45RPM David Bowie - The Laughing Gnome

[dzijane]

This is exactly how it sounded on my first ever Dansette, a big cream and navy suitcase sized box, which smelled wonderful and could go from room to room. I loved it and the pleasure it brought

[coralholloway]

i remember gettin this album when i was 15....cant find it...Images...double cassette ten..

[skinnyblinddude]

I first heard this in New Zealand where it was a hit in 1973. Music was fun and exciting back then, and novelty records were still quite popular on the pop charts. It was fun as a teen to laugh and be silly, and this record remains a fave. As an aside, when I hear pop radio nowadays, the music sounds dark, often very salacious, and totally lacking in fun appeal.

[clemstevenson]

@skinnyblinddude Yes, 'The Laughing Gnome' was also re-released in the UK in 1973. There had been an exponential rise in Bowie's popularity, and the Decca & RCA record companies were cashing in on that rise. That is why the classic 1971 track 'Life on Mars' also found its way onto a 1973 RCA single. And, as a consequence, the 1973 retro character of DCI Gene Hunt (AKA 'Jean Genie') (of Manchester & Salford CID) would later be forged.

[skwall2]

Hee, hee. hee ... I'd forgotten how adorable this song is (DB's laugh at the end still cracks me up). Must go dig up my records, I have this on vinyl; a double album called Images 1966-1967. I also loved this ditty's evil twin - Please Mr Gravedigger (I have this thing for thunderstorms). Thanks for uploading.

[ludwigsongs]

What is all the hiss for?

[peterc4]

Nice single!

Nice retro rig. I had a Rotel reciever (circa late 1970's). It died recently and I found a nice Marantz to replace it. Nothing sounds like vinyl played on "golden age" stereo equipment.

[Nomorebiscuits]

Not enough gnome-related puns.

[Tangent47]

@Nomorebiscuits Shouldn't your name be gnome-more biscuits? ;p

[bluebus270]

I have the single, good condition, with the blue Decca label. Is it worth anything? I bought it in the early 1980's.

[DavidBenAriel12]

The laughing gnome is still laughing...

[olanzip]

Nice song, Audio Technica make good carts. What speakers are you using in this video?

[45RPMs]

A pair of Wharfedale Programme 50's which are about 25 years old.

[bartleby2007]

ha ha ha

hee hee hee

i'm a laughing gnome and you can't stop me.

[xwsftassell]

*****. Bowie's best.

[theboyfromxtown]

@xwsftassell

It was the only 45 I ever bought! Didn't know about the inverted matrix number. Gonna check that out now!

Thanks

[shaniaisgod]

I still have this on Vinyl

[54spiritedwill54]

i love this song ! and david !

[Schizima]

If only I grew up in the 1960's and had David Bowie's the laughing gnome on vinyl.

Oh well I'd probably be listening to shit back then anyway.

[jenneccles]

I did , and i have.. (somewhere in the attic)

[JaemzStar]

@Schizima look on the bright side, at least you can be here now, still young and not have to wait for him to release new things :)

[rockmumof4]

hey that was pretty good, really cute,, damn i love his voice!!!! mmmmmmmmm ut dosent matter what he sings he sounds bloody awesome xxxxx

[bsideriver]

Ah, yah brits. I heard in a stuffy private school in Canada in the 80's so my memories are crappy.

[demise234]

This was the first Bowie song I heard and thought it was catchy but rather silly and still like to listen to it now and again as it cheers me up. Just loved the way David pronounced his words.I was still at the high school when Space Oddity came out.

[Dave195312]

Oh geez this was a great bloody single, things wern't going too well for me in 1967, i think i was a father of three by then (got 6 now) and i was all of 19 in '67, and i remember hearing this for the first time driving me mum from Ashfield station to the airport in our old holden down Parramatta road!! Geez this has opened up a memory thats been cosed for 35 odd years! cheers 45rpms, i was great to hear this again and remember the memories along with it!!!! god bless you

[metabog]

Wow. Reminds me of Syd Barrett!

[eartant]

I was just thinking the same thing

[hardshaun]

david bowie sucks

[hivernalAna]

gorgeous.

[bartleby2007]

We're living on caviar and honey 'cause they're earning me lotsa money.

said the laughing gnome.

[pgh45rpms]

Great posting. Decca reissued this in late 1973 as well. I heard somewhere that David broke up laughing at the fade ending, after hearing his own double-speed voice for the first time through studio headphones. (I own a copy of the 5-quid disc too.)

[musicfreak1967]

an absolutely unforgettable David Bowie classic with a great touch of comedy!!! I love the early Bowie classics and this is my favourite!!! Thanks to you for uploadin' this and 5 stars from germany!!!

[lanahardcastle]

he is amazing!!!!!

[deepintoblues]

Yes it is very silly, but I like it. The greatest of artists IMO are great because they go "out on a limb". I love when people can just relax and be their dorky selves. He had a crazy idea and expressed it. Also, he was apparently having a blast while recording it.

[johnniescarlett]

In my opinion David lost his musical direction after this song.

A true masterpiece!! ;-)

[PleiadesSeven]

This brings to mind Leonard Nimoy singing about Hobbitts! Awesome.

[veritycoxi]

does anyone have an explantion to why he wrote this song? Crack, weed, magic mushrooms etc?

[desposyy]

he wrote this when he was trying to get away from the record company in the description, but it back fired due to its popularity and he's done every thing he can to distance himself from it ever since

[giggsygirl]

like katedaragh said, I too thought it was great as a kid! Still makes me giggle, especially around 3.02.

[KCVROCKS2008]

david bowie and the chipmunks is what it sounds like! hahahaheeheehee

[rioknee]

I find it very amusing the NME "allegedly" tried to rig a contest so that Bowie would be forced to play this song live once more.

Thing song is purely a shame. It does however show just how innovative and unique David Bowie was for that time, but could prepare us for what was to come. He is a brilliant artist and I would take this over his affair with "Dancing In The Streets"

[royalbollocking]

please i have to get this on record.does anybody know which one it was on?

[Kimbercakes]

bowie denies the fact that he wrote this song..something tells me he's ashamed of it. But never-the-less, this was the song which started his career. I'm so happy he changed his musical direction to make songs such as Ziggy Stardust and Life on Mars.

[MagellanOfBass]

The guy was 20 when he recorded this, and probably even younger when he wrote it. xD

[DundonaldDen]

The first record I bought in 1968?

[katedaragh]

i thought this was great as a kid!

[beeb1992]

i love this song ! and david !

[madmonk66]

It is true that David Bowie was a Syd Barrett admirer. And Syd wrote songs that sometimes made reference to fairy tales and yes the occasional gnome. But with the silly sped up voice and all, he would never have done something as gay as this. I like Bowie. But I don't think he is the absolute genius people make him out to be. A genius would not do the Labyrinth soundtrack. Or Let's Dance. Or the Dancing In The Street video. Have you had enough or do you want me to taunt you some more?

[MandyKazooBowie]

Dude, wtf??? Of course he is a wonderful musical genius. I bet you haven't made an album or music video or soundtrack before, so you have no say in how good or bad David Bowie's music is. It is like as if you are trying to change our minds or something. Try a little harder next time, because the only reason why anybody is here is because they like David. Not to agree with you.

[steelyman40]

I'm actually a huge Bowie fan, but I have to say that even he is embarressed by this song. Don't blame him really...

[mjd775]

...madmonk, like your oppinion really matters!! Im no fan of Bowie but as far as im concerned he can do what he wants. Who appoited you the arbitter of taste all of a sudden?

[mslaerik]

this song was inspired by bowies love of syd barrett

[greenfield57]

brings back memories excellent song bowie should be proud yet another example of his skill as wordsmith and singer and shows his sense of humour

[knab69]

This is just a joke song, no artist would want to be haunted by such a song his whole career. Bowie would not want people to get the wrong idea about his music by playing this song.

[MalquiLans]

It's actually too slow. The gnome almost sounds like Bowie on Ziggy.. hehehehehe

[mygardenshed]

I remember the video and it was also fab

oliverj

[d0m93]

a dj on holiday said he could play "anything" i thought id stump him out with this.. but i didnt

[acoronab]

You hear that discoesque bass line?

[Jtronique]

I was thinking that!

I was thinking of an alleged conversation that Bowie and Eno had , when Eno first heard some of the Disco productions from Studio 54. "Listen to that Teutonic beat" Eno reportedly exclaimed :)

[LilLyon]

It's kickass that you have the RECORD of this! Amazing. I wish David wouldn't be so embarassed by this song. I love it <3

[Johnoco66]

Laughing Gnome is a good record -seriously. OK, perhaps an element of novelty but it's one that brings back warm memories and Bowie is daft to disown his 'Newley' period stuff as it is great.

[LunaSeaSane]

This song's stupid.

I am fully aware of Daves's extensive ouvre and I can fully understand why he'd chose not to play it now:

Cuz iss' stupid.

[pgfXena]

David Bowie does not like this song possibly because DECCA records put it in their "The World Of....." series with minimal publicity. Other "The World Of" artists included Moria Anderson, Mantovani, Your 100 Best Tunes (Religous/classical tunes).

Therefore Mr Bowie left for RCA Victor the rest is Pop history.

PS Decca rejected The Beatles because 'Guitar-Based groups wouldn't catch on'.

[cuthbertlilly1]

sounds a bit like northern soul without the lyrics

[davidxgillespie]

About 15 years ago Bowie was doing a greatest hits tour on which he was going to play songs voted for by his fans. The NME ran a campaign promoting The Laughing Gnome which ended up getting a large percentage of the vote. Bowie, alas, still didn't play it.

[darthvader120]

what a shame that bowie doesn't like this song, he made it, why does he not like it, i think it's hillarious :D

[Cherrycup2109]

Lol I use to listen to this all the time, I sang it word 4 word as I listened - Classic.

[aldiakaroofus]

We had the Deram label in Quebec in the 70's.

[cudlitedi123]

ha HA! i want that as a ringtone!