The Daily Bowie #40 - "The Laughing Gnome"

The Daily Bowie #40 - "The Laughing Gnome"

Happy Leap Day. February 29th. Only happens every four years. Seemed the appropriate time for this song.

When I came up with the idea for The Daily Bowie feature, the song that came to mind was this one, "The Laughing Gnome." I wondered how many people who know of David Bowie had heard of this song.

Okay, so two videos today because I cam across this video billed as Bowie's requiem for "The Laughing Gnome" and it's hilarious (and short).

I do not research much about these songs in advance, but if you have been following my feature, you see I post links each time, and often a great deal of text from the blog PUSHING AHEAD OF THE DAME, which has investigated Bowie's career song-by-song.

Most people consider Bowie's "The Laughing Gnome" to be one of his worst songs ever and possibly one of THE worst songs ever in the history of rock and folk. Others just see it as an embarrassment and a novelty gimmick that Bowie tried in the hopes of making the hits chart with some cuteness.

And so, I was happy to see that Chris O'Leary regaled it as a brilliant comic song and listed the seven reasons why it's such comic genius.

I am not going to repeat the text as I usually do. Follow the link if interested. But here's the key arguments for why "The Laughing Gnome" features Bowie's comic excellence:

1. It rocks.
2. The puns.
3. Credible dark interpretations.
4. Gnomic synchronicity.
5. The Gnome saved Bowie from a life of cabaret.
6. A bassoon is a lead instrument.
7. It’s a testament to a lost friendship.
(SOURCE: PUSHING AHEAD OF THE DAME: "The Laughing Gnome")

My favourite part is the ending, in which the gnomes (by then, two as the original is joined by his brother) are obviously cutting up, and Bowie is laughing at their antics. It's real, genuine laughter, and then he says "Oh Huey," as the original gnome, the actual Laughing Gnome, is clearly named "Huey" (or maybe "Hughey").

Thanks for all the fun, David.

DAVID BOWIE

"The Laughing Gnome"

DERAM RECORDS

THE GUARDIAN: "The Laughing Gnome": remembering David Bowie, the first-rate comic

PUSHING AHEAD OF THE DAME: "The Laughing Gnome"

Maybe "The Laughing Gnome" will help me to appreciate Labyrinth.


"The Laughing Gnome" - THE DERAM ANTHOLOGY 1966-1968 (r.1997)



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Rest in peace, David. We miss you.

- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1602.29 - 4:45 (actually 7:45 a.m. ET)