Bill Murray brings song and virtuoso strings to the stage in unique style

In a sense, Bill Murray has always been known for his songs. There is hardly a person in the world who cannot recite his rendition of “Star Wars” from his long stint as a founding member of “Saturday Night Live.” His gift of bringing ridiculous lyrics where they were never needed is only part of the charm. The most infectious element is the enthusiasm of the singer, which far outshines that of most lounge singers anywhere on the face of the earth.

As fate would have it, Bill Murray has a voice suitable for far more than the shower, and he has gotten the courage up to be taken seriously as a singer and put his show on the road.

He sat down with Jane Pauley for “CBS Sunday Morning” on October 1 and even sang a little for the esteemed morning anchor as he talked about how his show, “New Worlds” has been a wonderful new awakening for him.

The curiosity of the case

Bill Murray insists that “I'm elevated” because of his musical partners who provide his accompaniment in this small but most unforgettable production. He self-effacingly declares that on his own, “I'm as good as anyone else in the shower,” yielding with clarification, “better than some, maybe.”

Murray is joined by Jan Vogler on Stradivari cello, and Vogler’s wife, Mira Wang, on violin, and Vanessa Perez on piano. Indeed, any one of these artists could fill a venue on the strength of their own name and credentials, but the show would never be as fun and fulfilling as this collaboration with Bill Murray.

The creative juices started flowing when Bill Murray was sitting across from Jan Vogler on a transatlantic flight, and his prized cello had the window seat, all packed away in its case. Neither of these luminaries from different worlds was positive of who the other was, but it didn't take long for Bill Murray to start quipping about how intrigued he was with that cello case.

The laughs were inevitable, and a fast friendship was born. “When Bill jokes, you are laughing. There's no doubt about that,” confirms Vogler.

Over conversations during long walks in the woods, the partners began to fashion a framework for their creative project and got a very genuine vibe for how viable it was. The show combines literature reading, tunes from “Porgy and Bess” to Marty Robbins’ classic Western song “El Paso.” Bill Murray admits that while the show takes a lot out of him, “the music gives me so much power” every time the lights go up.

Short run but the songs go on

The live performances for “New Worlds” are set for an intentionally short run, but there is a live album available, and all the songs are also available for streaming. What only listening admirers cannot experience fully is the sweet tenderness when Vanessa Perez steps away from her piano bench to dance with Murray. She, like her collaborative partners, has raved about the ability to “let her hair down” and not only play something different but be a different person in the performances.

Bill Murray credits his partners, saying “I'm just riding with these guys,” while they assert that no one would turn down an invitation to work with the man who is already iconic on-screen and stage, in comedy and drama.

Bill Murray recites one passage verbatim from Mark Twain's “Huckleberry Finn,” depicting the pivotal point in the story in which Huck helps Jim, the slave, to freedom. Bill Murray is prepared for the gasp when he reads the n-word that no one can be prepared for but feels it serves a purpose. He points to Twain’s philosophy that “just because things are the way they don't mean that beauty and decency can't shine through that.” So many hurting hearts need to feel that kind of healing. Comedy can be healing, too.

Before parting, Jane Pauley pushes her favorite song that Bill Murray ever sang, “Brandy.” After some prompting, he graciously obliges with a verse, noting “Yeah, I butchered that one, too”

Bill Murray closes his show with Van Morrison’s “When Will I Ever Learn to Live in God,” posing the question for the ages to every listening soul. Far from butchering songs, the master comedian is restoring belief in songs and words that can change the world.