Biff Rose

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American comedian and singer-songwriter (1937–2023)

title: "Biff Rose" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1937-births", "2023-deaths", "american-male-singers", "songwriters-from-louisiana", "american-comedy-musicians", "musicians-from-new-orleans", "american-male-songwriters", "singers-from-new-orleans"] description: "American comedian and singer-songwriter (1937–2023)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biff_Rose" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American comedian and singer-songwriter (1937–2023) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]

FieldValue
nameBiff Rose
imageBiff Rose.png
birth_namePaul Conrad Rose III
birth_date
birth_placeNew Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
death_date
death_placeMadison, Wisconsin, U.S.
genre
occupation
instrument
years_active
label
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| name = Biff Rose | image = Biff Rose.png | caption = | birth_name = Paul Conrad Rose III | birth_date = | birth_place = New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. | genre = | occupation = | instrument = | years_active = | label =

** Biff Rose**, born Paul Conrad Rose III (October 15, 1937 – July 25, 2023), was an American comedian and singer-songwriter.

Biography

Rose was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on October 15, 1937.Paul Conrad Rose, III United States Public Records, 1970–2009. FamilySearch. Retrieved March 23, 2021. After moving to New york, he joined the Greenwich Village folk scene as a banjo-playing singer/comedian. His popularity led to a New York Times profile. Rose used the profile to generate momentum in his career. He moved to Hollywood where he worked as an actor and writer. While working in television, Rose met Paul Williams. The duo started a short songwriting partnership and composed several songs including ‘Fill Your Heart’, which was covered by David Bowie and ‘When Love is Far Away’, featured in Crazy Rich Asians.

After releasing his debut album in 1968 Rose made a handful of appearances on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show. After the Carson exposure, Rose performed on several other TV programs including The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, American Bandstand, and Playboy After Dark.

Biff Rose died from liver cancer at 85 in 2023.

Music

Rose's first release was 1968's The Thorn in Mrs. Rose's Side, which contained the song "Buzz the Fuzz".

The song "Fill Your Heart" is Rose's best known composition. Co-written by Paul Williams, the song was covered Tiny Tim on the B-side of his 1968 hit single "Tiptoe through the Tulips".

David Bowie recorded Rose's song ‘Fill Your Heart’ for his 1971 album Hunky Dory.

Yes Keyboard player Rick Wakeman worked as a session musician on Hunky Dory . He noted, "I remember going out and getting a Biff Rose album myself as he had obviously influenced David."

A young Bruce Springsteen opened up for Biff Rose at Max's Kansas City in February 1973. In attendance that evening was David Bowie who had gone specifically to see Biff.

Rose's songs have been recorded by John Denver, Vetiver (band) and Pat Boone. Cat Stevens counts Rose as an influence.

Racist Statements

In October 2017, Indy Week pointed out that Rose's website contained "blatantly racist and anti-Semitic material." Interviewer Nate Waggoner said Rose "expresses some views that are definitely not my own." In a published emailed rebuttal, Rose offered racist ideas about Islam as a defense against being anti-Semitic. He continued to post racist and anti-Semitic language and ideas on his websites and social media accounts, including drawings that used visual ethnic stereotypes and graphic depictions of homophobia and misogyny.

Full-length releases

::data[format=table] | Year | Title | Chart positions | US | US CB | |---|---|---|---|---| | 1968 | The Thorn in Mrs. Rose's Side | 75 | 89 | | | 1969 | Children of Light | 181 | — | | | 1970 | Biff Rose | — | — | | | 1971 | last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: R|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=R&bk=70|access-date=March 12, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}} | — | — | | | 1972 | Uncle Jesus, Aunty Christ | — | — | | | 1973 | Hamburger Blues | — | — | | | 1978 | Roast Beef | — | — | | | 1979 | Thee Messiah Album/Live at Gatsby's | — | — | | ::

References

References

  1. Lindsay, Sally (July 17, 1971). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=74157256 "Youth Beat"]. ''Pottsville Republican''. Page 27. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  2. 1780997132.
  3. (November 14, 1964). "Folk Comedian Picks Audience As Target of Ethnic-Cult Barbs; Biff Rose, Banjoist, Performs Topical-Satirical Ditties at the Gaslight Cafe". The New York Times.
  4. (February 27, 2013). "Interview: Paul Williams".
  5. "Crazy Rich Asians (2018) – Soundtracks – IMDb".
  6. "Columns: April 1969". Robert Christgau.
  7. "The Official Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson web site".
  8. "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour – Episode Schedule". Smothersbrothers.com.
  9. TV.com. "American Bandstand – Season 13, Episode 21: Joe South / Biff Rose / Rhetta Hughes". TV.com.
  10. "Biff Rose".
  11. (July 28, 2023). "Paul "Biff" Rose ~ American comedian / singer-songwriter passed away at the age of 85 at his home in Madison, Wisconsin on Tuesday July 25th.".
  12. "Rick Wakeman: On 'Piano Portraits,' David Bowie, Yes in the Rock Hall of Fame and More (Q&A)".
  13. (January 12, 2017). "Rick Wakeman: On 'Piano Portraits,' David Bowie, Yes in the Rock Hall of Fame and More (Q&A) – Rock Cellar Magazine".
  14. "Biff Rose / Bruce Springsteen".
  15. (July 30, 2018). "David Bowie and Bruce Springsteen: The History of an Unlikely Friendship".
  16. "David Bowie's Animated First Reaction To Bruce Springsteen (a top story)::David Bowie News ::antiMusic.com".
  17. "Tracks on Departure – Pat Boone (1969) {{!}} SecondHandSongs".
  18. "Cat Stevens".
  19. (August 18, 2014). "An Interview with Biff Rose, Truly Weird Part of Music History".
  20. Hussey, Allison. (October 5, 2017). "Heading to Biff Rose Tonight? You Might Want to Check His Website".
  21. Waggoner, Nate. (August 1, 2014). "An Interview with Biff Rose, Truly Weird Part of Music History".
  22. Whitburn, Joel. (1996). "Top LPs, 1955–1996". Record Research.
  23. Hoffmann, Frank W.. (1996). "''Cash Box Pop Albums Charts, 1950–1993''". Libraries Unlimited.
  24. Christgau, Robert. (1981). "[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]". [[Ticknor & Fields]].
  25. "HAMBURGER BLUES, by Biff Rose".

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1937-births2023-deathsamerican-male-singerssongwriters-from-louisianaamerican-comedy-musiciansmusicians-from-new-orleansamerican-male-songwriterssingers-from-new-orleans