CONNOLLY
Virgin Video Club VVC 586
expanded version of the October 26 1985 C4 TV special
BILLY AND ALBERT
Virgin Video VVD 258
at the Royal Albert Hall, London (July 1987)
BILLY CONNOLLY LIVE
Virgin Comedy Club VVD 863
recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, London (1991)
Billy and Albert and An Audience with Billy Connolly
were also issued as a double pack Virgin VVD 969
Billy may also be seen on the following release …
The Comic Relief Utterly Utterly Rude Video
Virgin Video VVD 169
includes one routine by Connolly
DVDs
BILLY CONNOLLY LIVE
Universal/VVL dvd 9029299
contains two 90 minute concerts:
Live in Hammersmith (1991)
Live ’94
TWO NIGHT STAND – LONDON and GLASGOW
Universal dvd
featuring two 1997 concerts
ERECT FOR 30 YEARS
Universal/VVL dvd 9027879
100 minute television documentary (1998)
LIVE – DUBLIN 2002
Universal dvd
60 minute concert from Dublin, plus 45 minutes from eight other performances
ONE NIGHT STAND DOWN UNDER / BEST OF THE REST
Universal dvd
103 minutes – Brisbane concert (April 1999) plus three decades of highlights
LIVE – THE GREATEST HITS
Universal dvd
142 minutes of highlights (1975 onwards)
LIVE IN NEW YORK
Universal dvd 8241590
90 minute concert (2005)
WAS IT SOMETHING I SAID?
Universal dvd
115 min concert recorded in Adelaide (2006)
LIVE IN LONDON 2010
Universal dvd
82 minute concert
also the travel documentaries:
WORLD TOUR OF SCOTLAND
WORLD TOUR OF AUSTRALIA
WORLD TOUR OF ENGLAND, IRELAND AND WALES
WORLD TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND
JOURNEY TO THE EDGE OF THE WORLD
Books
GULLIBLE’S TRAVELS
by Billy Connolly, compiled by Duncan Campbell (Pavilion/Michael Joseph, London. 1982)
THE BIG YIN – THE LIFE AND TIMES OF BILLY CONNOLLY
by Jonathan Margolis (Orion/Chapmans, London. 1994)
THE FUNNY SIDE OF BILLY CONNOLLY
by Bruce Dessau (Orion Media, London. 1996)
BILLY
by Pamela Stephenson (Harper Collins, London. 2001)
BRAVEMOUTH
by Pamela Stephenson (Headline, London. 2003)
BILLY CONNOLLY – THE UNOFFICIAL AND UNAUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY
by Nigel Huddleston (Kandour, London. 2004)
Laughterlog.com 