JanFeb2020

36 | www.westendermagazine.com
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Tall Tales and
wee stories
by Billy Connolly
BY BRIAN TOAL
WESTENDER’s
COVER TO COVER
Billy Connolly needs no introduction, but some
context would be helpful. He has recently been
diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease – formerly known
as the shaking palsy – so he’s glad that Parkinson
came along.
Recently we’ve had the pleasure
of some great documentaries
featuring Billy in America on a
road trip, a format which suits his
patter. In the most recent BBC
documentary where he revealed
his diagnosis, we saw a certain
summarising of his life, both
private and public, as well as a
chance to hear once again his
most famous jokes and where they
came from. This book serves as a
legacy in a way, a summarising of
many jokes and anecdotes with
which most of us will be familiar if
we’ve followed his career over the
years.
So why buy the book? I didn’t
come across much that I hadn’t
already heard but seeing the
stories written down helps to give
us a sense of the craftsmanship
that goes into the telling of these
stories. His routines were always
spontaneous, and he very rarely
wrote anything down apart
from a title here and there to
remind him of the running order.
So, it’s interesting to see them
written down and get a little more
context.
The quote on the dust jacket
opines that, coming from Glasgow,
he doesn’t really tell jokes.
He tells wee stories. And some of
them don’t even have punchlines,
but you’ll get used to it. As a child,
I grew up listening to his songs on
an eight track. As a teenager, I loved the uninhibited swearing
and the observations on the sheer ridiculousness of life. As a more
mature reader, I’ve enjoyed the more reflective sections discussing
fame, family, his early life and his current situation. There is a
section devoted to ‘real characters’, which is hilarious. I also
enjoyed the section on ‘Scotland and Beyond’, where he recounts
strange tales from the Highlands, as well as from Australia,
New Zealand and America.
His section on ‘Accidents and Adventures’ is full of ridiculous
tales of physical embarrassments, often involving sex or misfiring
bodily functions. ‘Sex, Drugs and Folk Music’ is full of tales from
The Clutha Bar and other venues he has played in.
The book is illustrated with his original drawings and the
introduction makes clear the purpose of the book and what
makes him tick. It’s good to have on your shelf as a reminder of his
genius. If you’ve got a stray book token lying around, get yourself
down to a bookshop and snap it up. It’s £20 full price, but many
shops are selling it for half price. A bargain!